Virgins absconding?

[bees4u]

Has anyone had problems this year with virgins leaving for mating flights & taking all the bees with them? I've had 4 this year so far, empty nucs with half a dozen bees left. What can I do to stop this?

 

[beadie_eye]

dont put so many bees/brood in nuc and leave it in a shady place. the recommended 3frames of emerging brood with covering bees and shake a couple more frames of bees to make sure along with a couple of frames of food with attached bees can be a little snug.

 

[Polyanwood]

I have 1 where I found the virgin dead outside and another where I found here dead inside. I have been wondering about nosema.

 

[Crg]

Has anyone had problems this year with virgins leaving for mating flights & taking all the bees with them? I've had 4 this year so far, empty nucs with half a dozen bees left. What can I do to stop this?

Is there enough food in the nucs?

 

[Midland Beek]

I guess this happens with bees that never have been allowed to swarm but have wanted to swarm.

 

[bees4u]

Is there enough food in the nucs?

I always put a full frame of food in & one capped brood.

 

[Crg]

I always put a full frame of food in & one capped brood.

Have you actually seen the bees leaving together?

 

[bees4u]

Have you actually seen the bees leaving together?

No I haven't seen them go. I've lost queens in the past from apideas but never from a proper nuc. There's no disease, plenty of food.