Hums & Cackles

Why We Replace Queen Bees — and How It Protects the Hive

At Hums & Cackles, every jar of honey begins with a strong, thriving hive — and a strong hive begins with a strong queen. Over time, a queen’s productivity naturally slows, her pheromone levels drop, and the colony becomes less cohesive and less efficient. When that happens, the hive can grow stressed, produce less honey, and even become more vulnerable to disease or pests.

To keep our colonies healthy and our bees thriving, we periodically replace older or underperforming queens with young, vigorous queens bred for gentle temperament, strong genetics, and excellent brood patterns. This practice helps ensure each hive stays productive, resilient, and well-organized all season long.

How New Queens Are Introduced

Introducing a new queen is a delicate, thoughtful process. Bees are incredibly loyal to their original queen, so we guide them through the transition slowly:

1. The new queen arrives inside a small introduction cage — typically with a few attendant bees.
2. The cage is placed inside the hive, allowing the colony to smell her pheromones while still keeping her protected.
3. A tiny candy plug seals the cage. Over several days, the worker bees eat through the candy, giving them time to accept her scent and reducing any defensiveness.
4. Once the plug is eaten, the new queen walks out naturally — by then, the colony recognizes her as their own.

This gentle introduction method creates a smooth, low-stress transition for the hive and sets the stage for a strong queen, healthy brood, and the exceptional honey that follows.