Queen introduction
Contrary to what you may have heard, it is not difficult to introduce a Russian queen.
We recommend that no matter your method of introduction, that the queen remain caged in the hive for 3-5 days and no longer
First remove the old queen and immediately place the queen cage with the candy end still covered between frames where there is brood and bees.
Here are two different methods of introduction that we recommend.
1 - Either you go back into the hive and remove the candy cover on the second or third day so that the bees may release the queen now that they have access to the candy.
2 -Or go back into the hive on the fourth or fifth day and open the cage and permit the queen to walk out onto the top bars and enter the hive. We do not recommend releasing her at the hive entrance.
Finally if the caged queen is dead when you go back into the hive to release her; it is almost certain that there is another (second) queen in the hive. In that case; you need to remove the second queen and repeat the above procedure.
Contrary to what you may have heard, it is not difficult to introduce a Russian queen.
We recommend that no matter your method of introduction, that the queen remain caged in the hive for 3-5 days and no longer
First remove the old queen and immediately place the queen cage with the candy end still covered between frames where there is brood and bees.
Here are two different methods of introduction that we recommend.
1 - Either you go back into the hive and remove the candy cover on the second or third day so that the bees may release the queen now that they have access to the candy.
2 -Or go back into the hive on the fourth or fifth day and open the cage and permit the queen to walk out onto the top bars and enter the hive. We do not recommend releasing her at the hive entrance.
Finally if the caged queen is dead when you go back into the hive to release her; it is almost certain that there is another (second) queen in the hive. In that case; you need to remove the second queen and repeat the above procedure.
The following information developed by Big Bee Valley Apiaries for their customers:
Transporting and Care of Honey Bee Nucs
5-Frame nucs will be received/picked up in a 5-frame nuc box designed to hold 5 deep frames and have adequate ventilation for transport under normal conditions (Temperatures below 80° F.). Care must be taken not to clog the air vents and entrances during transport. At higher temperatures, special care should be exercised to space them to allow good airflow throughout and especially near each end. They will be delivered/picked up with a screened or flap closure (hardware cloth) entrance to keep the bees confined for transport. It is not advised to transport nucs inside the passenger compartment in case of an accident or in the trunk in case of overheating and carbon monoxide buildup from the exhaust system and lack of oxygen. An open truck bed is recommended.
Each nuc will contain 5 drawn combs (2-3 with brood of all ages & 2-3 with some honey and pollen) or otherwise as specified and agreed upon. Each will have a newly reared laying queen. Certification as apparently free from American foulbrood is done by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and we will be able to provide the buyer with a copy of the certificate to accompany the bees during transport. Freedom from varroa and tracheal mites and small hive beetle are not covered under the certificate. However, the certificate will state that the hives are under treatment for varroa mites and mite levels are below economic threshold or at low levels. Our method of treatment is to assure that the stock is varroa resistant Russian honey bee stock.
Upon reaching their destination, each nuc should be placed in the exact location where they hive will be maintained. It should immediately be opened/screen removed to allow the bees to fly and ventilate the nuc. However, they can be placed in a temporary location and moved at least three miles away later, but it is imperative that they be free to fly.
Each nuc should be transferred to an eight or ten frame brood box hive as soon as possible to prevent swarming. It is best to wait until the next warm day to give the bees time to settle down. To do so, remove the lid and start by taking out a comb on the side and placing it in the hive body/brood box, being careful not to roll/mash the queen. Then take each comb out carefully to avoid dislodging the bees from the comb. Carefully place the combs in the center of the brood chamber. Then look in the nuc box for the queen and coax her into the brood chamber if she did not get transferred on a comb. Then you may shake all the other bees onto the ground in front of the brood chamber. They will go inside.
The five combs should be in the center of the brood box with empty combs or frames with foundation on each side. If the extras are combs you need only place 4 additional frames in the brood box (making 9 total) and 5 if they are frames of foundation to be drawn into comb. If you use an in-hive feeder it should replace one or even two of the extra combs on the outside edge. If not each brood box should be provided with another type of syrup feeder.
It is important that you feed each nuc a mixture of sugar syrup (4 lbs. of cane/beet sugar dissolved in a gallon of hot water). The water should be hot enough to make sure the sugar dissolves. Each nuc should be fed sugar syrup continually until all the combs in the brood box are filled out and contain honey and/or brood and are covered with bees. It might surprise you how much syrup they will consume. If a nectar flow is ongoing, it may be hard to get them to consume the syrup, which is good, meaning they are staying busy doing what they like (foraging for their own food). However, they should be checked routinely to refill the feeder as needed.
Once the combs are drawn in the bottom brood box, it is time to add a second brood chamber. Take 1-2 combs of brood/honey from the lower brood chamber replacing them with frames of comb or foundation. Place the 1-2 frames of brood/honey in the center of the added top brood chamber with combs or foundation to the sides as was done in the lower brood chamber. This will entice the bees up to start drawing/filling out the remaining combs and foundation. Do not place a queen excluder between the two brood chambers.
Continue to feed the colony as long as they will consume the syrup until the second brood chamber is full of fully drawn out combs and bees. At that point it is time to add a super with drawn combs or frames with foundation for honey storage and discontinue feeding the bees. Even one drawn comb provided in the honey super will help tremendously to get the bees started in the honey super. Do not wait too long to add the honey super(s); otherwise, they will get too crowded and the bees might get the idea to swarm.
At this point it is time to pray for good weather and a heavy nectar flow. If managed as described above, a good 5-frame nuc received in April or May should be able to produce one or more supers of honey this first season, depending on the abundance of nectar producing floral sources. In soybean/cotton areas where bloom starts in mid June to early July, nucs purchased in April or by mid May should be strong enough to produce at a level equal to other established hives by the time soybeans/cotton bloom.
Each nuc will contain 5 drawn combs (2-3 with brood of all ages & 2-3 with some honey and pollen) or otherwise as specified and agreed upon. Each will have a newly reared laying queen. Certification as apparently free from American foulbrood is done by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and we will be able to provide the buyer with a copy of the certificate to accompany the bees during transport. Freedom from varroa and tracheal mites and small hive beetle are not covered under the certificate. However, the certificate will state that the hives are under treatment for varroa mites and mite levels are below economic threshold or at low levels. Our method of treatment is to assure that the stock is varroa resistant Russian honey bee stock.
Upon reaching their destination, each nuc should be placed in the exact location where they hive will be maintained. It should immediately be opened/screen removed to allow the bees to fly and ventilate the nuc. However, they can be placed in a temporary location and moved at least three miles away later, but it is imperative that they be free to fly.
Each nuc should be transferred to an eight or ten frame brood box hive as soon as possible to prevent swarming. It is best to wait until the next warm day to give the bees time to settle down. To do so, remove the lid and start by taking out a comb on the side and placing it in the hive body/brood box, being careful not to roll/mash the queen. Then take each comb out carefully to avoid dislodging the bees from the comb. Carefully place the combs in the center of the brood chamber. Then look in the nuc box for the queen and coax her into the brood chamber if she did not get transferred on a comb. Then you may shake all the other bees onto the ground in front of the brood chamber. They will go inside.
The five combs should be in the center of the brood box with empty combs or frames with foundation on each side. If the extras are combs you need only place 4 additional frames in the brood box (making 9 total) and 5 if they are frames of foundation to be drawn into comb. If you use an in-hive feeder it should replace one or even two of the extra combs on the outside edge. If not each brood box should be provided with another type of syrup feeder.
It is important that you feed each nuc a mixture of sugar syrup (4 lbs. of cane/beet sugar dissolved in a gallon of hot water). The water should be hot enough to make sure the sugar dissolves. Each nuc should be fed sugar syrup continually until all the combs in the brood box are filled out and contain honey and/or brood and are covered with bees. It might surprise you how much syrup they will consume. If a nectar flow is ongoing, it may be hard to get them to consume the syrup, which is good, meaning they are staying busy doing what they like (foraging for their own food). However, they should be checked routinely to refill the feeder as needed.
Once the combs are drawn in the bottom brood box, it is time to add a second brood chamber. Take 1-2 combs of brood/honey from the lower brood chamber replacing them with frames of comb or foundation. Place the 1-2 frames of brood/honey in the center of the added top brood chamber with combs or foundation to the sides as was done in the lower brood chamber. This will entice the bees up to start drawing/filling out the remaining combs and foundation. Do not place a queen excluder between the two brood chambers.
Continue to feed the colony as long as they will consume the syrup until the second brood chamber is full of fully drawn out combs and bees. At that point it is time to add a super with drawn combs or frames with foundation for honey storage and discontinue feeding the bees. Even one drawn comb provided in the honey super will help tremendously to get the bees started in the honey super. Do not wait too long to add the honey super(s); otherwise, they will get too crowded and the bees might get the idea to swarm.
At this point it is time to pray for good weather and a heavy nectar flow. If managed as described above, a good 5-frame nuc received in April or May should be able to produce one or more supers of honey this first season, depending on the abundance of nectar producing floral sources. In soybean/cotton areas where bloom starts in mid June to early July, nucs purchased in April or by mid May should be strong enough to produce at a level equal to other established hives by the time soybeans/cotton bloom.
