Micro Mating Nuc

[Redcap]

I've bought a (Tho%^es)micro mating nuc, with the intention of rearing my own queen(s) next season. - One of my colonies is so good I'd like to keep the line going - I'm planning to take a small section of new brood,with a good cup full of bees and relocate them into the mini nuc, feed etc....and hope that I can produce a queen ... can it be that simple or am I deluding myself ??
I've seen so many kits around...but this seems such a simple approach ( or is it me being simple

 

[fatshark]

No, it's not that simple. Firstly, you don't say when you're thinking of doing this ... it probably won't work at all and it definitely won't work now, and you may damage the hive you're going to source the bees from. I recommend you read a book this winter - Ted Hooper or Vincent Cook perhaps (lots of links on here, use the search button) - then consider going on a queen rearing course next Spring. There should be a sticky on the queen rearing pages that gives good advice.

A cup of bees and a patch of new brood will, at best, raise a scrub queen. Don't bother.

The good news is that with three hives and 6 months to read around the topic you'll be well prepared to raise some good queens next year.

 

[ShaneR]

No, it's not that simple. Firstly, you don't say when you're thinking of doing this ...

Actually he made it clear he was going to start next season

I've bought a (Tho%^es)micro mating nuc, with the intention of rearing my own queen(s) next season.

 

[Suzi Q]

I've read that scrub queens are raised even if a three frame nuc is made up on those principles, what chance with a cup full of bees?

 

[blackcavebees]

Poly Hive has two detailed posts on Queen rearing, one s a sticky and one as 5stars beside it. Best read those first, and (like me) some reading over winter. I raised a couple queens this year (my first full season of beekeeping) and made a couple of small nucs up. Trouble getting mated and when did didn't last too long, but a common problem this year with weather I believe. (one was superceded after about 5 weeks) Great learning experience though and now I have more bees to work with will be raising more next year.

 

[ratcatcher]

watch the fatbeeman on utube

 

[beebreeder]

The best way to learn is working with someone that rears queens as a goffer, you learn a lot from watching and asking questions

 

[BeeJayBee]

watch the fatbeeman on utube

 

[Redcap]

Thanks all, off to you tube to watch the "fatbbeeman" then. Appreciate the advice...and yes, lots of reading time available between now and when I start - speaking of which, best to start when...April/May ?

 

[MJBee]

- speaking of which, best to start when...April/May ?

I think April/May is a bit early. A good rule of thumb is start when you have Drones in your hives. Queen rearing is very much weather dependent but there is no point in producing queens if there are no drones to mate with.

 

[fatshark]

As MJBee says ... wait for the drones, and do it when there's a good flow on. Much easier.

 

[For want of a better word]

May 20th.... or could have been May 4th?

Sure DUCKULAR said May the 4th be with you?

When drones are up and at it at least !!

 

[biglongdarren]

hey ye,
this is only my thrid winter and so far i've found queen rearing one of the more easier parts to keeping bees,getting the weather right to get them out to get properly mated is the hardest part i find.
i started off with six hives in the spring past and over the summer raised and got mated up on 15 queens with very little effort at all,all were laying well a month ago but only in the spring will i know how well it really went.
Darren

 

[Little John]

Fatbeeman's videos are good and he shows some very interesting techniques - but he doesn't give the full story re: the raising of queens.
He doesn't mention, for example, the need to have copious amounts of nurse bees in the starter hive which are required to produce the amount of Royal Jelly needed for multiple Queen Cells, nor the need for a good supply of pollen as well as quality carbohydrate - preferably honey. My guess is that he goes into far more detail with his face-to-face tutorials.

I'd recommend supplementing Don's (FBM's) excellent videos with a read of Jay Smith's 'Better Queens' (in which he keeps stressing that it is the amount of Royal Jelly given to the developing Queen which determines her quality). His book can be found, along with plenty of other good stuff on Queen Rearing, on Michael Bush's site. http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

LJ

Just remembered a reference to using large, well-established colonies:
"[...] rearer colonies are selected according to their size and temperament, each having the equivalent of at least 20 full deep combs of bees, 8 to 12 combs of healthy brood of all stages, and the equivalent of two or three full combs of pollen." https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=278

 

[Redcap]

Great Replies

Thanks all - great responses. Pleased that some of you picked up on the drone issue. That was going to be my next question...I sat pondering the issue I just need to make sure drones are in abundance I guess....I'd hate to raise a queen(s) and then find she has no boyfriends ... so I guess I'll wait and see how the boys develop in my main colony and go from there...thanks again guys

 

[Redcap]

One other thought...

...I thought I'd add that my intention was to try and time it so that the larvae/egg was one day old to give the best chance. Interesting to see that Darren has found queen rearing to be the easiest part of his beekeeping experience yet... I hope I can say the same this time next year...watch this space

 

[Redcap]

...and another question

...so here I am, a drone... do I venture out on occasions, whenever I like and hope that HM is in the right place, at the right time...waiting for me and my mates to "say hi" ?......does HM fly off and just hope that some drones (ie me and my mates) will be passing by ?? PS I read Ted's book (or some other) most nights - but it dosent give ALL the answers. Cheers !

 

[Black Comb]

Read up on drone congregation areas.
The virgin emits a strong pheromone as she flies and the drones smell this and follow. They have stronger wings, larger compound eyes and strong front legs, all of which aid their mating performance.

 

[Little John]

Redcap - good thread here you may be interested in:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...t-owning-an-island-mondscheinbegattung-method

 

[Hivemaker.]

...so here I am, a drone... do I venture out on occasions, whenever I like and hope that HM is in the right place, at the right time...waiting for me and my mates to "say hi" ?......does HM fly off and just hope that some drones (ie me and my mates) will be passing by ?? PS I read Ted's book (or some other) most nights - but it dosent give ALL the answers. Cheers !

Drone congregation area..........

.............http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8491&highlight=Drone+congregation+area