[Galaxy]

I use divided 5 frame median nucs for mating purposes with two frames on each side. Last summer I lost about half of my mating nucs due to robbing even though I had restricted the entrance so that only one or two bees at a time could pass thru.

Would robber screens help solve the problem? Or, would they tend to prevent the new queen from finding her way back in after the mating flights?

 

[JPK]

Galaxy, just something to consider but maybe the question isn't so much how many queens might you lose due to issues with her getting back in after a mating flight but rather how many fewer mating nucs you'll lose by using robber screens.

I had robber screens on a couple of nucs I made with queen cells this year and all of the queens hatched, mated and made it back into the nucs and are laying like champs.

I don't think you'll have too many problems with robber screens.

 

[Beeslave]

Make the nucs stronger so the bees cover all the frames.

 

[Galaxy]

Thanks for the advice. I believe both posts are sound advice.