Queen Catching

[Jimbo]

Ok I give up. Everybody talks about bee breeding and mini nucs, grafting etc but how do you get the queen from a mini nuc into an introduction cage? I managed 1 queen by knocking her off the mini frame and quickly putting the cage over her. The next queen after hunting her for ages I tried the same. I was not certain she was in the cage so like an idiot I thought I would have a quick look. I slid the slide back a fraction and like a rocket she was off. I watched carefully and I think she went straight back into the mini nuc. I have now given up for today. So is there an easy way to catch her?

Jimbo

[Jon]

So is there an easy way to catch her?

Jimbo

I use a pluffer to transfer the queen from the apidea to a cage.
People with better handling skills than me would just pick her up.
That's one skill I definitely want to learn within the next 12 months.

[GRIZZLY]

I watched a bee inspector from Cumbria catch up a queen into a Butler cage.Having found the queen he placed a partially open Butler cage over her - she ran into the cage together with several workers - he then closed up the cage and put it into his top pocket whilst he did a thorough inspection.Having finished his inspection he simply ran the queen back into the hive.I havent tried it myself but it looked so simple to do.

[Jimbo]

Hi Grizzly,

I have no problem catching a queen when on a full size frame. I use a queen catcher or use my queen marker crown. The problem is catching her on those fiddly little apidea frames where the drawn comb is small, fragile and not properly formed. You would think it would be easy when there is only a small number of bees. This particular lady when you lift and look at one side of the apidea frame nicks to the other side away from you. When you turn the fiddly little frame around she nicks back. I think she is just toying with me. If the weather is good tonight I intend to start round two. Will report back later who wins the round.

Jimbo

[Adam]

Provided the queen is on a frame I Pick up by the wings. The mark and clip as required. I don't know how I would get a hand down in a mini-nuc to get her. I think I'd wait until she was back on a frame.

[Jimbo]

Hi Adam,

Just too scared to pick her up. After the steep learning curve in bee breeding using cupkit and mini nucs and getting the queen mated etc the last thing I want to do is squish her with my thumbs.

Jimbo

[Calum]

Best way to learn how to handle queens is to practice with drones.
Picking them up, marking, clipping ect.
Plenty of them and they don't sting.

[Adam]

It should be chucking out time for drones soon so you may find some outside the hive to practice on.
I must say that it is much easier (as in you're less nervous) to pick up a queen when you have a few spare. I use marigolds (a cheaper version of them) and can pick up OK. If the gloves are covered in propolis it makes the job less easy!

[Calum]

It should be chucking out time for drones soon so you may find some outside the hive to practice on.
I must say that it is much easier (as in you're less nervous) to pick up a queen when you have a few spare. I use marigolds (a cheaper version of them) and can pick up OK. If the gloves are covered in propolis it makes the job less easy!

Pick them of the frames, it is better practice for catching the queen!
Or buy a queen clasp if you are scared of her highness.

I dont wear gloves unless they are in a vicious mood.. But would take them of to catch the queen. Stings are somewhat a question of perception, and getting the barb out quick!