Making up a nuc....leave queenless for 24 hours or not?

[Michael Palmer]

I agree with those who say don't wait. We've just finished making this summer's nucs. 350+. I've checked the first 275 or so to see if the queens were accepted. I try to check queen at day 10, and add a second story. The queens are given within in a few hours after setting up. Of those that I checked, two rejected their queen. Also, one queen was chewed up and not laying well. She was dispatched and replaced.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Would that also work, taking a mated queen out of a nuc (or apedia) and replacing at the same time with a virgin queen ( from my egg incubator)? If so would you cage the new queen to start with?

I've not long replaced virgins for mated in kielers and I dunked my virgins in honey and put them straight in after removing the mated queen's
One has gone missing or killed and the others seem to be OK, (day 4) I'm checking them every 48 hrs or so
I didn't feed for two days before I removed the mated queen but when I intro the virgins I topped up the feeders.
I have limited experience with kielers so maybe one of the breeders will comment at some point?

 

[user 20297]

Shoot me down but I would make 2 or 3 frame if you have the material to add at a later date then so be it.
But just feed.

In the end, both nucs I which I made up have a full frame or equivalent (one is on shallow frames) of mainly sealed brood and another frame with BIAS, but heavy with with maybe 60% stores. One of them got a fairly ancient, drawn frame and the other got some partially drawn foundation from last year. The rest of the space is dummy board and PIR.

Everyone looked peaceful when I checked this afternoon, 24 hours later. Each of the queens was still moving about in their cages so I pulled the tab and crossed my fingers.

We're getting bonkers good weather just now and I'm even getting a few orientation flights from the nucs (not robbers). But I'll still be putting on some syrup later.

The method above would work well never thought of doing it that way @Swn58

That advice about the QE is excellent; the one doubt in my mind was with one of the donor colony queens being unmarked and virtually invisible.

Thanks for all the advice; it looks like I'm off to a good start with this.

 

[Curly green finger's]

In the end, both nucs I which I made up have a full frame or equivalent (one is on shallow frames) of mainly sealed brood and another frame with BIAS, but heavy with with maybe 60% stores. One of them got a fairly ancient, drawn frame and the other got some partially drawn foundation from last year. The rest of the space is dummy board and PIR.

Everyone looked peaceful when I checked this afternoon, 24 hours later. Each of the queens was still moving about in their cages so I pulled the tab and crossed my fingers.

We're getting bonkers good weather just now and I'm even getting a few orientation flights from the nucs (not robbers). But I'll still be putting on some syrup later.



That advice about the QE is excellent; the one doubt in my mind was with one of the donor colony queens being unmarked and virtually invisible.

Thanks for all the advice; it looks like I'm off to a good start with this.

They'll draw the shallow frame downwards I've had two like it this season.

 

[user 20297]

They'll draw the shallow frame downwards I've had two like it this season.

I've done quite a bit of mix and match with frames as I'm possibly the opposite of OCD with my beekeeping. Some frames have been drawn downwards, some haven't. I've also been using foundationless-frames, a few plastic foundation, some really ancient ones and some with foundation cut diagonally in half. I find it quite interesting to see what the bees do with them. I break with tradition and sometimes put new frames slightly more inboard of the brood nest than is generally advised; that seems to force the bees into action.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I've done quite a bit of mix and match with frames as I'm possibly the opposite of OCD with my beekeeping. Some frames have been drawn downwards, some haven't. I've also been using foundationless-frames, a few plastic foundation, some really ancient ones and some with foundation cut diagonally in half. I find it quite interesting to see what the bees do with them. I break with tradition and sometimes put new frames slightly more inboard of the brood nest than is generally advised; that seems to force the bees into action.

I've done quite a bit of mix and match with frames as I'm possibly the opposite of OCD with my beekeeping. Some frames have been drawn downwards, some haven't. I've also been using foundationless-frames, a few plastic foundation, some really ancient ones and some with foundation cut diagonally in half. I find it quite interesting to see what the bees do with them. I break with tradition and sometimes put new frames slightly more inboard of the brood nest than is generally advised; that seems to force the bees into action.

. Your a man or lady after my own heart.

 

[user 20297]

. Your a man or lady after my own heart.

As Ray Davies said, "Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man.........."

Yes, it's good not to feel bound by convention in any enterprise, but in beekeeping I'm discovering that you can learn a lot and quickly, by taking risks and experimentation.

 

[Curly green finger's]

As Ray Davies said, "Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man.........."

Yes, it's good not to feel bound by convention in any enterprise, but in beekeeping I'm discovering that you can learn a lot and quickly, by taking risks and experimentation.

That's so true .
From a mentor you can only learn what they teach you but if your mostly self taught and go it alone you learn more and quickly.
When I started beekeeping I didn't really think it was a craft or as some might think a bit of a dark art maybe a bit ignorant thinking ha! Nothing to it, it's only a little insect but.... Learning how caring honey bees are for each other has touched me in a way I can't discribe they melt my heart like no other livestock I've worked with before.

Maybe as you learn more about the way they are you learn to handle them with care and compassion, maybe they feel this and In turn know you are trying to look after them in the best possible way and are more gentle with you.
I think there's more variables with bees temper than just what you can see.
That qoute is brilliant and as a stick thin 6ft man Ray is so right.
Cheers

 

[user 20297]

.
That qoute is brilliant and as a stick thin 6ft man Ray is so right.
Cheers

You would have made a good "Lola" then.

 

[Curly green finger's]

You would have made a good "Lola" then.

A classic really that one by the kinks
We could all do with a bit of lola.... Shhhhh!

 

[Erichalfbee]

As Ray Davies said, "Well, I'm not the world's most masculine man
But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man.........."

Yes, it's good not to feel bound by convention in any enterprise, but in beekeeping I'm discovering that you can learn a lot and quickly, by taking risks and experimentation.

It’s also really handy to learn from others mistakes. You don’t actually have to make them all yourself.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's so true .
From a mentor you can only learn what they teach you but if your mostly self taught and go it alone you learn more and quickly.

Oh now now. You’re always asking questions here. We all get lots of input from each other. I think very few of us are self taught. If we didn’t need others advice or opinion we wouldn’t be part of the community

 

[user 20297]

It’s also really handy to learn from others mistakes. You don’t actually have to make them all yourself.

I didn't say that any of my "risks and experimentation" had led to any mistakes which could have been avoided by paying heed to others.

 

[user 20297]

From a mentor you can only learn what they teach you but if your mostly self taught and go it alone you learn more and quickly.

Any sensible mentor will want you to "learn the basics" before condoning a protege trying out their own ideas. That approach may slow down the rate of learning and possible defuse the enthusiasm of some types of people...me included.

I think very few of us are self taught. If we didn’t need others advice or opinion we wouldn’t be part of the community

"Self-taught" can include asking for advice and reading of experiences both here and elsewhere. It's quite obvious that @Curly green finger's doesn't literally mean completely going it alone and forging his own form of beekeeping.....or maybe he does?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I didn't say that any of my "risks and experimentation" had led to any mistakes which could have been avoided by paying heed to others.

Neither did I

 

[user 20297]

Neither did I

No you didn't.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No you didn't.

I’m glad that’s cleared up, then

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

From a mentor you can only learn what they teach you but if your mostly self taught and go it alone you learn more and quickly.

Any sensible mentor will want you to "learn the basics" before condoning a protege trying out their own ideas. That approach may slow down the rate of learning and possible defuse the enthusiasm of some types

And I know people who have blissfully 'gone it alone' impatiently refusing advice from others in their haste to progress and years later they are as inept as when they first set out

 

[user 20297]

And I know people who have blissfully 'gone it alone' impatiently refusing advice from others in their haste to progress and years later they are as inept as when they first set out

How do you know me?

 

[user 20297]

How do you know me?

Seriously, though, I know what you mean; it depends on the person. In my long life I have picked up many self-taught skills which you won't usually find in one person. I've known other people like me. But equally, I've known people who've never even had the confidence to check their dipstick until tutored through the full process... and we all know how important it is to regularly check your dipstick.