# Could use some input - requeening and combine timing



## Newbeek2021 (May 13, 2021)

I too have heard 2-3 days to air out the old queens pheremones


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Now, this is just me, but I'd wait only 7-9 days to pinch the queen cells, not the full 10 days. After 7-9 days they are large enough to see and long enough time that there are no other larva young enough for them to use to remake another queen. Waiting 10 days can be problematic at times, as sometimes a queen emerges a little bit early.

On the day pinching the queen cells, wait 10 minutes and combine. Waiting too long makes them too antsy as a hopelessly queen-less hive. Shake the bees off all frames to inspect for cells to be more sure of getting them all that have been started.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Ray is on the money with the 7 to 9 day time lapse to make sure there is no possibility of anything remotely possible of being converted to a queen. Caste queens of no usefullness can be made from larvae up to ~5 days from egg hatching. I dont think much time needs to elapse after destroying the last cells. I would keep an eye out for supercedure upon the first eggs that the new queen lays. I have had workers start cells on them and do in the new queen. This might be more of an issue when introducing Russian or Buckfast queens. Rare, but can happen.


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