Running a virgin queen into a mini nuc

[fiftyjon]

Does anyone have any tricks to encourage a virgin queen into a mini nuc?

I use Apideas and have put a cupful of bees into it, I leave it queenless for 24 hours (I'm aware others have said that's there is no need for the wait) I then want to run a virgin queen into it, but without the bees escaping.

The queens are in hair roller type cages from when they have emerged and so what I have done is opened the top of the Apidea, leaving the clear cover in place and then open the front entrance, the bees hopefully move up towards the light and then leave the entrance clear. I place the now open hair roller cage as close as I can to the entrance, now if the queen has started to walk out generally she will go into the Apidea, other times bees have come out and either walk up into the cage or the queen walks round the cage opening and then takes off and starts to fly around. I've recovered queens by catching them in mid air in cupped hands after me watching it like a hawk as it flies around or when she lands pop her back into the cage and try again.

While it provides entertainment for those watching it wastes a bit of time. If I put cells in a day or two before emergence I would not have this difficulty but sometimes life gets in the way!

Any helpful tips or tricks are welcome.

 

[For want of a better word]

some introduce in a queen cage with a bit of pink marshmallow blocking entrance.
or spray with 5% sugary water on introduction.... or Vimto !

 

[PBee]

I just tap the virgin queen from the hair roller directly into a cup of syrup, hold her under for a few seconds and then fish her out and drop her in through the opening for the queen cell.

 

[itma]

A queen cage can be suspended between Apidea frames by means of a couple of those wire twisters you get with a roll of sandwich bags ...
Stiff enough to bear the weight, flexy enough to bend below the Apidea's frame top bars.

 

[For want of a better word]

I just tap the virgin queen from the hair roller directly into a cup of syrup, hold her under for a few seconds and then fish her out and drop her in through the opening for the queen cell.

... does it work?

 

[PBee]

Does for me. Only do it when I can't get to the mating apiary with a batch in time to introduce as cells.

 

[fiftyjon]

I just tap the virgin queen from the hair roller directly into a cup of syrup, hold her under for a few seconds and then fish her out and drop her in through the opening for the queen cell.

Thanks, I might give that a go.

 

[mbc]

I tend to chicken out on direct introduction and use a jz bz cage with a little candy in the spout to introduce virgins, its a small effort and is safer imo

 

[PBee]

The temperament of the receiving bees is probably a factor. It is noticeable when requeening colonies with mated queens.

 

[Stiffy]

I just run them straight into entrance, the bees always seem ready to accept and not lost any. I don't introduce cells as I want to see the queen before I commit using a min nic.
S

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Little John]

I just tap the virgin queen from the hair roller directly into a cup of syrup, hold her under for a few seconds and then fish her out and drop her in through the opening for the queen cell.

There's a film clip somewhere on the Internet (I'll try and dig out the link) where a bloke working in a commercial breeding outfit does the same: he opens the roller cage and dumps the virgin straight into a jar of honey (presumably diluted ?) - then fishes her out with his finger, and lets her walk - somewhat bedraggled - into a mating NUC, to be licked clean by the waiting workers.

He does dozens at a time like this.

LJ


Got it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygS8m20ROQ4

the bit of interest starts at 1 min. 30 secs.


This is actually part 3 of a series of mini-films - here are all of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K067_JWDMjM  1/3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHQTt17MAmI  2/3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygS8m20ROQ4  3/3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn6KiYm50fI   TV interview