Introduction
in an
Existing
Hive
and requests for information on how to accomplish this.
These instructions accompany Russian queens sent from
the Olympic Wilderness Apiary in Washington State and
are very easy to follow. They worked very well - kudos
and thanks to them for providing it!
Here is their contact information:
Olympic Wilderness Apiary harbees@olypen.com
46492 Hwy 112 http:www.owa.cc
Port Angeles WA 98363
(360)928-3125 or tollfree (866)204-3426
* New queens should be placed into colonies within a week.
* Keep cage out of the sun.
* Keep at room temperature.
* If unable to install promptly, give one drop of water per
day. Do not wet candy.
* Find old queen and mash her on the cage. (Or, better:
remove old queen; queen cells; or virgin queen, 6 to 24
hours prior to introduction.
* Place a piece of masking or electrical tape over the candy
plug.
* Wedge queen cage snugly between frames in the center of
the brood nest, with candy plug "up".
* Return in 3 - 5 days. Check for, and destroy any queen
cells.
EITHER remove electrical tape,
OR punch a small hole throught the masking tape on the
queen cage
* Russian Queens have different pheromones, and require
longer for unfamiliar bees to accept them.
* Add supplemental feed if introducing a queen when there
is a poor honey flow.
* AT THIS POINT, DO NOT DISTURB THE
COLONY FOR A MINIMUM OF 7 DAYS - EARLY
DISTURBANCE WILL INCREASE THE RISK OF
NON-ACCEPTANCE OR SUPERCEDURE!!!
(note from WebWitch: these caps and underlining are
OWA's - they feel these points are very important and so I
have put their emphases where they were originally placed.)
