Mug of bees

[Geo224]

Is a mug of bees (300ml) enough for stocking a keiler mating nuc? Or does it need to be 500ml? Sorry if this question has been asked before.

[fatshark]

250ml is sufficient ... use a cut down half litre milk bottle, shaped into a scoop. Nice and flexible and doesn't crush the bees. Measure 250ml water in it and draw a fat line around at that point. Job done.

[Geo224]

Thanks all filled today. What a game this beekeeping, wanted to fill the mini nucs yesterday but weather was rubbish. I had to get into the hive quickly yesterday and put some hair rollers on the Q cells. Just as well because today the Q's had all emerged!

[fatshark]

Filling mini-nucs in bad weather is one of the worst jobs.
Well done with caging the virgins ... and there's not many websites you can say that on without getting into trouble.

[Jon]

Filling mini-nucs in bad weather is one of the worst jobs.

I second that. I remember filling about 20 one day in May a couple of years ago with the rain pouring down and the bees were not happy about being shaken into apideas.
Very close to a Derek and Clive moment there fatshark.

[fatshark]

Mini-nucs in the rain is bad, but not a patch on those damned lobsters.

[Jon]

You find them in the strangest of places