Cutting out Queen Cell?

[funfly]

I have a Nuc with 3 queen cells on a single frame, they are well spaced and due to hatch on about 21/6/12 (ish)
I am considering cutting one queen cell off and starting a new Nuc with it.
Never attempted that before, but the plan I have in my head is to make the new Nuc up on Sunday 17/6/12 then add a cut out queen cell with a generous about of comb attached on it on Monday, suspended between two frames with a cocktail stick

Is that a good idea or I am I mad? Any tips welcome.

[gavin]

Sounds good to me. You may lose bees back to the parent colony if you keep it in the same apiary. Over-provision it with young bees, and/or scatter a pile of grass over the entrance.

[Jon]

The problem could be chilling. Cut the cells out as late as possible if you are sure of the date the queens are due to emerge. You could put each cell inside a roller cage to hatch.

1088 1089

[Bumble]

Is there any reason why a queen cell can't but cut out along with a decent patch of comb, and then pushed into a similar sized slot on a receiving frame of brood?

[Adam]

No reason, but not necessary unless you're worried about damaging the queen.

When making up a nuc you do need to shake in extra bees - over and above what are on the frames - as some will return home (if you're in the same apiary). Bees from supers are less likely to fly back as they are not the older foragers.

[funfly]

Thanks chaps, going to have a bash at that as soon as it stops raining, the wind stops blowing, the sun comes out and it warms up.
Monday or Tuesday, I hope!

[Neils]

so you're moving to Antigua?

Go for it funfly, let us know how you get on.

[funfly]

Well the sun came out, in fact it reached 20c so I decided to give cutting that queen cell out a bash.

Nothing technical, basically just cut round it with a wall paper knife, made up another small nuc and jammed it between a couple of frames.
I moved the nuc about 6 miles to my garden where I currently have one other hive.
I think its due to hatch on either Wednesday or Thursday, fingers crossed.

I had the choice of 3 queen cells, the two you can see it the picture and another on the other side, I went for the top one it the pic.
As you can see I am a lousy photographer. The first picture is of my hives, two full hives, another with a newly mated queen, a nuc box with a virgin queen and a nuc box with queen cells.
The last pic shows them in their new home.http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04092.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04093.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04094.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04095.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04096.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll193/goldsnipper/DSC04099.jpg

[gavin]

Ah, I remember those 'N1' days!

I see that you've cleared the frame of bees. Using queens in cells after a good shake is always risky as they get dislodged and damaged easily. Brush 'em off (which you may well have done of course).

The Apideas you saw on Saturday have quietened down, although one was still having a bit of a moan so perhaps there is something up with that queen. If only we had today's weather then.