how do you get your girls to fill out the comb in a mini mating nuc?c

**seamuswildflower** · 03-16-2013, 06:59 PM

last fall l made up mini mating nucs. the bees seem to avoid it they are in 10 frames divided into 4, with 4 holes drilled so after the queen lays in it you can put queen cells in it and move it where the mating will take place. any ideas?

**Michael Palmer** · 03-17-2013, 05:22 AM

Are you having trouble having the bees draw out the mini-combs, or with the queen laying in the mini-combs?

I started by cutting up brood comb on my table saw, and inserted the comb into the mini-combs.

I tried placing them over a strong colony...queen ignored most combs and the bees put nectar and pollen in them. I tried inserting them into the center of a broodnest. Again, the queen ignored most.

Now I use multiple story over wintered nucs, place the mating nuc combs in the bottom box with queen...confined by a queen excluder. The queen has no choice but to lay in the mating nuc combs. We filled 1000 mini-combs with brood last year using this method.

**djastram** · 03-17-2013, 05:44 AM

I added some temporary bars to a medium, and added my mini frames. The pics below show the medium ready to go, and a mini frame drawn out.

http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...m/FILE0021.jpg
http://i826.photobucket.com/albums/z...m/IMAG0048.jpg

At 1 point, the mini frames had eggs in them, but for some reason, they never finished them.

**gmcharlie** · 03-17-2013, 07:26 AM

I put mine on top full strength hives for recharge.

**seamuswildflower** · 03-17-2013, 03:14 PM

Mike what kind of mating do you use? I have 2 types. 0ne type is divided into 4 equal sides, in quarters, with a hole drilled to enter/exit. The other is a 10 frame divided with plexiglass with 3 entrances on one end and 2 on the other. ls one better than other?

**David LaFerney** · 03-17-2013, 04:45 PM

By putting this just over the brood or a strong hive - yesterday as a matter of fact.

Some of them (in the center) are already drawn in this case, about half are just foundation.

**Michael Palmer** · 03-17-2013, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by seamuswildflower

0ne type is divided into 4 equal sides, in quarters, with a hole drilled to enter/exit.

This kind

**EastSideBuzz** · 03-17-2013, 10:22 PM

I put two framed end to end. they make a full frame and I put them in a strong hive and let them build it out for me then split them and put them in a mini mating nuc.

**Jennings** · 03-20-2013, 08:23 AM

I put them on top of a strong hive during a good flow and the bees draw them out nicely. This is just for comb, the queen usually will not go up and lay in them. This is also a good way to get some of them filled with pollen and honey to give to you're nucs down the road.