So I'm getting a queen castle...

**Eddy Honey** · Feb 18th 2012, 05:57 AM

Brusht Mtn has been kind enough to let me mix n match my medium boxes that they are replacing for me. I'm getting 4 pine deep boxes and a queen castle in place of 6 medium cypress boxes.
If I want to make some queens in the walk away method do I just make the four 2 frame nucs using the dividers, 1 with eggs another with brood, pollen, and honey and walk away?
Should I first leave the box full of bees with no queen for a day or 2 and then introduce eggs/larvae of the right age?

Any tips would be appreciated.

**Robo** · Feb 18th 2012, 06:22 AM

You might want to read the posts in this topic -> viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5570&start=40#p45514

Two frames aren't enough resources to make good queens.

**tecumseh** · Feb 19th 2012, 05:26 AM

to somewhat rephrase robo's comment the size of the unit and the number of bees in each of those slots works well when you are starting from finished cells but not so worthwhile if you are doing walk away split (which I really cannot figure why anyone would wish to do that anyway???).

for those folks unfamilar or uncomfortable with grafting something as simple as the cell punch method would be a good place to start. jerry freeman (freeman beetle trap fame) also has a small 'book' on this method. I am not certain who sells his book and incidental tools to implement this process.

**d.magnitude** · Feb 21st 2012, 08:41 AM

The December issue of Bee Culture has info on ordering the cell punch kit from Wil Montgomery. Not a lot of info, but his address is listed as 1401 Lakemont Dr. S., Southside, AL 35907. It says the kit is "$15 plus a couple for shipping".

It certainly does seem like a simple method to "extract" larvae of the correct age, cells and all. Of course, this is one of those things that might not go so smoothly when you try it the first time.

**d.magnitude** · Feb 21st 2012, 08:51 AM

Hey, Just realized there's another one listed in the Feb issue of B.C. Also $15. Info at www.carriagehousebeeproducts.com

**Eddy Honey** · May 19th 2012, 03:20 PM

I used my queen castle a few weeks ago.
I took my queen out of one of my strong hives and put her in a nuc with a few frames of resources.
I saw 5-6 frames with eggs larvae which I notched in the now queenless hive.
The next time I opened the hive there were capped queen cells on 4 frames.
I placed 1 frame with queen cells, nurse bees and larvae and 1 frame of pollen and nectar in each of the 4 queen castle compartments.
Today I inspected each compartment and found 1 queen in each.
Mating flights should be any time now.
Success!