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For the quick setting up of many bee population we use Mini-plus hives. Standard for sale. Here a number of Mini-plus hives in one of our demountable bee stands.
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For the breeding of small bees from the bees of original size (born in 5.4 mm cells) we hang in a Mini-plus 6 frames with Italian plastic (or 5 with 1 foodframe). These cells of Italian plastic have an inner diameter of 4.9 mm. |
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Mini-plus fly slot reducer with queen lattice |
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Make sure there is food available! Fill the hive with sufficient bees (500 ml) and put it closed for one day. Then add a queen. Or get the queen with 500 ml of her bees from her hive and put this hive away closed for a day. In both cases, move the hives to another location and ensure that the queen cannot leave the first few days. |
After a few days, install a fly slit reducer without a queen lattice!
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Mini-plus with queen lattice between the trays and smaller (self-made) non-standard fly slit reducer |
After 6 weeks, a tray with 4.9 mm foundation is set up. If the queen is laying there, place a queen excluder between (bottom) tray with plastic and (top) tray with 4.9 mm foundation. The queen of course in the top tray with foundation. If the brood has flown into the lower tray with plastic comb (below the excluder), this and the excluder are removed. The bee population can now be expanded quickly by placing extra trays with 4.9 mm foundationt. By splitting we can quickly set up several small bee populations.
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Home-made fly slit reducer mini-plus. Cramps to prevent mice in the hive. |