How to Introduce a New Queen Bee: A Step-by-Step Guide

Key Takeaways

Introduce a new queen bee to replace an old or failing queen, improve genetics, prevent swarming, stimulate brood production, or change hive temperament.
Optimal times for introducing a new queen bee include immediately after the old queen’s removal, during the nectar flow, or when a little brood is present.
Always choose a healthy, mated queen from a reputable supplier, matching her traits to the colony’s needs.
Queen introduction techniques include direct release, queen cage, queen cage with attendants, press-in cage, and push-in cage, each with its pros and cons.

Introducing a new queen bee to a hive is a delicate and critical process that can significantly impact the health and productivity of a bee colony.

This article serves as a comprehensive guide on “how to introduce a new queen bee,” covering the reasons for introduction, timing considerations, hive preparation, queen selection, and various introduction methods.

It also addresses important aspects such as monitoring for queen acceptance, dealing with rejection, aftercare, and troubleshooting common problems.

This step-by-step guide is essential for beekeepers looking to maintain or enhance their hive’s health and productivity by successfully introducing a new queen bee.

Why introduce a new queen bee?

So, let’s start with the most basic question most new beekeepers ask: ‘Why even introduce a new queen bee?’

There are several reasons a beekeeper may need to introduce a new queen bee to a hive:

If the old queen died or is failing, a new queen must be introduced so the colony can continue.
To re-queen the hive with a queen with more desired genetics for honey production, disease resistance, or temperament.
To prevent swarming by replacing an older queen with a new, younger queen.
To stimulate brood production by bringing in a more productive queen.
To change the temperament of the hive by introducing a queen bred for gentleness.

Replacing the queen is vital for colony health and productivity. An experienced beekeeper monitors the queen’s performance and introduces a new one to keep the hive strong.

When to introduce a new queen

Timing is critical when introducing a new queen bee to a hive. Beekeepers have a few options for when to introduce a new queen:

Option 1: Immediately after removing the old queen.

This risks rejection by the colony since pheromones from the old queen will still be present. The bees may attack and kill the new queen.

Option 2: Waiting a few hours or days after removing the old queen.

Allowing the hive to be queenless for 2-24 hours before introduction is ideal. This gives time for the old queen’s pheromones to dissipate. The colony is then eager to accept a new laying.

Option 3: During a nectar flow.

Bees are less defensive and more focused on bringing in nectar. This relaxed state makes them more likely to accept the new queen.

Option 4: When little or no brood is present.

A broodless colony has fewer young bees emerging. Older bees are more willing to accept a new queen than newly emerged bees.

How to prepare the hive

Before introducing a new queen bee, it’s essential to ensure the colony is properly prepared to accept her.

The first critical step is to verify the hive is queenless. Be absolutely certain the old queen is gone, as two queens in a hive will fight to the death.

Thoroughly inspect each frame and confirm there is no queen present. Once queenlessness is verified, the next step is destroying any queen cells that may be present in the hive.

Worker bees will start constructing emergency queen cells when they notice their queen is failing or absent. Tear down all these cells to eliminate competition and ensure the workers are ready for a replacement queen.

Finally, reduce the entrances of the hive to the minimum size needed for bees to come and go. This concentrates the colony’s pheromones, making them more receptive to the new queen’s scent.

With the hive queenless, queen cells removed, and entrances reduced, the colony will be ready and eager for a new queen bee to be introduced.

How to choose a new queen

When it’s time to introduce a new queen to your hive, it’s crucial to select a healthy, high-quality queen that’s well-suited to the needs of your colony.

The new queen should come from a reputable supplier that you trust to provide robust, mated queens.

Look for signs of a strong, healthy queen. A good queen bee will have a long, tapered abdomen and a clean, robust appearance. Her wings should be intact, and her movements energetic.

Select a mated, laying queen that’s at least a few weeks old, not a virgin queen.

Match the new queen to the current state of your colony. If you need to quickly build up your hive population before the nectar flow, choose a prolific queen with proven high egg-laying capacity.

For overwintering, pick a queen bred for winter hardiness and frugal bee production. If your goal is maintaining gentleness, select a queen descended from a docile colony.

Get your new queen from a trustworthy supplier with a reputation for providing healthy, productive queens.

Local beekeepers may have queen recommendations based on experience.

Pro Tip: Review any available records about the queen’s lineage and traits before purchasing.

How to introduce a new queen bee: best methods

There are several techniques beekeepers can use to introduce a new queen bee into a hive. The most common methods are direct release, queen cage, queen cage with attendants, press-in cage, and push-in cage.

The direct release method involves simply dropping the new queen into the hive and letting her fend for herself.

This is the most risky method, as the workers may immediately attack and kill the new queen. Direct release has the highest rate of queen rejection.

Using a queen cage is a safer introduction technique. The queen is enclosed inside a small cage (or cell) with candy plugging one end.

The cage is placed inside the hive, suspended between frames, and the bees must eat through the candy to release her over the course of a few days.

This method allows the queen’s pheromones to slowly disseminate through the hive as the workers become accustomed to her presence.

A modification is adding attendant worker bees inside the queen cage. The presence of the attendants reduces aggression against the new queen when she is finally released after the candy plug is eaten through.

However, sometimes, the attendants themselves may harm the queen.

Press-in cages involve firmly pushing the queen cage directly into the comb so it is fixed in place.

The bees must chew through the candy end for the queen to emerge. This prevents the workers from removing or harming the caged queen.

With push-in cages, the queen is placed inside a cage with one end open. The cage is pushed into the comb so the open end makes direct contact, allowing the queen to walk out when ready.

This method only gives the queen access to a small section of comb at first for gradual introduction.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each method:

Direct release method

The direct release method involves directly introducing the new queen into the hive after finding and removing the old queen. This method requires care and precision but can be highly effective if done correctly.

Here are the steps to introduce a new queen bee using the direct release method:

Step 1:

First, open up the hive and use a bee smoker to lightly smoke the bees. This will mask alarm pheromones and make the bees less aggressive. Be sure not to use too much smoke, as you don’t want to hide the queen’s pheromones.

Step 2:

Carefully search through each frame to locate and remove the old queen. Dispose of the old queen far away from the hive.

Step 3:

Once the old queen is removed, place the new queen directly onto the frames of the brood nest. You can place her on an empty frame or gently put her on a frame covered with nurse bees.

Step 4:

Closely observe the bees’ reaction to the new queen. Watch for signs of acceptance, like grooming behavior and feeding.

If the bees immediately become aggressive, you may need to remove the new queen for her safety and try a different introduction method.

Step 5: If the bees appear to accept the queen after 10-15 minutes of observation, you can close up the hive. Check again in a few days for signs the new queen is laying eggs.

Directly releasing a mated queen into a hive with care and close observation can allow for rapid acceptance and minimal hive disruption.

Pro Tip: Monitor closely and have a backup queen ready in case of rejection.

Queen cage introduction method

The second popular method for introducing a new queen is to place her in a small queen cage first before releasing her into the hive.

This allows the worker bees time to get accustomed to her pheromone scent before she is let loose. The queen cage protects the queen from any initial aggression while the bees acclimate to her presence.

Here are the steps to introduce a new queen bee using a cage:

Step 1:

Place the caged queen between frames near the center of the brood nest. Make sure the screen is facing outwards so the bees can feed her.

Step 2:

Leave the caged queen inside the hive for 2-7 days before releasing her. This gives the colony time to accept her pheromones.

Step 3:

Before releasing the queen, sprinkle her with a bit of sugar syrup through the screen. This masks her scent and stimulates cleaning behaviors.

Step 4:

After the acclimation period, gently remove the cork or candy plug and allow the queen to enter the colony.

The queen cage introduction method minimizes rejection risk while allowing the colony to grow accustomed to the new queen’s presence.

Leaving her caged for a few days diminishes worker aggression before she is freed. Overall, this gradual integration is less stressful for the hive.

Queen cage with attendants method

Another option for introducing a new queen bee into a hive is to leave some of her attendant worker bees in the queen cage with her.

Typically, 3-5 attendants are left in the cage when using this method. The primary purpose for leaving attendants with the queen is to help spread her pheromones throughout the hive, making the colony more likely to accept her.

The attendants in the cage fan their Nasonov glands, distributing pheromones from the new queen to the rest of the hive’s population.

This helps the colony recognize the new queen as their rightful leader before she is released from her cage.

The queen’s pheromones signal the bees that she is not an intruder or threat. Allowing attendants to remain with the caged queen results in less aggression and fighting when she is introduced.

While some beekeepers recommend removing all attendants before introduction, leaving a few workers with the queen makes the process smoother in most cases.

The attendants also help care for the queen, keeping her fed and groomed during her vulnerable transition period in the cage.

As long as the number of attendants is limited to 3-5, they are unlikely to block the queen’s release by clustering around her cage.

With the help of her devoted workers, the new queen can establish herself peacefully as the reigning matriarch of the hive.

Press-in cage method

The press-in cage method is another relatively easy way to introduce a new queen bee to a hive. This method involves placing the new queen inside a small cage with a sugar candy plug at one end.

The cage is then pressed into the comb of a brood frame, pushing the queen up against the comb.

There are a few advantages to using a press-in queen cage for introducing a new queen:

It pushes the queen up against the comb, allowing her pheromones to spread throughout the hive more quickly. The queen’s pheromones tell the worker bees that she is their new mother. This can help the workers accept her more readily.
The cage protects the queen from harm while her pheromones spread in the hive. The workers can feed her through the screen mesh and get used to her presence.
The queen can be left inside the cage for 2-3 days before being released into the hive. This gives the colony time to become accustomed to her.
When the candy plug is eaten through, the queen can emerge gently into the heart of the brood nest.

Releasing the queen after 2-3 days in the press-in cage generally allows for a smooth transition to the new queen.

Pro Tip: Always check that the candy plug has been eaten through before leaving her to emerge on her own. Monitor the hive closely afterwards for signs of acceptance.

This method requires attentive beekeeping but can be highly effective for integrating a new queen.

Push-in cage method

The push-in cage method involves pushing the caged queen directly into the comb of the hive. This releases the queen immediately into the colony.

Some beekeepers prefer this method because it is faster and causes less stress on the queen compared to other introduction cages.

To use the push-in cage, the beekeeper first ensures the hive is queenless and ready for a new queen.

Next, the queen is placed inside a small metal mesh cage with an opening on one side.

The beekeeper then pushes this cage about halfway into a comb containing worker brood and open cells. Pushing the cage into the comb secures it in place.

The existing worker bees will cluster around the cage and feed the queen through the mesh.

Finally, the bees will gnaw away the candy end of the cage after 1-2 days, allowing the queen to walk out into the colony.

The main advantage of the push-in cage method is that it immediately releases the queen into the hive.

The queen can start laying eggs right away rather than being stuck inside a cage. This quick release helps reduce stress on the queen.

The push-in cage also firmly secures the queen in an area of brood, ensuring she will be well-fed and cared for by the workers.

As long as the hive is properly queenless, this method usually results in high queen acceptance rates.

The push-in cage method requires minimal work by the beekeeper for introducing new queens.

Releasing the queen

After releasing the new queen, you’ll want to monitor the workers’ behavior closely. Avoid releasing the queen during peak foraging hours, when most workers gather nectar and pollen.

The best time is later in the evening when most bees have returned to the hive.

First, smoke the hive gently to mask pheromones and calm the bees. Then, carefully remove the queen cage and set it aside.

Watch the workers closely for signs of acceptance, like grooming and feeding the new queen.

Aggressive behaviors like biting, stinging, and balling indicate rejection. If you see signs of aggression, you may need to re-cage the queen for a few more days before trying again.

Releasing at the right time and monitoring the initial interactions can help ensure a smooth transition to the new queen.

Signs of queen acceptance

After introducing a new queen, monitoring the hive for signs that the bees have accepted her is important. Some indications that the new queen is being accepted include:

The queen is surrounded by attendant worker bees. This shows they are taking care of her needs and protecting her.
Bees feeding and grooming the queen. Worker bees will provide food to the queen and clean her, which are signs they accept her presence.
The queen begins to lay eggs. Once the queen starts laying eggs in open cells, it confirms the colony has accepted her as their new mother queen. This process can take a few days after her introduction.

Observing these behaviors means the bees treat the new queen as their own.

As long as she is surrounded by attendants, groomed and fed, and lays eggs, the queen’s introduction can be considered successful. Keep monitoring for a week or more to ensure acceptance continues.

How to deal with queen rejection

If the bees reject the new queen, acting quickly is important to avoid losing the colony. The rejected queen should be removed from the hive immediately, as worker bees will attack and kill her.

Don’t wait and hope the bees change their mind – a rejected queen rarely survives more than a few hours.

After removing the rejected queen, wait at least 2 weeks before attempting to re-queen the colony again. This gives the bees time to settle down from the intrusion and stress of the first introduction.

When re-queening, follow all the same preparation steps and choose a different queen from a different source.

If a colony repeatedly rejects new queens, it may be too weak or have other underlying issues causing it to fail.

In this case, the best option is often to combine the struggling colony with a healthy, queen-right colony from a separate hive.

This boosts the population and allows the queenright colony’s pheromones to stabilize the new bees. Monitor for any signs of fighting after combining hives and intervene if needed.

With patience and care, most colonies can successfully accept a replacement queen. But dealing swiftly with rejection gives the bees their best chance at recovery.

Removing the rejected queen and allowing time before re-queening again can help the hive welcome their new monarch.

Aftercare & troubleshooting

After introducing the new queen, it’s important not to disturb the hive for 1-2 weeks to allow the colony time to accept her.

Avoid any inspections or interventions during this sensitive period. The bees need time to release the queen from her cage and properly integrate her into the colony.

Premature inspections can startle the queen and potentially lead to rejection or even harm to her.

Providing supplemental feed like a pollen patty or sugar syrup can help the colony remain strong and focused on brood rearing rather than foraging.

A well-fed colony is more likely to accept a new queen. The additional resources allow the workers to produce more brood food and focus energies on the queen.

Once 1-2 weeks have passed, do a quick visual inspection to verify if eggs and young larvae are present, confirming the queen’s acceptance.

If acceptance is confirmed, you can mark or clip the new queen for easier identification. Make sure to use a tested queen marking pen and handle her gently.

With proper aftercare, the new queen should successfully establish herself as the head of the colony. Avoid disruptions, keep the bees well-fed, and patiently allow the hive to settle with their new monarch.

Now, queen introduction can sometimes encounter issues that need to be addressed by the beekeeper.

Here are some common problems and solutions:

Queen injured during the introduction

Be extremely gentle when handling the queen to avoid any physical damage. Inspect her carefully before release, and do not introduce the queen if you spot any injuries. Slow, deliberate movements are key.

Delayed acceptance

The new queen may not be immediately accepted, especially if introduced too soon after the colony became queenless.

Be patient and give them a few days with the caged queen before assessing acceptance. Try reintroducing her with a different method if still rejected after 3-4 days.

Accidental release of a virgin queen

Any virgin queens in the hive should be removed before introducing the mated queen; otherwise, fighting and rejection could occur. Thoroughly inspect frame-by-frame first and cage any virgins found.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it necessary to introduce a new queen bee to a hive?

Introducing a new queen bee is crucial for replacing an old or failing queen, enhancing genetics, preventing swarming, increasing brood production, and improving hive temperament.

When is the best time to introduce a new queen bee?

The optimal time can vary: immediately after removing the old queen, during nectar flow, when the hive is broodless, or after allowing the hive to be queenless for 2-24 hours.

What are the steps to prepare a hive for a new queen bee?

Preparation involves ensuring the hive is queenless, removing existing queen cells, and reducing hive entrances to concentrate pheromones.

How do you select the right queen bee for your hive?

Choose a healthy, mated queen from a trusted supplier, considering factors like egg-laying capacity, winter hardiness, and temperament.

What are the best methods to introduce a new queen bee?

Common methods include direct release, using a queen cage, queen cage with attendants, press-in cage, and push-in cage, each with specific advantages and risks.

How can you tell if the hive has accepted a new queen bee?

Signs of acceptance include bees grooming and feeding the queen, her being surrounded by attendants, and the onset of egg-laying.

What should you do if the new queen bee is rejected by the hive?

Remove the rejected queen immediately, wait at least two weeks before trying with a new queen, and consider combining the colony with another if the rejection persists.

What are common problems during queen bee introduction, and how do we address them?

Problems can include queen injury, delayed acceptance, and accidental release of a virgin queen. Address these by gentle handling, patience, and thorough hive inspection.

What aftercare is necessary following the introduction of a new queen bee?

Avoid disturbing the hive for 1-2 weeks, provide supplemental feed, and conduct a visual inspection to confirm the queen’s acceptance after this period.

Why is the timing of introducing a new queen bee important?

Timing affects the likelihood of acceptance, with ideal moments depending on the hive’s condition and external factors like nectar flow and brood presence.