# Requeening hives with queen cells



## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

In my experience large hives are much more likely to pull their own cell, and trash the interloper cell first thing. When building nucs with cells it is better to use frames where the brood has aged out of queen possibility for the same reason. Large hives are too difficult to survey for all the lurking 3 day larvae -- but the bees know where it is.


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## Marti (Jun 29, 2014)

It seem like I remember reading somewhere, somebody re-queening queen-right hives, utilizing queen cells in queen cell protectors... a forced supersedure.
Will it work? I do not no as I have yet to try it.


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## Kidbeeyoz (May 8, 2013)

Done in New Zealand using cell protectors. Here is a link:

http://www.carricell.com/#!CARICELL...on/c1c0o/2D2FAEFC-F534-4CA1-8126-CAAB82D1CA10


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I did 40 hives last year successfully.


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## TalonRedding (Jul 19, 2013)

T.Smith said:


> Has anybody had luck requeening large hives with cells I know using them in small nucs works well but was wondering about using them on large hives after I dequeened them. Thanks Tracy


As long as the old queen has been removed, yes. I have found that waiting for a week after removing the queen is the best time to introduce a queen cell. I have started using cell protectors too. By waiting for a week, you have almost guaranteed yourself that there aren't any larvae young enough for them to make a queen. You are also consolidating the number of times that you go into the nest. Make sure all q cells they have made are removed before you place your q cell of choice into the hive. However, if the hive that you are requeening is already a colony that meets your satisfaction, then I would tear all the cells out but 1 or 2 and not even worry about introducing a new cell. They do prefer their own. Why waste a good queen when you don't have to?


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## T.Smith (Aug 26, 2009)

Thank all of y'all for the input. I'm gonna try a couple yards and will let you know the outcome in a few weeks


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