# Queen bank frame



## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

I built my self a prototype bank frame recently. Holds all kinds of cages. Hope it works and they don't make a mess of it. I won't be going into any Carnie nucs for sure..some ol lazy Italians will do best.


















That is a bungee type cord stretched in front of the top row of cages. Corn dog sticks wedged into the groves of the frame for simple dividers


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

Nice frame, cannot figure out why you are using the corn dog dividers, do you think they can kill each other through cages?


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## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

Nice design.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Yes, allows the bees good access to the queens, should work quite well.


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## Mountain Bee (Apr 7, 2012)

I once seen a really well thought out and nicely built queen banking frame on a old post that Oldtimer had made, it had small wooden cages that sat inside the frame side by side. Maybe Oldtimer can put that pic up again.


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## Mountain Bee (Apr 7, 2012)

Here that pic for Oldtimers queen banking frame is here- http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?249478-Raising-Queen-Cells-Without-Grafting


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

What is that metal cage, Lauri?


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Yes, I saw the oldtimers photo of his queen bank. I will have to make one just because it looks cool. I made one of those box's but my electric stapler is horrible for shooting shiners and the box looked more like a porcupine..LOL I threw it in the garbage, WIth so many queen cages or hair rollers available I just put a frame together for those first. 
Benjamin, the metal cage is neat..bought some off ebay from Germany I believe. They are queen cages too.

And lastly, yes the corn dog sticks keep the cages from resting on each other..not sure if mated queens will get their hackles up with each other. When I take a cage out the other cages will not shift.


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

Lauri, do you mark your queens as they hatch or after they mate? I hear anectdotal evidence that somehow the paint dot interferes with acceptance and mating, do you find that to be true?


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

I have not found there to be a difference in acceptence or mated return % so far. I only mark the virgins that I hatch out in the incubator. It is hard to resist since I already have them in my hand.

The queen cells that are hatched out in the nucs are not marked until they successfully return from mating. Only because that helps me keep track of their maturity. Catching the virgins that hatch out in the hive is more difficult. They are smaller, harder to find and very runny. I just don't take the time to try to catch them until they are mated, larger and less spooky. I just check to be sure the cell did hatch and make a quick check to look. If I don't see her, but the cell hatched I just leave it alone until after the mating period, then check again.


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## westernbeekeeper (May 2, 2012)

Here are a few things y'all might find interesting.

View attachment Wood Cage Holder.pdf


View attachment Hotel Queen Cage.pdf


View attachment Incubator Cage holder.pdf


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Why the hardware cloth?


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Hardware cloth is just bee accessable backing. It lays flat against the frame and takes up no additional space like a cross bar would.

Thanks for the links Benjamin, I will look at them tonight!


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

Hey, man, thanks for the feedback. Very clever methodology, and helps save the time looking for a queen in a larger nuc, by marking them right out of the incubator.


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## seal62 (Apr 17, 2011)

OK,,what i did was almost exactly the same, i left out the rods ..but the same frame can be used for grafts . I did it so the a roller would fit over a q cell and cage them if i was late on a hatch . I didn't want any loose virgin killers.


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## Stu Jacobson (Jul 18, 2012)

The hardware cloth is a great idea. I have several cage holding frames but they don't hold they cages that well. I will try this idea soon.


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