Mating nucs absconding- any theory

[jeff33]

I would be curious to hear if anyone has read any paper or has a theory on why mating nucs abscond so often. I have checked my mini nucs today and 2/8 have absconded since Wednesday. I can see eggs so as soon as she was successfully mated they left. I make my own nucs which take 3 to 5 half shallow frames. They are bigger than the commercial ones so don't expect space to be the issue.

 

[Ian123]

Absconding is a common problem…… literally you need to get them out as soon as laid up…space I think is the main issue however keep them out of direct sun/heat as well.

 

[madasafish]

I have experienced absconding with mini nucs in direct sunlight.
I now place a shade on top of all my mini nucs - a flat piece of wood elevated at one side so not in full contact with roof- and try to place in shade if possible.

Mind you the recent weather has been so bad, I do not need to bother about sunlight

 

[jeff33]

Ha, thanks both. The 2 which absconded were actually in full sun, lesson learnt for next time. I still have a couple in full sun which I will move then.

 

[Ian123]

I’ve found over the years with some brought in queens they’ll turn drone layer straight away on introducing, I suspect some are pulled early from the mating nucs before any brood is capped!.. I use all 5 frame nucs instead of minis even if only occupied with 2-3 frames, it just makes management a lot easier.

 

[nantmoel]

I have moved away from the Apidea's, simply got fed up of them absconding, I tried almost everything. I have now started using Mini Plus, have not had any issues with them so far.

 

[Norton]

The mini+ abscond too, I have found that death's-head hawk-moths cause a major upset during summer and autumn, I fit 8mm grates to the entrances. Ants also cause problems, it is probably worth checking the apiary at night to see if there is any activity.

 

[Antipodes]

Ants also cause problems,

 

[madasafish]

I have never had problems with mini nucs absconding: mind you it's hardly ever hot here (last week the highest temperature was c 16C when the sun shone for an hour!
I just cover them on top as above, and ensure they are partially shaded during the day.

(of course it may be just because I am a perfect beekeeper .. but I would have to be even more demented than I am to believe that)

 

[jeff33]

Thanks all. Perhaps it must be the Mediterranean blood running through me that makes me believe everyone loves to be in full sun!!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks all. Perhaps it must be the Mediterranean blood running through me that makes me believe everyone loves to be in full sun!!

Only the tourists from what I've seen. The locals take siestas.dont they

 

[jeff33]

Only the tourists from what I've seen. The locals take siestas.dont they 🛏

Yes and I am quite partial to one myself

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Didn't Noel Coward write a song about it?

 

[jeff33]

Didn't Noel Coward write a song about it?

Never heard of him, way before my time!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

 

[masterBK]

I have 20 Apideas and 14 days after predicted queen emergence I do a brief check for eggs and usually find them although it can sometimes be a few days more. If found the small piece of excluder is pinned across the entrance to prevent absconding and left on until I see satisfactory sealed worker brood. At this point I mark the queen and use her to requeen one of my colonies etc. Later (about an hour) on the same day I introduce another sealed cell (about two days off emergence) if I need to use the mininuc produce another mated queen

 

[Antipodes]

I have 20 Apideas and 14 days after predicted queen emergence I do a brief check for eggs and usually find them although it can sometimes be a few days more. If found the small piece of excluder is pinned across the entrance to prevent absconding and left on until I see satisfactory sealed worker brood. At this point I mark the queen and use her to requeen one of my colonies etc. Later (about an hour) on the same day I introduce another sealed cell (about two days off emergence) if I need to use the mininuc produce another mated queen

Do you put the queen cell in a protector?

 

[Michael Palmer]

I run more than 500 small mating nucs. Each has 4 full depth/half length frames. Occasionally I have had issues with absconding. I found it was high temperature/humidity, and crowded conditions. We can't do anything about weather conditions, but we can manage the mating nucs so that absconding is near zero.
How many days after giving the mating nucs their cells are you catching the queens? We do 16 days and have very good success. True, we're not seeing capped brood, but that's not too important. With my mating yards and the weather we have, I have very few drone layers. So catching the queens earlier might be helpful. Also, how strong are you making the mating nucs? You know, the stronger you make them the lower % of accepted cells. And the stronger they are made up the more frequent absconding will be. So we keep them a bit weak by removing bees and brood with every queen catch...every 16 days.

 

[jeff33]

Thanks @Michael Palmer . I usually wait until the first batch of brood is capped before removing them. Those that absconded this time did within 2 days of the queen starting to lay. I have put some mini entrance disks but being chinese made, the Qx entrance option is too narrow even for bees to squeeze through!!
My mini nucs take 3-5 half shallow frames and I usually put a good cup full of nurse bees, enough to cover 1.5 frames out of 3. These were in full sun so it may explain why they have absconded, lesson learnt for next time!!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Absconding is a common problem…… literally you need to get them out as soon as laid up…space I think is the main issue however keep them out of direct sun/heat as well.

4 out of 12 have absconded for me in my apideas going to convert more 6 frame nucs to take 2x3 frames