[mnbob]

I have several queen cells in one of my hives. This was a package installed April 20th that currently fills about 3 1/2 medium hive bodies.

I believe the old queen left in a swarm last saturday. She laid lots of drone cells and they were slow to build compared to my second hive, so i wasn't sad to see her go. There are no eggs but there was still some sealed brood when i checked yesterday.

My question is - is it worth attempting to make a nuc from a few frames with queen cells, or should i be more concerned about building them up for the winter at this point? I don't know what the odds are for a nuc started now to build up enough to make it.

I've thought about keeping them in my semi-heated garage over the winter with a tube going through the wall for an entrance, But i'll need to build a more bee-tight nuc first. My carpentry skills need some improvement.

Thanks and have a safe independence day weekend.
Bob

 

[WATCHONYX]

If you had problems with the queen from the start, why would you want to propagate her genetics by using her offspring?

 

[mnbob]

Good point - I hadn't considered the genetics side of things. I'll let them be and see if they make it through the winter.

I'll save my nuc boxs for splits in the spring from my good hive.

Bob

 

[honeyman46408]

But her daughter could bee a better mother than she is :s :lookout: