Module 7 question

[LauraB]

I’m doing some past exam papers for module 7 and I’m stuck on what to put to answer this section C question (part of): Describe in detail how to establish and manage ten mini-hives in a mating apiary with a target of producing 20 mated queens during the season. 20 points

How much detail would you go into about selecting a breeder colony?
How much detail would you go into about raising Queen Cells?
How do you get 20 mated queens in the season without repeating the process or is it that simple?!

Thanks Laura

 

[Black Comb]

As it is section C you have loads of time to write lots and lots!
i would not write too much on breeder colony and producing queen cells as IMO the question is looking for the stages after that.
250ml for apidea - explain how to fill the apidea, why nurse bees preferred.
How and when to insert queen cell.
Feeding details.
2 days in dark cool place
Likely time of mating and how to check, what to do afterwards. Best to leave for 2 weeks after laying to ensure not DLQ and allow queen pheromone to build up before transferring to nuc.
You can normally use apideas etc. for at least 2 series of queen cells (sometimes 3) per season. Explain timeline for this and danger of overcrowding if you do.
always mention use disease free bees.
Hopefully some of the established breeders / mini users like mbc will be along to fill in the gaps in the above.
Hope this helps.

 

[itma]

I think the 10 mini-nucs / 20 queens bit is asking you to explain how you would restock the Apideas with a second flush of QCs, without needing to restock with workers - you might even discuss "bleeding off" some flying/foraging workers to prevent them getting overcrowded (and potentially swarmy).
And of course you are going to need to produce that second round of QCs ...

 

[oliver90owner]

I'm afraid you missed the point right at the beginning. This is simply about managing minihives in a mating apiary.

Source of queens is mostly irrelevant. Could be queen cells but equally virgins from an incubator. Question needs reading carefully and construct a relevant answer. Subject is specifically establishing and managing the ten mini colonies. Why you would want ten mating nucs or mini hives to provide only twenty mated queens in a season is a bit of a mystery to me but.... defining a mini-hive might be a good point - could this be a nuc, mini nuc or apidae? I suppose they must have defined it in the reading material? Very poor if they have not.

RAB

 

[Black Comb]

Don't forget siting - in the shade better, reduces risk of absconding if they get too hot.

 

[LauraB]

Thanks for those comments, sometimes however much I read through the question I'm unsure of how much detail they want, must get 20 detailed points down to get the 20 points!

With the word establish in the question I wasn’t sure whether just how you put in a queen cell into a mini-hive would be enough but that it wanted/needed more of how you got a queen cell in the first place. And as to mini-hives the syllabus/reading material doesn’t mention it but talks about mating nuclei (nuc and mini-nucs) instead.

Thanks