Thanks Gavin that is both reassuring and helpful. I was doing more reading and think that I did not have enough nurse bees. Kate's excellent letter in this months magazine also made that point
In Ullapool we had a really lovely April and May a very cool wet June and then a mainly warm sunny July (beekeeping makes you think about these things)
I will try again next year and try in a brood body with lots of nurse bees. The pollen tip is a good one too. Anyway I was pleased with my three queens and now have my five colonies headed up by well laying 17 queens


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