Mating Boxes

A mating nuc is a small hive run with few bees, set up so that a young queen can emerge, go on her mating flights and start laying (mating box, mini mating hive). Its purpose is to mate large numbers of queens while taking very few bees from strong colonies. Success depends on box size, correct stocking, layout and regular care.

What is a mating nuc used for?

In queen rearing, every queen emerging from a queen cell needs a separate colony in which to mate safely. Using a full hive for this is a waste of bees and equipment. A mating nuc is set up with just enough bees to house the queen during mating; once the queen starts laying she is removed, a new queen cell is given to the box and the cycle continues.

Types of mating nuc

The smaller the box, the fewer bees are used, but small size brings risk. For a beginner, a full-size nuc is noticeably more forgiving; mini nucs need experience and regular monitoring.

How do you stock a mating nuc?

1. Collect young bees: The box is stocked with young nurse bees shaken from frames of open brood. Foragers are not suitable because they return to their old hive.
2. Hold the bees: The bees are left queenless for a few hours in a ventilated box; a light spray of water calms them and reduces flying.
3. Fill: About a cupful of bees is enough for mini nucs; a nuc-size box is given two or three frames of bees.
4. Add feed: Mini nucs are given fondant instead of syrup; in a small box syrup can drown the bees and triggers robbing. A nuc-size box is given a frame with honey and pollen.
5. Give the queen cell: A ripe queen cell is placed one or two days before the queen emerges (about 10 days after grafting). The cell must stand upright and must not be jolted or chilled.
6. Keep closed: Mini nucs are kept closed in a cool, dark place for two or three days, then put in position in the late afternoon and their entrances opened. This makes the bees accept the box.

Boxes to be taken to isolated mating stations are stocked with bees cleared of drones by passing them through a queen excluder, so that they do not carry unwanted drones.

Laying out mating nucs

A large share of queen losses happens on the mating flight; an important reason is the returning queen entering the wrong box. A queen that enters a foreign box is usually killed.

• Direction: Place the boxes facing in different directions.
• Colour and shape: Put different colours and distinct shapes around the entrances.
• Arrangement: Do not line up identical-looking boxes in a straight row; leave distance between them.
• Natural landmarks: Make use of landmarks in the surroundings such as trees, bushes and stones.

The mating period: when should you check?

After emerging from the cell, the queen matures for a few days, then goes on mating flights in warm, sunny, calm weather. A few days after mating is complete she starts to lay. A long spell of bad weather delays mating.

• In the first days after the queen cell is given, check only from outside: entrance traffic, robbing, feed status.
• You can tell whether the queen has emerged from the neat opening at the bottom end of the cell; a cell opened from the side shows that the queen inside was usually killed by another queen or by worker bees.
• Do not open the box unnecessarily while mating flights are going on.
• Seeing regular eggs and young larvae about two to three weeks after the cell was given shows that mating was successful.

Caring for mating nucs

• Feeding: Small boxes use up their stores quickly; the fondant is checked regularly.
• Robbing: The entrance is kept narrow; during a dearth, feeding is done in the evening and no spilt syrup is left.
• Heat and cold: The boxes should be protected from the midday sun, and heat loss should be considered on cold nights. Bees abandoning the box (absconding) is a common problem in mini nucs.
• Ants: Ant barriers may be needed on the stand legs.
• Boosting: The box weakens a little with each cycle; after a few cycles, a boost of young bees or sealed brood should be planned.
• End of season: The boxes are united or brought up to nuc size and prepared for winter.

Mating stations and controlled mating

A young queen flies several kilometres away and mates with many drones; that is why mating in the apiary cannot be controlled. Breeders who want to preserve a particular line use isolated mating stations set up on islands or in high mountain valleys with no other honey bee colonies around. Only selected drone colonies and drone-free mating nucs are taken there. When full control is needed, instrumental insemination is used.