# ideas on installing a virgin queen



## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Well.....I haven't had much luck with either of those metheods. The one I have had luck with was introducing her just like you would a mated one. But you only have a week at the most to get it done.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

I have had some luck with Pegjam's technique, and if the virgin is extremely fresh and the unit recognizes itself as queenless a direct release can work. Just let her out on a frame and if the immediately start to feed her then all will be good. If they bite her, that she should be caged with a candy tube. It does seem that freshness is critical. I prefer not to have to introduce virgins at all but on rare occasions it may need be done


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

>I know a couple way of installing virgins queens but <

Why not just use the cell before she hatches?


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I've tried direct release, waiting 24hrs, and waiting till they release her. My best take on my last batch of 25 was 69%.

I haven't found a sure fire way to do it. It seems that the smaller the amount of bees (1-2 med frame) and if they are young nursebees with emerging brood that it should theoretically be the best situation provided they also recognize they are queenless.

Sometimes even that won't work. 

If you are trying to introduce a virgin to a large hive I think the success rate will be greatly reduced.

No matter how I've done it......the success rate falls below that of introducing a mated queen. Cells work very well if that is an option for you.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

"Why not just use the cell before she hatches?" MP

Definitely preferable, but sometimes trucks break, employees have other plans. I would prefer to introduce a cell or or mated queen any time however some virgins will be accepted and a total loss can be staved off.


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## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

Michael Palmer said:


> >I know a couple way of installing virgins queens but <
> 
> Why not just use the cell before she hatches?



well the cells are in New York, and Im in Ga, a freind is shipping them to me, guest he doesn't have enough room or equipment to mate the queens, they are from a feral hive he removed and want to try a few and ended up with more that he wants so he is sending them to me, they hatched today and will be shipped tomorrow.


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## Riki (Jan 31, 2007)

I would try to introduce them caged with candy plugs in small nucs.


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## olympic (Aug 20, 2006)

Hello- If the nuc has brood it must have been queenless for at least 6 days and had all the cells destroyed. The virgins must not be older than 4 days at the time of introduction. Introduce the virgin without attendant bees and with HARD candy in the cage. Do not open the nuc until at least 15 days after introduction. This works and gives excellent results.
You can also use broodless nucs which must be placed in a cool/dark place for 72 hours after introduction of the virgin.
Good luck!
Best regards
Oly


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## Cristian Radut (Jul 15, 2007)

Hi!

Virgin queen deals with nucs or new founded colonies. If you try to change the old queen of a hive with a virgin one... and succeed... you're incredibly lucky!!! And that after such a work!

It's easy to "install" a virgin queen into a hive but you'll have to create a new one especially for that queen, with two frames with honey, polen and 1 or 2 frames with old pupe (no eggs, nor larvae). Sugar syrup won't be necessary.

Then, place the new hive few metres far from the others. The old bees will leave the hive next days and there will remain only the young bees who'll accept the queen, that you'll release after 48 hours. 

To conclude: the problem with introducing a virgin queen is that the bees older than 7/8 days rarely accept her, because of her different pheromon. 

This is a 90% succesful way to "install" a virgin queen.


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## Cristian Radut (Jul 15, 2007)

Some gentlemen here have already mentioned things important to know:

1. A fresh virgin queen (1-4 hours) can be released directly in a hive with no queen, she'll be accepted most of the time; the percent is around 70%, but rarely happens to work with so fresh queens.
2. No frames with eggs or larvae; the bees will start creating queen cells ==> less acceptance chances.
3. The smaller the amount of bees, the more chances for the virgin queen to be accepted... one of the reasons that queen breeder operates with nucs.
4. A beekeper have to choose between using a queen cell or using a mated queen. Virgin queens only in exceptional cases


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