How to properly plant a uterus

In the process of beekeeping, situations inevitably arise when the beekeeper needs to plant the “queen” in the bee colony without the risk of losing it.

On beekeeping forums, discussions about how to properly plant a queen in the hive, when and in what way is the best way to do it. All experienced beekeepers have personal secrets of how to plant a queen in the hive, not to lose her at the same time and not to reduce the strength of the family before the main bribe. In this article, we will consider the most reliable and secure ones.

The content of the article

• 1 Reasons for replacement
• 2 Conditions for successful replanting
• 3 The first method
• 4 second method
• 5 A third method

Reasons for replacement

The need to change the “queen” arises for various reasons:

• a female over 2 years old reduces egg production and needs to be replaced;
• it can die due to the fault of the beekeeper during a careless examination;
• when forming a layering on the old uterus, a new one must be planted in the remaining family;
• a decision was made to improve the breed of bees – queens of elite breeds were purchased, and similar cases.

Conditions for successful replanting

First of all, you need to know the general conditions for a successful replanting of the uterus in the hive:

It is better to plant it during a bribe. If he is not there, it is better to feed the family.

Read: Sugar syrup for bees

If bee theft is observed in the apiary, it is better to plant it in the evening or cloudy weather.

Bees accept fertile queens much better than infertile ones.

The first method

The most reliable and proven way, giving almost 100% guarantee of acceptance following:

1. We remove the old “queen” from the family. Read: How to find the uterus correctly and quickly
2. We wait 7-9 days for the bees to stretch the queen cells, and there is no open brood left in the hive.
3. We carefully inspect all frames and break out every single stretched queen cell. If at least one goes unnoticed, there is a high probability that the “queen” being planted in will be killed and will wait for their own release!
4. We put a box on top of the frames and open the latch from the side of the kandy stocks. In about a day, the bees will gnaw the kandy and release the queen. All this time, they will “communicate” with their “queen” through the holes in the cage, get used to her smell and calmly accept into the family.
5. If the uterus was infertile, it is better not to touch the family for 10 days, let it fly around and start sowing. If it is fetal, in a day it will be possible to observe the results of its work.

On a note! If the beekeeper has a queen on the day the old one is removed, the cage can be put on the frame on the first day without opening the latches. During this time, the bees will get used to their “queen” even more. Next, we also wait for the required time, break out the mother liquors, etc.

The only disadvantage of this method is that during these 7-9 days the family will not receive a significant part of the brood and, accordingly, the main bribe will not come in the best shape.

But if expensive “queens” of productive breeds are purchased, it is better to plant them in this way.

second method

And if the uterus is of its own production and they are bred with a reserve, you can use the second method:

1. The old “queen” is removed.
2. Waiting for 3 hours. During this time, the bees realize their “orphanhood” and begin to worry a lot, but have not yet had time to start pulling the queen cells.
3. As in the first case, a cell is placed on the frame, a flap opens in it from the side of the kandy and then all similar actions are performed.

When using this method, the probability of receiving the uterus is about 80%.

In the case of a successful reception, the “queen” is immediately involved in the work and the bee colony does not lose a precious week to build up strength. If it is not accepted, you must use the first method.

Read: How to quickly and correctly determine the absence of a uterus

A third method

The third of the most reliable methods is as follows:

1. We remove the old “queen”.
2. Before arrival, we install a wide inclined board.
3. We shake off the bees on it from all frames.
4. We put a cage on the frame and immediately open the latch from the side of the free exit to one bee. We close the hive so that the uterus does not fly away.
5. The “queen” immediately leaves the cage and goes to sow. Bees enter the hive through the entrance and, feeling the smell of the uterus, as if “ask” to let them into her house. And they immediately accept it.

The advantage of this method is that precious summer week is not wasted.

Cons:

• the probability of successful reception is again about 80%;
• this method is not suitable for particularly aggressive rocks.

In approximately the same way, you can put the “queen” under a special mesh cap. For this, a frame with brood is taken, a female with a retinue is released onto it and covered with a cap. During the day, bees get used to its smell. And when the cap is removed, it is usually well received.

It is important to remember: with any method of replanting, the cell with the uterus should not be allowed to stay in the sun for a long time. Even a 5-minute exposure to direct sunlight can lead to her death!