I set up 25 top split nucs with queen cells during April this year using double screen boards. I used between one and three frames of brood, bees and stores - experimenting with different quantities to see what works, as well as feeding syrup.
It has been a great success with most queens getting mated before May and all wintering down with reasonable patches of brood (even the one framer). All had winter staples.
Attached is photos of a couple of typical nucs taken a week ago. The one framer experiment is now four frames and some of the three framers are now bursting out of their 10 frame boxes - having drawn out 3-4 new frames with beautiful white wax. Amazing!
It has been a great success with most queens getting mated before May and all wintering down with reasonable patches of brood (even the one framer). All had winter staples.
Attached is photos of a couple of typical nucs taken a week ago. The one framer experiment is now four frames and some of the three framers are now bursting out of their 10 frame boxes - having drawn out 3-4 new frames with beautiful white wax. Amazing!
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