# How long to wait before switching Queen over



## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

DaisyNJ said:


> Question: Should I switch the queen over as soon as possible or wait until July / August or any other suggestion in terms of timeline for switch ?


If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well It were done quickly.


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Why leave the Apivar strip in there if you intend to be treatment free? And I would switch the queen over as soon as one is available.


----------



## AR Beekeeper (Sep 25, 2008)

Leave the mite treatment in, you want to have the colony as mite free as possible when you put in the new queen. If you give her a clean start you can evaluate her offspring's ability to prevent/survive the varroa build up starting with her brood.

You will need to introduce a new queen 6 to 8 week before you plan to shut down for winter. This give her time to lay 2 full cycles of brood.


----------



## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

DaisyNJ, be sure to remove the mite strip at the end of the treatment cycle. One of the best ways to produce resistance, in mites and other things, is a constant low level exposure. I have seen hives with "forgotten" strips, and that may assist survivor mite generations to develop treatment tolerance. 

After a time, mites lose some resistance. I discovered that when I went from TF, to emergency, lite treatments. I had some nasty resistant mites, courtesy of buying commercial pollinator hives. After a TF year, mild treatment was very effective, along with TF management practices. Oxalic acid still works well.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

It is better that you switch over asap in a shorter season
bee environment. Here with longer seasons it doesn't matter when
to switch over. Do it asap!


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You are unlikely to find a local mated queen before the end of June or the first of July. Go for when good local queens are available.


----------



## DaisyNJ (Aug 3, 2015)

Michael Bush said:


> You are unlikely to find a local mated queen before the end of June or the first of July. Go for when good local queens are available.


Thanks Michael. Will take that advice and wait for the local queen availability. I heard that first grafting starts around May 1st here in NJ. Wasnt sure if waiting until June / July would create too much of mite load for new queen to deal with.


----------



## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

You don't have to wait for the local queens.
You can get them in the warmer region to requeen sooner.
The mite load is not an issue for the new queen when you have
the hygienic bees. They will deal with the mites so no worry when
there is a brood break with it too. I requeen when the mites are still
in there and to test their mite fighting ability. So far all are good!


----------

