# Simple Queen Bank



## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

These are queens that would have otherwise got the axe, because they are getting old or are otherwise of questionable quality. If any of the (full frame) mating nucs that I just gave cells don't produce laying queens I will use these to keep some of those nucs going. 

It's getting too hard to establish new mating nucs at this time in my local because of robbing and hive beetles - so since all of them I have are busy right now, I'm letting my queenless cell builder hive baby sit these queens until I need them. Then they can produce bees and brood until the end of the season and I'll decide what to do with them then.

There were 6 when I put them in there a week ago, but as predicted the nurses favored the older laying queens, and let the young ladies bite the dust. Shame.

Anyway, I've kept a couple in this same setup for about 3 weeks earlier, and they seemed no worse for it - started right back laying when I deployed them. 

Better than just pinching them I think.


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## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

David, this is simply amazing, I did not know that one could bank queens in this way....Bill


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

You can also just use the jzbz storage bars for the jzbz cages... they should fit directly into any grafting frame, so you don't have to make and extra equipment..

I still recommend the California mini cages for your bank though... they are safer for the queens... you probably wouldnt have lost the few younger queens using them.

Not as easy keeping production going late in the season is it? Lol. 

You are learning quickly though... using spares and keeping a cycle of virgins in rotation are a great help when trying to keep mating nucs in operation during summer...


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Did you fill the tube with queen candy? That way if the bees ignore them at least they can feed themselves.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You can buy the plastic holders from Mann Lake. You can get two in one medium frame if you space them right. The JZBZ holders from Mann Lake hold about 40 if I remember right and two of them holds about 80 in one frame, but it take the width of a frame and a half in the box.


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

I still recommend the California mini cages for your bank though... they are safer for the queens... 

Why?? Just wondering? I like the JZBZ cages, they have a place for the queen to hide in and the big opening makes it easier to get the queen in. And you can get them in different colors, so you can tell your high dollar queens from the budget ones. 

The only trouble I have with the JZBZ cages is if your queen candy is too soft it sometimes pulls out and stays in the holder.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

The California mini cages have a slightly larger entrance that the jzbz, 

they are deep enough that the queen can stand on the wooden side away from the screen to hide, 

the holes in the screens are very small... protecting the queens from leg grabbers, 

the thin wooden sides make the queens close enough together that the workers can more easily cover more queens with less effort, 

the candy tube of the jzbz cages can get sticky with candy or become a trap without candy.. meaning they must either be inspected and refilled ever so often or the cages can be hung with the hole pointed up as long as there is no candy in them, but that means more chance for mishaps and more modifications to frames...

the California mini cages can be plugged with either corks, candy tubes, or jzbz widebase cell cups, which come in several colors, so you can color code the different types of queens in your bank...

The California mini cages can double as hatchery cages, this making the cages and the bank frame dual purpose pieces...

A standard frame can be modified to become a hatchery/bank frame for less than 1.00...

I will post a pic of a "hatchery" or "bank" frame that uses California minis... 
Hope this helps...


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

here you go... holds 42 queens per frame and they are easy to pull as you need them and introduce immediately...
http://i1040.photobucket.com/albums/b404/RussellApiaries/cell16025.jpg


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>they are safer for the queens... 

I have heard the opposite, that the JZBZ are safer as they are designed so they can't get to the queen's feet where with screen wire they can.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Again, the cages are deep enough to provide plenty of escape from the screen... the holes in the screen are very small in the first place, much smaller than the holes on the jzbz cages... 

I can say with great experience, I lose more virgins introduced in jzbz cages than ever in the mini cages...

I love the jzbz products, but for introduction, the California Mini cages are indeed safer.


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## LT (Aug 17, 2006)

Russell, do those have the slide in screen instead of the stapeled. WE have seen several of the slide in screen cages but cannot find where to purchase them. Any ideas? Thanks


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Larry, I believe you are referring to the wooden three hole cages that have the raised sides so you can simply press the screen down and it stays in place by the wedge... we use those quite often... you can get them from Koehnen in cases of 1,250, talk to Jennifer... we will have them available on our site in smaller bundles by mid September...

There is another type of cage that has a slide on top... they are made completely of plastic and are used almost exclusively in the EU as shipping cages... we have been giving some away with other orders so people will have a chance to try them out to see if they like them... I do not like them for shipping, but they are ok for introduction cages because they have a thin shape that easily hangs between frames without having to move the frames apart, and they have a hoop on one end that you slide a nail through that rests on the top bars to keep the cage in place... if that is what you are referring to, we have those and I would be happy to send you some to try or get you in contact with a supplier.

Hope this helps.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Where can I get those California mini cages? I used the JZBZs because that is what I had at the time, but I certainly believe in listening to experience. Besides, it would be handy to have some that cells could emerge into when needed. 

Anyway - anything that will improve introduction success makes lots of sense, you already have the full investment made by then.


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

Russell, thanks for explaining the differences between the Calif. and JZBZ cages. I knew there would be pros and cons. I have ask queen breeders here and in Nor Cal and the only answer I ever got was cost. It's good to know there are other reasons Thanks again, Jim


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## BrokeBee (Sep 2, 2011)

Having received some of Russells queens last fall 2010 in three hole cages makes me wonder why not ship in same cal mini cages you bank with? Is this a new work up there in Bolton? I know Julius shipped in three hole. If the grabbers are important to you guys why would you ship three hole to customers? Is the screen in your three hole 14 mesh?


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

The screen is the same in the three hole cages as it is in the mini cages... we still ship in the three hole cages primarily, with exception to rightway shipper boxes that we can ship large orders with the mini cages in... 

We are no longer in bolton, by the way. After my father passed away, we moved the central operations to the reservoir area in brandon, ms.


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## BrokeBee (Sep 2, 2011)

Called a month or so ago and Ricky said your dad left the house and business to him. That was the last time I have ever talked to any of you guys.
Are you two still together or is he running the Bolton ops?
Sorry about your dad. Great fellow.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

Not at all... I have been having to refund people that have unwittingly sent orders to him and gotten nothing... he has even been telling people that he is the one that talks on the internet. Lol. He has sued me for "royalties", and been beaten badly... he got the house because he had nothing else after his long prison tour, that's it... its like day and night. Lol.

Thanks for your condolences... my father is missed everyday... I still talk to him while I'm working hives, and every now and then, I hold up a brood frame or a queen so he can look down and see his girls doing what they do best.


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## BrokeBee (Sep 2, 2011)

Thanks for the update on Ricky, although sad to hear. I will spread the news 'round 'bout. 
If there is anything we can do on our part down south....
There is rarely a day goes by that your guys name doesn't come up. Julius included.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

I have a closeup photo at the top of my BEES4U.com web site that show the California mini cages with mated queens in a queen bank. You can click on the image to enlarge it showing the queen in detail. The photo was taken before it was placed into the queen bank or you would have great difficulty seeing the cages as the bees cover the cages quickly.


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## kevinva (Apr 21, 2008)

So if you keep this in your queen less hive builder, how long do you keep them? How do you replenish bees as they die off since you don't have a queen laying eggs in your cell builder?


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I've heard of others banking for months, but I've only kept them in this for about 3 weeks at a time so far. 

You keep the hive stocked with bees by swapping in a frame of 
brood every so often.

It's one of the main reasons I like this style of cell starter/finisher - for my purposes anyway - whenever I'm working my hives and come across a nice frame I swap it in and it's good for a while - and it gets stronger over time instead of weaker. You do also have to check for wild cells on schedule. Anyway, with that much (pretty small) effort you can graft into it about any time you want as your schedule allows.


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## rrussell6870 (May 14, 2009)

LT said:


> Russell, do those have the slide in screen instead of the stapeled. WE have seen several of the slide in screen cages but cannot find where to purchase them. Any ideas? Thanks


Larry, send me a pm with an address and I will send you some.


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