i am needing to re-queen a couple of hives that are so hot that they make working them not fun. Anyone have a recommendation on a place to order queens? I have always bought local but everyone is out right now.

https://www.lappesbeesupply.com/carniolan-queen-bee/

As far south as you are, you may want Italians. They offer free shipping if you buy 3 or more.

Thank you!

I'll offer up this advice. Requeening hot hives is not easy.

Kill the queen and then go back through the hive 7 days later and shake every bee, off every frame and tear down anything that looks like a queen cell. Hot hives will often try to raise their own queen even if you put a mated queen with them. They will release and kill the mated queen and raise their own. You have to get them to a "hopelessly" queenless state, meaning that they don't have anything in the hive to raise a queen from, before they will take another one. Don't inspect earlier than 7 days after taking the queen out and don't wait longer than 8 days or you could risk having an early queen hatch

I tried splitting one of the larger hives to see if the queen they raised would be as rough as the rest and so far they are. I've even thought about waiting another month then doing splits with all new mated queens. I'm not sure that would work though. Have you ever ordered from Lappes?

Yes, I have ordered from them. So far the have arrived safe and sound.

If a hot hives raises a queen, she's gonna raise hot bees too.

Thanks. Found a guy nearby last night VIA C.L. that has italians for $20 per queen, but i don't know anything about him. Sitting on the fence to order or buy local.

I'd buy local queens, IF he's raising them and not buying and reselling from somewhere else. Locals will be bees that work well in your area. I just don't like pure Italians, they don't work well up here where we have a long summer dearth. They may be exactly what you need in your area.