Open mated 6 frame nucs

[Curly green finger's]

Hi, I've this season sold 6 nucs with open mated queen's.
All black queen's and I've been letting the Queens lay 2 brood cycles before selling on, some on there second but the nucs have been bursting with nurse bee's.
All nucs have had 4frames of bias/capped brood and minimum 2 frames of honey/ pollen, and sold for 180 220 if they keep the nuc.. Is this the going rate?
Just a question
I've 3 colonys in single brood again open mated queen's which were started in 6 frame nucs they will be ready by the end of June, but I'm undecided how much to charge.
What are other beeks selling single brood on 8+ brood frames.
All three will be in a soft wood nats hive omf floor and solid crown board roof etc.
Your thoughts please.

I've had 100% Mating success up here on the Clee and it's been interesting to watch the transformation in the nucs from italian/bucks to lovely black bee's.

 

[BMH]

They wont be worth much more than the nucs.

I have 6 frame nucs that were installed in April that have brought over 40lb of honey from the spring crop (weather was nice). That's the big benefit of an overwintered nuc of known origin - hence the decent selling price. £200ish for 6 frames is a good average for a nuc.

An 8-10 frame colony on the 1st July will bring in less honey in the season compared to an overwintered nuc so it wont be worth as much. Plus everyone one has bees to sell now. You might not get any interest at all.

Its a really bad time to sell.

My advice. Take each colony - split into 4 (2 frames of brood plus some drawn comb) and feed them up into overwintered nucs. You will then have 12 overwintered nucs to sell (minus any losses).

Then just sell the hives on their own for £80-100 for which there is a decent market at this time of year.

 

[Swarm]

Hi, I've this season sold 6 nucs with open mated queen's.
All black queen's and I've been letting the Queens lay 2 brood cycles before selling on, some on there second but the nucs have been bursting with nurse bee's.
All nucs have had 4frames of bias/capped brood and minimum 2 frames of honey/ pollen, and sold for 180 220 if they keep the nuc.. Is this the going rate?
Just a question
I've 3 colonys in single brood again open mated queen's which were started in 6 frame nucs they will be ready by the end of June, but I'm undecided how much to charge.
What are other beeks selling single brood on 8+ brood frames.
All three will be in a soft wood nats hive omf floor and solid crown board roof etc.
Your thoughts please.

I've had 100% Mating success up here on the Clee and it's been interesting to watch the transformation in the nucs from italian/bucks to lovely black bee's.

Have you had DNA analysis done, Mark?
If you have positive results I would say about right but a bit steep otherwise IMO.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Have you had DNA analysis done, Mark?
If you have positive results I would say about right but a bit steep otherwise IMO.

None done Steve, I'm only going by what the queen's look like and the workers, drones.
Where could I get the DNA analysis done?

To be honest, bucks have black traits anyway.
My comment about black bee's was also about how they have changed so much in appearance and being very gentle nucs in general.
The beeks that have bought them have been very happy.
I would very much like to get them tested up here.

 

[Swarm]

None done Steve, I'm only going by what the queen's look like and the workers, drones.
Where could I get the DNA analysis done?

To be honest, bucks have black traits anyway.
My comment about black bee's was also about how they have changed so much in appearance and being very gentle nucs in general.
The beeks that have bought them have been very happy.
I would very much like to get them tested up here.

A sample of bees sent to Dylan Elen at Bangor University.
It's great news about the matings, a success in many ways. A couple more generations and constant stability in type would be the icing on the cake.

 

[Curly green finger's]

A sample of bees sent to Dylan Elen at Bangor University.
It's great news about the matings, a success in many ways. A couple more generations and constant stability in type would be the icing on the cake.

Thanks Steve I will look into it.
I also need to keep introducing new queens from pure stock or known Amm stock.. and as you said in a few generations it would be really good.
Our association sec and md came to collect virgins and capped qcs and asked me if I wanted to go into queen rearing on a bigger scale.. But I've enough to do this season.
When I've a bit more confedence maybe learn to graft etc I would love to next year and looking forward.