5 Crucial Reasons Queen Introductions Fail (And How to Avoid Them)

As a passionate beekeeper, I know how important it is to successfully introduce new queens to your colonies. A failed queen introduction can be incredibly frustrating and set your hive back significantly. That's why I'm sharing the top 5 reasons queen introductions fail, along with my best tips to ensure a smooth and successful process every time.

In my years of running Black Mountain Honey, we've sold thousands of queens and learned a lot about what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to queen introductions. I'm excited to share this knowledge with you today to help you avoid the common pitfalls and get your new queens accepted and thriving.

1. Introducing a New Queen to a Colony That Already Has One

This is by far the most common reason for queen introduction failure that I see. Beekeepers often assume their colony is queenless, when in reality a queen is still present. The original queen may have swarmed but she will have left behind virgin queens to take her place.

Here's how it usually goes down: A beekeeper notices their hive is lacking eggs and brood, so they assume it's queenless and rush to introduce a new mated queen. But what they don't realise is that the colony is still queen right, just in the form of a virgin queen that emerged after the swarm had left.

When you introduce a new mated queen to a colony that already has a virgin queen, the outcome is almost always the same - the resident virgin will kill the new queen. It's an automatic 100% failure rate.

To avoid this, you need to do a quick test to determine if the colony is truly queenless before introducing a new queen. The best way is to add a frame of eggs from another hive. If the bees start drawing emergency queen cells, that tells you they are queenless and ready to accept a new queen. But if they don't do anything with the eggs, that means they already have a queen present - even if you can't see her.

Only once you've confirmed the colony is queenless should you proceed with introducing your new queen. And be sure to wait 8 full days after removing the old queen before adding the new one. This gives the bees enough time to become "hopelessly queenless" and more readily accept the new arrival.

2. Introducing a Queen to a Queenless (But Not Hopelessly Queenless) Colony

This is another common pitfall I see, especially when beekeepers are making splits or nucs. They create a queenless colony, but then try to introduce a new queen too soon, before the bees have had time to fully transition to a "hopelessly queenless" state.

The problem here is that the queenless colony still has the ability to raise their own queen from existing eggs and larvae. So when you introduce your new mated queen, the bees may simply choose to ignore her and raise their own queen instead, resulting in the new queen being killed.

I'd estimate this method has around a 50/50 success rate at best. That's just not good enough for me - I want 100% of my queen introductions to be successful. That's why I always recommend waiting the full 8 days after making a queenless split before introducing a new queen.

This gives the bees enough time to fully transition to a hopelessly queenless state, where they have no other option but to accept the new queen you provide. It takes a bit more patience, but it's well worth it to ensure a successful introduction every time.

3. Introducing a Queen of Different Genetics

This is a tricky one that often trips up beekeepers, especially when they're trying to introduce a queen of a different genetic background into an established colony.

Let's say you have a colony of dark, local "mongrel" bees, and you want to introduce a lighter-coloured Buckfast queen. The bees may initially accept the new queen and allow her to start laying. But then, after a few days or weeks, they'll often turn on her and try to supersede her, raising a new queen from her eggs that better matches their own genetic makeup.

The bees aren't being malicious - they're simply trying to preserve their own genetics and adapt to the new queen. But from our perspective as beekeepers, it's incredibly frustrating to see a perfectly good queen get killed off like that.

My advice if you encounter this situation is to closely monitor the colony after introducing the new queen. If you start to see signs of emergency queen cells or supersedure, act quickly to remove them. Go in every 3 days and check for any new queen cells, and tear them down as soon as you spot them. This will give the new queen the best chance of being accepted and allowed to lay.

4. Delaying Queen Introduction After Arrival

This is a mistake I see far too often, and it's an easy one to avoid. Many beekeepers receive their new queens in the mail, but then don't immediately introduce them to the hive. Instead, they'll hold onto the queens for a day or two, thinking they're doing the right thing.

But here's the thing - those queen attendants in the cage can only sustain the queen for so long. After a day or two, the queen starts to decline in condition as she's not getting the constant care and royal jelly feeding she would receive in the hive.

My advice is simple - as soon as your new queens arrive, get them into the hive right away. Don't wait, don't hold them back. The sooner you can get them integrated, the better their chances of survival and acceptance by the colony.

If you absolutely must hold the queens for a short time, keep them in a cool, dark place and provide a drop of water every few hours. But the absolute best thing is to introduce them to the hive within a couple hours of receiving them.

5. Disturbing the Colony During Queen Introduction

This is another common pitfall that can derail an otherwise smooth queen introduction. Beekeepers get excited and can't resist the urge to keep checking on the new queen, lifting frames and fussing with the hive.

But the truth is, the bees need time and space to accept the new queen on their own terms. Any unnecessary disturbance or intervention can cause them to "ball" the queen - essentially killing her by smothering her.

My recommendation is to follow a strict hands-off protocol when introducing a new queen. After placing the queen cage in the hive, leave it alone for a full 24 hours before even checking to see if she's been released. Then, don't go back in for a full 7 days. This gives the bees ample time to get used to her pheromones and accept her as their new queen.

I know it's tempting to keep peeking in, but trust me - the less you disturb the hive during this critical period, the better the chances of a successful introduction.

Putting it All Together: My Fool Proof Queen Introduction Method

After covering the top 5 reasons queen introductions fail, let me walk you through the step-by-step process I recommend to ensure a 100% success rate:

• Remove the existing queen

• Confirm the colony is truly queenless. Add a frame of eggs from another hive. If the bees start drawing emergency queen cells, they're queenless. If not, they likely still have a queen present.

• Wait 8 full days after removing the old queen. This gives the bees time to become "hopelessly queenless" and ready to accept a new queen.

• Destroy all existing queen cells. Shake the bees off each frame and carefully remove any queen cells you see.

• Introduce the new queen within 24 hours. Place the queen cage directly into the hive, but don't release her yet. Leave it alone for 24 hours.

• Release the queen after 24 hours. Come back the next day and pop the tab on the queen cage to allow her to be released.

• Don't disturb the hive for 7 full days. Resist the urge to check on the hive - give the bees time to accept their new queen.

• Check for the new queen and eggs after 7 days. If all went well, you should see the new queen and fresh eggs in the hive.

Further detail on requeening your beehive is available here - https://www.blackmountainhoney.co.uk/guides/how-to-requeen-a-beehive

Following this step-by-step process is the best way I know to ensure a 100% successful queen introduction every single time. It takes a bit of patience, but it's well worth it to get your new queens accepted and thriving.

Queen introductions can be tricky, but with the right knowledge and approach, you can ensure a smooth and successful process every time. By avoiding the common pitfalls I've outlined here and following my step-by-step method, you'll be well on your way to healthy, thriving colonies led by strong, productive queens.

Happy beekeeping, and don't forget to join our channel for more tips, tricks, and in-depth beekeeping content!