Requeening means replacing a colony's queen with one chosen by the beekeeper. It is among the most powerful interventions available: genetics, behaviour and productivity all change with a single operation.

When to requeen

• Age: Laying rate and pheromone output decline with the years; the tendency to swarm increases
• A deteriorating brood pattern: Patchy brood, raised drone brood in worker cells
• Defensiveness: An excessively defensive colony creates problems with neighbours
• Susceptibility to disease: Persistent chalkbrood or high Varroa reproduction
• Queenlessness or laying workers

The matter of acceptance

A colony does not readily accept a foreign queen. Acceptance depends on:

• Time spent queenless: A colony queenless for a few hours is more willing
• Forage conditions: Acceptance is easier during a flow, harder in a dearth
• Colony state: A colony with laying workers accepts a queen only with great difficulty
• Slow introduction: A cage is essential

Introduction by cage

The new queen is given to the colony in a cage. The cage lets the bees see and smell her while preventing them from attacking.

• The old queen is removed first
• After a few hours the cage is placed in the brood area
• The bees' behaviour on the cage is watched: calm bees feeding through the mesh mean acceptance is going well; biting and attacking mean it is too early
• If acceptance is positive the exit is opened; the queen comes out in her own time

Signs of rejection

• Aggressive clustering on the cage
• Biting at the queen
• The queen not found after release
• New queen cells being built

Afterwards

Once accepted, the hive should not be opened for a while. Seeing eggs confirms acceptance.

The new queen's brood pattern is assessed over the following weeks; a tight and regular pattern is a good sign.

What it achieves

• Reduced swarming tendency: A young queen makes a marked difference
• Behavioural change: A defensive colony calms down within a few weeks
• A brood break: The gap created opens a window for Varroa treatment
• Genetic improvement: Hygienic behaviour and productivity can be selected for

Summary

Requeening is more than a solution to a problem; it is a planning tool. A beekeeper who requeens regularly manages swarming pressure, behaviour problems and some health risks together.