# Laying Worker/Queen Introduction



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>There is a shaker method to get rid of the laying workers (rather not do that If it can be helped).

It does not work anyway.

> Is there any way I can just introduce a new queen in a cage, and have them accept her and stop the laying workers.

Not really.

> I've been a beekeeper for 10 years so avoid the baby-talk, this is just the first time I've ever dealt with a laying worker. 

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslayingworkers.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespanacea.htm


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I ( very respectufly) disagree with Michael, We have had no problems doing just a normal introduction with a good queen into a hive with a laying worker. I have done it 3-4 times this year, and probably 50 times total.. not had any issues I can recall.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

A frame of open brood goes a long ways in suppressing laying worker ovaries and helps balance age demographics. In addition to adding brood, exchanging positions with a queenright hive will help immensely. The returning field bees will not tolerate laying workers and will root them out for you.


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## Hokie Bee Daddy (Apr 1, 2011)

Gmcharlie,

I had a laying worker hive earlier in the season - first one of my beekeeping career. I gave three frames of brood over three weeks until they started making queen cells. I cut out the queen cells and introduced a caged queen. I allowed the bees to release her on their own and believe it or not they still killed her. I'm 0 for 1 on the laying worker hives and from now on plan to just shake them out. They will just strengthen another hive and it will save me money, time, and aggravation.

It sounds like you are doing something very special to get them to accept queens that easily.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

why did you do it that way? seems a bit odd to wait for 3 weeks for a queen cell, and then introduce a laying queen? should have let them finish the cells out and mate the new cells. not sure why you went that route? 
Any way, some hives will kill almost any queen at times. once in a while they go on a binge and want to make honey and won't tolerate a queen. The absolute best way if you can is to introduce a frame of larve and the new queen at the same time. You may be 0-1 and You can try anything you like, I run about 100 hives and don't use any special tricks at all.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I've not had any luck in introducing either a mated queen or even a virgin queen into a laying worker colony. I've gotten to the point now that I simply don't even try to get the colony queenright. I simply shake out the bees and redistribute the frames among several of my other colonies. The LW bees will eventually negotiate entrance into your other hives.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

*All bees are not the same!*

I'm reading Brother Adam's books now...Each Bee strain has different combinations of characteristics. Characteristics that he tried to confirm or extinguish. All bees are not the same. Michael Bush's shotgun approach has at least one method that should work to rid yourself of the laying worker(s). Flip a coin


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## mgolden (Oct 26, 2011)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*

Have a problem hive with a laying worker. Purchased a queen and even in the cage, the hive bees were trying to sting through the cage screen.

Has anyone tried putting a queen right super on top of the laying worker hive. Plan to place an open screened bottom between the two and hoping that the queen pheromone will cicrculate and straighten out the bottom laying worker hive, And eventually do a combine.

??????????


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*

I have not had the method I mentioned earlier ever fail: Add some open brood, exchange hive positions with a decent queen right hive, a day or so later introduce a queen or queen cell. There is a first time for everything, but so far this method has been great for dealing with the laying worker condition.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*



JBJ said:


> I have not had the method I mentioned earlier ever fail: Add some open brood, exchange hive positions with a decent queen right hive, a day or so later introduce a queen or queen cell. There is a first time for everything, but so far this method has been great for dealing with the laying worker condition.


sounds like a great plan John, pretty simple and straightforward.


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## Rick 1456 (Jun 22, 2010)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*

Several years ago, I was successful in 2 out of three caged queens introduced into hives. Russian hybrid bees, and Russian open mated queens from a supplier. I have never had that work trying it after that. To expensive so I will not do it anymore. I do not know why it worked those times. The only thing I came up with, was when I push the cage into the wax, I didn't leave enough room for the bees to get to the candy. It took them a lot longer to get get to her. It still doesn't make sense unless queen pheromone can suppress laying worker also. I'm not aware that it does. The other thing I thought of, the (production) queen had more time to mature and was more recognizable as a queen. Pure speculation on my part. 
GM charlie,,,,,how old are the queens you are having success? Have they been laying or are they production queens that are mated, but have not started yet? I wonder it that makes a diff. Thanks


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*

normaly newly mated. the hive itself almost always contains some laying workers. we just never notice because the eggs are eaten. in fact I noticed today (was searching for foulbrood) that several cells in different hives had 2 larve in them. not sure when they clean that up! first time I noticed it. you can also use a bunchof sugar spray on all the workers to help them accept a new queen. Keep in mind if there are ANY queen cells, even uncapped started they will not take a new queen. not normaly an issue with a laying worker, but something to keep in mind.


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

*Re: All bees are not the same!*

Charlie, 
That is funny because I saw two larva in one cell for my first time last Friday during a graft. I imagine they will drag one of them out but who knows!


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