# Too late for making nucs in VA?



## Beeboy01 (May 20, 2008)

how is your drone population? can't get a virgin queen fertilized without a bunch of drones. I'm down in Florida and have stopped making nucs or splits for the year but I don't graft queen cells which would be quicker.


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## RudyT (Jan 25, 2012)

On the plus side, given the good soil moisture, I hope for a good fall flow.
If your objective is more overwintered nucs, perhaps you can buy some mated queens,make the nucs strong, and feed as needed.
I would not try raising queens this late unless you can afford failed mating and do some speedy recombining.
I'd also make sure mite levels are currently very low -- nucs that start with a high mite count won't have the bees they need to winter.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

I had two queenless hives and introduced a frame of eggs to them this past Sat. I figure it is 50/50. I still have quite a few drones in the hives but that could easily change quickly. Best plan is to use a purchased mated queen and feed heavily. Our bee club recommends summer splits after the first of August be made with mated queens. After September 1st, the likelyhood of a split making it through winter is not very good.

On the other hand, one of my metees had a strong hive swarm about an hour ago. He got the queen and is trying to get them into a hive body. It has been a good summer for the bees but a crappy spring.


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