Mating yard layout

[JBJ]

Hello all, anyone have ideas on the best layout for mating yard using 4 way nucs? I have been putting them in clusters of 5 in a ring that you can work from the center. Each side of the 4-way has a unique color-coded symbol, as much for me as the bees. I am wondering how close together the clusters of 5 can be(land marks help)? I did notice a queen getting balled on one occasion last week. I suspect she returned to the wrong nuc from a mating flight, this seems to be the exception not the norm, but I would love to minimize it all together.
Thanks,
JBJ

[roger eagles]

We don,t use no real lay out.These bunch of nooks are in this area of a yard,Next day vergins are in another,each one dated.Don't even use a formation.Set them down where ever in a protected area.As long as vergin queens are concerned,they are young and kinda stupid.Checked the odd one,even the whole nook was gone.Just the way some thongs go.A mating nook can be made up of 5 -8 in frames.Ive even one time used 1 cup of mixed bees,sprayed them with light surup,and put a queen cell in them.Got 4 out of 5 to grab.

[D. Murrell]

Hi Guys,

Some types of queens have very good orientation. And I've known some types that could hardly orient at all.

It looks like your pattern should suffice for most cases.

Regards
Dennis