- Joined
- Nov 10, 2009
- Messages
- 453
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Woking, Surrey
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- a few more than 10
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.
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.