Killing the queen

[Skyhook]

The thought occurred to me whilst scrabbling for boxes to do yet another AS- if you're running out of options, is killing the old queen a viable method of swarm control? If you kill HM, remove all but one QC, make sure they have enough space, and go back in to remove further QC's, will that cool them down, or are they likely to swarm anyway with the virgin?

I know you may lose a lot of the honey crop for the year, but I'm talking last resort here.

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[Black Comb]

Just like the nucleus method of swarm control except with that you "park" the queen in a nuc until new one is mated and laying OK. (Insurance).
Must be careful to leave only 1 cell though.

 

[Goran]

I recently ask mentor that one queen seems failing, but they were pulling the queen cells as for swarming ( 10 approx.). He said just to "remove" her and leave 2qc ( usually I come after 5 days and destroy all pulled emergency cells). But period of harsh weather occurred and they change their mind and destroyed qc. So I will have to replace her other way..

 

[oliver90owner]

remove all but one QC ... or are they likely to swarm anyway with the virgin?

I've never seen a swarm in that scenario. Bees are not generally that stupid.

 

[blackie]

same here yesterday i killed the queen from a swarm last year who was running out of sperm she was getting ready to swarm again so squisd qcells and queen and put in new carniolan queen and fed

 

[drstitson]

the problem you have is that if you have a year like last year with high rate of failed matings you end up with no colony.

best to keep old queen somewhere until you are certain you have a successful replacement.

 

[Finno]

Always have an heir and a spare!

 

[Skyhook]

the problem you have is that if you have a year like last year with high rate of failed matings you end up with no colony.

best to keep old queen somewhere until you are certain you have a successful replacement.

I'm talking when you've run out of nuc boxes. I would only envisage doing this with as I have moer than 1 hive, and can therefore give a frame of eggs if needed.