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Regularly buy imported Buckfasts/Carniolans in April/ May to keep my nucs ticking over till my own queens can replace them. I must say the last batch from BS Honeybees have been good. Last year had a number of very feisty ones from a different supplier. It's when the imported queen get...

Quit finding excusing for why the bees are behaving badly and get a decent all weather queen. If I had to sterilise myself each time I did an inspection I would have given up long ago.

Some nucs are made up by splitting a 'docile' colony then requeening. If sold soon after requeening you've still got the genetics of the old 'docile' colony. After the new queen's brood starts to emerge and her workers become the dominant work force the behaviour of the colony will finally take...

Thanks

What I do now when boosting a nuc/small colony by adding extra brood and bees is put a push-in-cage over the queen on her original frame with some of her workers. Then quick puff of air freshner and release the queen next day.

Oz armour's veils are nice and stiff so minimal risk of contact with face. Only downside if the mesh is easily ripped by any and all spikes and catches.

Thanks for the feedback

Thanks Do you keep them in for a couple of days? Anyine tried putting the virgin in a transport cage with fondant?

Yes that's what I nomally do with QC's. Can't get around to the mating sites this time so the cells will go into the incubator- hence the virgins.

Here's a snippet from Dave Cushman's site on introducing a virgin to a previously used mini nuc. Anyone got any experience or other tips?

First round in 2018 in a double 14x12 Second round in 2018 in a double 6 frame nuc First round in 2019- Wish they were all like the top 2 rows.

Did you move a frame of 'pollen' up to the Q- top box when you put your grafts in? There may have been some eggs/larvae on that pollen frame for them to make emergency QC's. Otherwise you'll get some patches of eggs which because they are isolated will delay hatching resulting in the late...

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Hi The tear was on the arm and leg. The mesh on the veil seems the strongest.

Mesh is easily damaged Been using my new Oz Armour 3 layer. A warning to those that have to treck through undergrowth or negotiate barbed wire or spiky obstacles. The outer mesh is VERY easily torn. Got two holes in the first outing- so other half put to work with the darning needle. I also...

ROB Manley found 'caging' the QC on the frame to let the virgin emerge then killing the virgin before introducing a new mated queen an effecting way to requeen a colony.

Sounds like you introduced the frame with adhering bees?

I've tried a number of suppliers, much the same results with less than 50% of queens acceptable (usual acceptable characteristics and Ok for overwintering) after open mating. With my local stock I get around 75% acceptable. Yes the Buckfasts are 'standard stock'. I now use the Buckfasts to...

If open mated breeding was so certain!

So long as your queen cups are labelled it's good to try out a number of potential breeding stock.