It would be interesting to know if any consensus has developed on
queen breeding systems. On a purely anecdotal basis, how do queen
breeders and beekeepers rate the following for popularity and
practicality of use? And separately, for the buyer, which systems are
believed to produce the best quality queens? One is instantly aware,
of course, that the race of bee would influence the exact system/s
utilised.

LARVAE TRANSFORMATION
1. Hand “grafting” into home-made wax cell cups.
2. JZ-BZ cups.
3. Nicot cupularvae system (non-graft system).
4. EZI-Queen system (non-graft system).
5. Other (if so which?), e.g., Jenter.

STARTERS
1. “No-name” A and B super system where bees are smoked up into
B through an excluder. B is removed and placed some distance from
A and used to start cells. These bees can fly. A, with the queen, is
sealed for 24 hours. A and B are later again united.
2. Swarm boxes, where around six kilograms of young bees harvested
from various hives are used to start cells. Swarm box is sealed but
ventilated for 24 hours.
3. Cloake system, where a (metal) screen is inserted between two
supers, over an excluder. The bees in the upper super are
“queenless” and field bees are drained from the lower super by
opening a back entrance. The field bees have previously been trained
to use an entrance on the other side of the hive between the two
supers.
5. Other, e.g., Farrar system (see ABJ February 1977).

FINISHERS
1. Under starters 1 above, super B is used for finishing above an
excluder, after re-uniting.
2. Under starters 3 above, the upper super is used for finishing above
an excluder after the metal screen has been removed.
3. “Conventional” horizontal finisher, using an excluder.
4. “Conventional” vertical finisher, using an excluder.
5. Other.

INTRODUCTION TO MATING NUCS
1. Ripe sealed queen cell, unprotected.
2. Ripe sealed queen cell, protected e.g., in a cage.
3. Emerged (and marked) virgin in cage, with “eatable” exit, e.g.,
candy.
4. Other.

Separately, would there be any such thing (size-wise) as an “industry
standard” mating nuc?

SHIPPING
Which cages are seen as the most reliable for safe delivery of
queens? Which cages are the most economical, including both
material and shipping costs?

Much thanks in advance for any responses!

Barry Sergeant
Kyalami
South Africa