Time limit for queen rearing

Hi all.
I would like, if possible, to raise a few queens ready for net year. Can I do it now, too late? or when?
Thanks
Craig

Lots of time left yet, we often find that supercedure queens mate well in September and always try to have a late batch of grafts (well into August) to take advantage of that great September weather. Of course, it's important to have suitable, small, colonies to hold them in over winter -that's the real skill, learning how small you can go in your location without creating unnecessary work coddling them at a later date.

Just been looking at doing the same thing, make up Nucs to over winter some queens, better than the import crap that I've been having the last few years, I've got shut of the lot there all local breed or local sourced. And I must say beekeeping has become enjoyable. Never again will I use imported queens.

rolande said:

Lots of time left yet, we often find that supercedure queens mate well in September and always try to have a late batch of grafts (well into August) to take advantage of that great September weather. Of course, it's important to have suitable, small, colonies to hold them in over winter -that's the real skill, learning how small you can go in your location without creating unnecessary work coddling them at a later date.

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Thanks... Will try a couple of nucs and a few swi-bine mating hives. Hope i can keep those over the winter..
Craig

Thanks Jimmybee

Batcher said:

Thanks... Will try a couple of nucs and a few swi-bine mating hives. Hope i can keep those over the winter..
Craig

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If investing in new kit but not wanting to use standard sized combs I'd be inclined to go down the 'mini-plus' route, there's pretty good chance of getting queens through our winter's in those -plenty of us do (even with only one brood box, although a lot of people double them up for winter). I'm pretty sure that someone, somewhere, will have wintered in swibine type boxes but for me it's all about eliminating possible extra management issues before they get chance to arise as they surely will in something as small as the swibine.

jimmybee said:

Just been looking at doing the same thing, make up Nucs to over winter some queens, better than the import crap that I've been having the last few years, I've got shut of the lot there all local breed or local sourced. And I must say beekeeping has become enjoyable. Never again will I use imported queens.

Click to expand...

Thank you all for your help... and especially Roland. I was going to try the swibine as I have a trade account with Swienty.... May possibly look for something larger.
Thanks again
Craig

I have found that small colonies overwinter well in Kielers - particularly if you have added a few upper bodies to the base unit and the colony has had time to expand into them and gather some stores. From memory, Swienty supply these. Once the feeder is removed from the base unit you can add two extra frames and then each upper unit holds another 6 frames. An extra, empty upper unit allows you to feed fondant if required. I think that a lot of suppliers will be low on stock for mating nucs at present so you may need to shop around a bit...
I trialled a twinstock Nuc last winter and the two colonies did really well in it. I just modified a brood box and a solid floor by adding a central divider and made two crown boards to suit.

As mentioned, queens can get mated for a month or so again, but from here on in far more care needs to be taken in making the mating unit robust enough to repel invaders, both wasps and other bees will take an increasing interest in vulnerable stocks.

Heed carefully what mbc says.

Robbing of weak nucs is a real risk.. happens all too often.

been there etc..

I have small nucs reduced to a hole 1x2 beespace to prevent it happening..and nuc holes half way up the side- to give guard bees a chance..