Queen Introduction Guidelines

How Often should Queens be replaced?
Queens should be replaced at a minimum of every 2 years, or as needed if egg production slows, or the hive becomes mean.
For maximum production, replace her every year.
If the Queens egg production slows down, they very rarely RESTART.  Just replace her, don't wait her out and ruin your season.

When Should I re-queen?
Most Beekeepers re-queen in the Spring, but it is far better to re-queen in the Fall.
1) It provides an important
brood break to slow down the varroa mite.
2) A young, vigorous queen
lays a substantially larger winter brood cluster, making the colony stronger in the spring.
3) MOST IMPORTANTLY! Your hive won't swarm the following spring because young queens are much less likely to swarm.

How do I re-queen?
It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL your hive is queenless. Laying workers, mature queen cells, or virgin queens are accepted by the colony as their queen, and any newly introduced queen will be regarded as an invader and killed.
1) Make colony queenless for at least 4 hrs.  24 hrs is better
2) Introduce new queen cage, candy facing up.
3) Allow  a minimum of 4 days for introduction.
4) After 4 days observe nurse bees have accepted new queen.
5) If they haven't released her yet, Release!
6) Check back in a week for eggs.  May take up to 10 days for her to begin laying again, be patient.
7) It is totally normal for a recently re-queened hive to build superceidure cells.  As long as the new queen is in the hive laying, tear them down

Inspections should be brief, and with a purpose!