> Are we, as beekeepers, convinced that in order to keep queens banked the
> surrounding bees must be queenless? Has anyone tried otherwise?
I have set up banks in queenright colonies simply by placing the cages above
a queen excluder. Noticed no ill effects. However, Gus Rouse (Kona Queens)
scolded me severely (I exagerate) over the practice. On his advise I set up
the
queenless nuc, which he said is the ONLY correct way to do it.
I have had success both ways. However, I rarely bank queens for very long
(over two weeks). I try to get them into colonies or at lease a nuc ASAP.
I suspect queenless banks are optimal, but queenright banks work.
Aaron