# Fall Requeening



## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

I just ordered queens for fall (actually should be called late summer) requeening. Reason is that some of the queens are just not building up like they should and I believe the wet, cold weather in Calf. may have had an effect on the virgins ability to mate. (one of the reasons) Anyway, I am doing an early requeen on the hives that have strong populations but are not building up or filling supers like the rest. 

I will also be doing some requeening towards the end of July (usual time) using queen cells in the honey supers. I have heard this is an effective way to requeen and thought I would give it a try. My mentor says they used to use this method all the time with great success on a large scale.

Anyone else re-queening this early or have other ways of handling their fall requeening?


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

alpha i'm re queening almost all my hives with cells in the supers again, starting the end of the week. I do it when our summer flow starts and i seem to have good luck. makes for nice fall and winter hives. Nick


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Alph6,
Placing a ripe queen cell in the super is called forced supercedure.
I place a ripe queen cell in the super 2x every 14 days.
Or,

Some of us make a divide over the hive using a split board. The split board is removed after the virgin queen is mated and the bees have develped a brood nest.
Good Luck,
Ernie


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## hpm08161947 (May 16, 2009)

BEES4U said:


> Alph6,
> 
> 
> Some of us make a divide over the hive using a split board. The split board is removed after the virgin queen is mated and the bees have develped a brood nest.
> ...


Ernie -
How about describing in more detail just how this "Split Board" method works. Is a split board just a solid board inserted between two doubles? Do you pinch the old queen before or after?

Thanks
Herb


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

alpha6 said:


> I will also be doing some requeening towards the end of July (usual time) using queen cells in the honey supers. I have heard this is an effective way to requeen and thought I would give it a try. My mentor says they used to use this method all the time with great success on a large scale.


I've tried this many times and never had it work unless I have trashed the hives first(made multiple nucs out of the hives so the remaining bees thing the queen is failing) would be nice if it did work but every time I try it on a "normal" hive they chew out the queen cell. and I can tell as most all of my queens are marked and still there after.


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

have you tried cell protectors? 

ernie: why are you putting in a cell 2x every 14 days?


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## wildbranch2007 (Dec 3, 2008)

swarm_trapper said:


> have you tried cell protectors?
> 
> /QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Herb,
The ones that I use are made out of plywood that has 4 bee way space cleats, 3/8" thick.
On one end I cut the cleat so that the bees have about an inch entrance.You can cut out 4 holes and double screen them so that the divide get warm from the lower colony.
When you pull the split/divide board, the bees in the upper super will go down into the lower hive and usually kill the older queen.
Ernie


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

Swarm Trapper,
The reason for the 2nd ripe cell is in case the 1st attempt does not work.
I graft my own cells.
No cell protecters are needed.
Ernie


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## Beeslave (Feb 6, 2009)

Ripe Queen Cell-Less than 12 hrs to hatch? Does a queen cell that is closer to hatching have a better smell to the bees so they don't chew it down?


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