# Queen confinement experiment last season.



## cpag (Nov 26, 2014)

I just want to share a queen confinement method I did this past queen breeding season.
I have pretty much have followed Mike Palmer's three frame confinement to try to get the optimum timed graft and have had very good results. I know there is a lot of different methods also, and they work well. I don't make any claims this is the best method but I get very good results. Basically we are after grafts that are in the 36-48 hr. range for the best queens, as I understand. Unfortunately for me, my "day job" throws a monkey wrench into queen breeding season and as you all know, the queen breeder hive has other ideas on occasion. So in essence, the timing of tasks of hive manipulation during queen breeding time had problems for me. Along with this,my 50-80 hive operation that is spread in 3-4 location added to the mix. I typically like to graft from 4 different breeder queens, for differsity. What that means is I have to shut down and confine 4 of my best hives, losing out of brood and possibly honey. For a small operation, that's a big cut for me. I have enough dead outs and less than optimum hives. 
I came up with method and it seemed to work well for me. My best queens are spread in all of my yards. My time is limited and in order to get the queens to "lay up" when I HAVE to graft this what I did. From Dr. Laidlaw's book "Queen Breeding" book they set up a 1 frame confinement cage. Basically a frame pocket with queen excluder screen on two sides. I bought a 2 inch by 1/16 x 3 foot piece of metal and made 2 bends and glued the cut up queen excluder on the edges.(see picture) I pick a frame from the queen breeder hive that HAS NO EGGS and is NEAR THE BROOD NEST. You can do this a week before you graft-"warming the frame up." Along with this, you don't have to bust up the hive, go to any yard and pick the hive you want harvest from, without disturbing the hive. 36-48 hours before graft, confine the queen in the cage. If she has laid up the following day, you are in business! Take queen out, and cage up the frame with eggs and put back in same hive. Come back when you need to graft get your frame. If you need to transport I take a lot of bees in a closed nuc box and drive careful! This has worked several times for me with good results. Hope this might help somebody out.


----------



## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

How do you avoid rolling bees and the queen as you remove the frame from the cage?


----------



## cpag (Nov 26, 2014)

The frame fits loosely in the pocket cage. I put a couple of 3/8x 3/8 sticks on top that fit between the side bars. I also get a frame that does not have excess comb. Everything is loose, just remember all your trying to do is prevent the queen from getting out or getting in. Just keep an eye on her when pulling the frame.


----------



## allniter (Aug 22, 2011)

U have 2 frames with a excluder on both side of the frame that the QUEEN is on so she can't get away from the brood frame is this correct


----------



## cpag (Nov 26, 2014)

allniter said:


> U have 2 frames with a excluder on both side of the frame that the QUEEN is on so she can't get away from the brood frame is this correct


This is a one frame setup.


----------



## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

Kinda like this







Its know as a queen frame cage 

Randy Oliver does something simuler with home made queen excluder division boards https://youtu.be/IX3Tz5_uaMc?t=43m25s


----------



## beekuk (Dec 31, 2008)

I find the best way to keep valuable breeder queens once they have bees assessed is in a six frame poly nuc, five frames plus dummy board, remove frames of brood as needed when inserting new drawn frame of comb around 4/5 days before needed for grafting, these valuable queens can be kept for many years like this.


----------



## allniter (Aug 22, 2011)

what keep the QUEEN from going on the other side of of the brood frame and then onto another frame


----------



## Eikel (Mar 12, 2014)

I believe the answer to that is nothing, just she's likely to be pressed for a place to lay so the empty comb is quickly exploited. Since I usually breed off of my functioning hives, I want to minimize disruption to them but maximize my opportunity to pull a frame of known correct age larvae. Slipping the queen in a cage with an empty frame for a day or so before releasing her seems to fit that bill. It would be really nice if one of you fine folks would find a way to persuade the queen to meet me at a specific place and time rather than having to look for her every time we have a date.


----------



## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

The first minute of this video shows a neat method

https://youtu.be/uWsWUSCFIxY


----------

