Advice on introducing a vigin Queen to mini-nuc

[DulwichGnome]

Hi, following some earlier advice on an other thread, I cut out some spare queen cells and put them into a 'hair roller' and placed them between two frames. Hi presto, one queen has emerged!!

Now I have a mating nuc ready with foundation fitted and I can get a cup or mug or bucket of bees from a hive, question is how long do you leave the bees without before introducing her and what is the best way?

Thanks.

Mike.

 

[RoofTops]

As the queen has already emerged none of the following is of any use but...

I would have made up a mini-nuc earlier and added the queen cell a couple of hours later. Then leave them all in the dark for four days, with the queen timed to emerge on the third day and the mini-nuc opened at dusk on the fourth day. You can do the same sort of thing with a normal nuc but without the confinement in darkness - add the queen cell and let her emerge naturally and introduction problems are no longer an issue. I have added the queen cells this way at the same time as the nuc was made up - as recommended by Vince Cook - with the timing such the queen emerges the next day.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Mike this thread has more imformation.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1678

 

[DulwichGnome]

Thanks Hivemaker. Cup full of bee duly installed in prepared nuc, left to simmer for a couple of hours then queen added with a light dusting of sugar, bees are now quietly content. I will leave well alone for a couple of days and find a good spot for it in the garden.

Mike.