Rearing hive

[dto001]

Hi,

Just one question I am thinking of rearing a few queens this year as last year I got 3 queenless hives an the year before I got one so i want to keep some queens just in case as I lost a hive last year due to being queenless. I can find a lot of info on grafting and various other methods but I can't find anything specific on making a rearing hive Can I do it in a nuc box with a couple of frames of bees and brood or do I have to set up a complete queenless hive?
I only want to rear maybe 5/6 queens maybe 10 at the most. Or would i be better waiting until I see swarm cells and move them to a mating hive with some bees?

 

[Beefriendly]

To generate good queens you want lots and lots of well fed nurse bees well provisioned with pollen to start the queen cells off. This can be achieved in a variety of ways; specially prepared Nucs with loads of nurse bees shaken in/ or in strong queen-right hives using division boards/Demarree/Cloake Boards/Snelgrove boards/to name but a few of the multitudes of methods.
I think asking ...just one question.....is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is.
Everyone seems to have their favorite method....they all work and produce queens.

Using swarm cells....you need to know age of queen. If in 1st year and they swarm I suggest all you may be doing is breeding for annual swarming. If it's a three year old queen with no history of previous swarming....go for it.

 

[Finman]

To generate good queens you want lots and lots of well fed nurse bees well provisioned with pollen to start the queen cells off. This can be achieved in a variety of ways; specially prepared Nucs with loads of nurse bees shaken in/ or in strong queen-right hives using division boards/Demarree/Cloake Boards/Snelgrove boards/to name but a few of the multitudes of methods.
it.

However, the the result you get when some hive starts swarming, change good larvae into swarming cells.

Take the Queen off that it cannot escape with swarm.
.
Normal swarm makes about 15 queens.

If you need more, start again when another hive starts to swarm.
.

With swarming hive you do not need to mix other hives, and shake from here and there. Big hives swarm first.
.

 

[Finman]

Hi,

Can I do it in a nuc box with a couple of frames of bees and brood or do I have to set up a complete queenless hive?
?

You need allways normal size hive. From nucs you get rubbish queens.
.

 

[For want of a better word]

Hi,

Just one question I am thinking of rearing a few queens this year as last year I got 3 queenless hives an the year before I got one so i want to keep some queens just in case as I lost a hive last year due to being queenless. I can find a lot of info on grafting and various other methods but I can't find anything specific on making a rearing hive Can I do it in a nuc box with a couple of frames of bees and brood or do I have to set up a complete queenless hive?
I only want to rear maybe 5/6 queens maybe 10 at the most. Or would i be better waiting until I see swarm cells and move them to a mating hive with some bees?

You need to have really strong colonies bursting with bees, at least double brood if using Nationals.
I bring a frame of brood above a queens excluder in many other hives, and take those frames with the young nurse bees to an already strong colony and place them above the queens excluder to bring on your grafts etc.
Some do this but into a queenless colony for 8 hours as a queens starting colony and put the started queens cells into the queens rearing colony above the queens excluder for finishing
I have not had to buy any queens for 30 plus years, selecting your own seems to be a new idea, so easy I can not see why so many want to buy them in.
Layziness I suppose?

 

[Beefriendly]

From nucs you get rubbish queens.
.

Not if you fill them with nurse bees and use them as starters. As described in Queen rearing Essentials, Lawrence John Conner.
But it's a lot of faff and you only get one round of cells started.

 

[For want of a better word]

Nucleus box for starting works very well if you only want to rear 10 baby queens.
Bees can be then shaken from nucleus frames into mating nucs to be fed and draw down comb ready for mating with the baby queens added once hatched.

 

[drex]

As bee friendly says there are so many different ways. Have a look through them and decide which you think is best for you. It is my belief that to raise good queens you need an excess of nurse bees and most of the books agree on that. If you only need a handful of queens then the Miller method is simple. Have a go, it is only as complicated as you choose to make it, and is good fun. As already said if using swarm cells, then you may be selecting for swarmy bees. A Demaree is perhaps a good compromise

Once you have these new queens what are you going to do with them. Do you have enough nucs boxes to hold them in until they are needed?

 

[B+.]

Nucleus box for starting works very well if you only want to rear 10 baby queens.
Bees can be then shaken from nucleus frames into mating nucs to be fed and draw down comb ready for mating with the baby queens added once hatched.

Watch Michael Palmers presentation at the National Honey Show a few years back (https://youtu.be/R7tinVIuBJ8). He explains very well how nutrition is the key to raising good queens.

 

[Finman]

Not if you fill them with nurse bees and use them as starters. As described in Queen rearing Essentials, Lawrence John Conner.
But it's a lot of faff and you only get one round of cells started.

Essential is that I have reared queens 50 years. Forums have really much rubbish advices.

If you need 10 queens, you do not need 1000 queens.

 

[Finman]

He explains very well how nutrition is the key to raising good queens.

What nutrition?
.
The Key is, from where you get a good mother hive, from where you graft larvae.

If you look swarming hives, they have perfect Queen cells, even if the colonies are not so perfect. Only ordinary.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What nutrition?

Good quality and quantity of food...feeding...eating...consuming.

You can read about the subject of general nutrition here...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutrition

 

[Finman]

Not if you fill them with nurse bees and use them as starters. As described in Queen rearing Essentials, Lawrence John Conner.
But it's a lot of faff and you only get one round of cells started.

Good quality and quantity of food...feeding...eating...consuming.

I do not understand even if I am specialist in bee nutrition..... How do you do that?

Queen rearing is not so difficult what you guys try to explain to a beginner.

.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I do not understand

I know.

 

[B+.]

Queen rearing is not so difficult

.

The rearing part is easy. Almost anyone can do it......but, we all know, that is just part of the story

 

[dto001]

Once you have these new queens what are you going to do with them. Do you have enough nucs boxes to hold them in until they are needed?[/QUOTE]

I have about 5 nuc boxes and 4 mating hives. I was planning on keeping them in these until needed and if it ends up I don't need them maybe they will continue on to full hives??

I see queen rearing has as many different ways as the rest of beekeeping

 

[B+.]

I see queen rearing has as many different ways as the rest of beekeeping

Just keep asking "Why"? Things will make sense....or...at least you'll have more of an idea who is bullshitting you.

 

[sipa]

What nutrition?

Good balanced nutrition, especially the right proteins is essential for the production of copious quantities of Royal Jelly.... essential for rearing the best quality queens.

Underfed queen larva are very poor performers and never last long.

 

[For want of a better word]

Good balanced nutrition, especially the right proteins is essential for the production of copious quantities of Royal Jelly.... essential for rearing the best quality queens.

Underfed queen larva are very poor performers and never last long.

Recommendations for the beginner at queens rearing detailed product and food preparation and adequate advanced nutrition supplements could be useful to make known here.

Candipole?

 

[Finman]

Good balanced nutrition, especially the right proteins is essential for the production of copious quantities of Royal Jelly.... essential for rearing the best quality queens.

Underfed queen larva are very poor performers and never last long.

But bees take care about that thing on summer. Underfed larvae are emergency Queen cells, and from very small colonies. Yes, I have seen them enough with my own eyes.

That balanced nutrition is mere hokkus pokkus. I know so much about bee nutrition.
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