Apidea Mating Nuc Procedure

[Swift Nick]

I purchased some Apidea Mating nucs with the view to raising some queens from one of my very calm colonies. All is fairly OK so far, I have added fondant, the bees and tried to get house bees by letting some bees fly prior to spraying and scooping. I have added the swarm cells, unfortunately I could not get the Nicot roller cage through the crown board, I have ordered some JZ BZ queen cell protectors for next time.
I am leaving them in my workshop for the “cellar like conditions” for 3 days.
Can anyone tell me why you do this 3 days bit, is it to encourage them to stay? Or to draw the comb?
I have ordered a book on Mini Nucs by R Brown, does anyone know of any good internet instructions or tips.
I am not expecting success on this first attempt, so any tips or advice would be good.
Thanks Nick

 

[Jimmy]

Why are you using the roller cage? I think it's for protecting ripe queen cells in a cell finisher to ensure you haven't got a rogue virgin eliminating the other queens.

I'd put ripe a queen cell straight in or, if possible and as many recommend for the first round of queen rearing each season, a virgin.

 

[SDM]

Can't go far wrong if you follow this.
http://beespoke.info/2013/11/30/apidea-instructions/

 

[Swift Nick]

Why are you using the roller cage? I think it's for protecting ripe queen cells in a cell finisher to ensure you haven't got a rogue virgin eliminating the other queens.

I'd put ripe a queen cell straight in or, if possible and as many recommend for the first round of queen rearing each season, a virgin.

Thanks Jimmy, the colony for the donor bees was Q- or had a Q cell, so I guess they would not attack the queen cell I put in, I just wasn’t sure, so I wanted to play it safe.

 

[Swift Nick]

Can't go far wrong if you follow this.
http://beespoke.info/2013/11/30/apidea-instructions/

Thanks, I have had a quick look, the instructions are good. Will read them properly tonight.

 

[Swift Nick]

Can't go far wrong if you follow this.
http://beespoke.info/2013/11/30/apidea-instructions/

Yep, had a good read now, very good detailed information.
Thanks

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I am leaving them in my workshop for the “cellar like conditions” for 3 days.
Can anyone tell me why you do this 3 days bit, is it to encourage them to stay? Or to draw the comb?

Thanks Nick

They are much more likely to draw comb if there is a queen present - and as has been explained in the link, bees will generally stay if shut in for 3 days. Yes there is a frustrated buzz from the little hive when closed up but if placed in the cool and dark they will be fine. Then open the entrance in the evening and they will quietly sort themselves out the following morning. As soon as the entrance is opened and they realize they are not trapped, the buzz subsides.

Don't need a protected queencell. If your timing is correct and the queen is out of her queencell before the entrance is opened, that's best.

 

[Poly Hive]

The Bible is Mating in Miniature by B. Mobus.

PH

 

[B+.]

The Bible is Mating in Miniature by B. Mobus.

PH

I've gone back to using full-frame nucs as mating hives. It uses more bees but the queens movement as she is chased around the nuc by the workers as they try to remove the "mating equipment" of the last drone she mated with is supposed to assist in the transfer of sperm from the oviducts to the spermatheca.

 

[masterBK]

Don't you AI all your queens so why do you need mating nucs?

 

[Swift Nick]

The Bible is Mating in Miniature by B. Mobus.

PH

Thanks, I will look for a copy.

 

[Repwoc]

Thanks, I will look for a copy.

I had a good look recently. Only copy I could find was used on Amazon marketplace, ~£70.

 

[Swift Nick]

I had a good look recently. Only copy I could find was used on Amazon marketplace, ~£70.

I found one from a secondhand bookshop on the net, “Little Stour Books” for £30, a bit pricey, but the book sounds interesting, so worth a punt.

 

[sipa]

I found one from a secondhand bookshop on the net, “Little Stour Books” for £30, a bit pricey, but the book sounds interesting, so worth a punt.

Might be worth scanning and saving as a Pdf.

 

[masterBK]

It is more of a booklet than a book having only 47 pages in it. Published in 1983 some of the information in it is getting a bit dated.
If there is such a demand you would think BIBBA would do another print run and make them available for sale.

 

[For want of a better word]

24 hours with a virgin in an intro cage with fondant to release seem to work... why 3 days in the dark??

 

[SDM]

The 3 days has nothing to do with the introduction of a cell or virgin. It's to make a unit out of the bees you stocked.the mini mating nuc with.
No need for a cage at all when making up mini
Nucs you can drop a virgin in at the same time you add the bees.
It's only after theyre set up that cells are easier

 

[madasafish]

The 3 days has nothing to do with the introduction of a cell or virgin. It's to make a unit out of the bees you stocked.the mini mating nuc with.
No need for a cage at all when making up mini
Nucs you can drop a virgin in at the same time you add the bees.
It's only after theyre set up that cells are easier

I cheat and use only 2 days in the dark with a virgin.. Seems to work.(But I usually make up mini nuc in am and release after 2 nights in the evening so time wise 2 days plus a half...)