IQBA Mated Queen

Introducing a mated queen is one of the simplest and most effective ways to make a colony queen-right. A mated queen has already completed her mating flights and is ready to begin laying eggs, making her an excellent option for establishing a new hive or replacing a failing or absent queen.

Before introducing a queen, it is essential to confirm that the colony is truly queenless. McComBees Apiaries recommends that the receiving colony contain open or capped brood. Brood pheromones help prevent workers from producing unfertilized eggs and ensure that young bees are present to care for the brood the new queen will produce. Colonies with laying workers frequently reject or kill introduced queens.

All queens offered by McComBees Apiaries are open-mated, marked with the appropriate color for their birth year, and sold in a JZBZ queen cage with candy.

To introduce the queen, place the cage above the brood area. The bees will consume the candy and typically release her within 48 hours.