Hi Waldemar & all

> 1. Do the emerged virgins need to be transfered into queen
> installation cages (I have both wood and plastic types) or should
> they be kept in the same wire mesh cages where they emerged?

Either of these two options is OK, but mostly they are kept in the cage they
emerged into.

> 2. Will the bees feed all the banked virgins or will they select
> only some to care for?

There is no clear cut answer for this as will depend on the difference in
genetics between the workers doing the feeding and the virgins.

If they are closely related you should be OK, however if the bees ignore any
particular virgin, you should assume that they 'know best' and discard that
one.

> 3. Does a queenless mating nuc readily accept a virgin queen by
> the direct release method or does one need to install the virgin
> in a cage with fondant in the access hole?

This is also difficult to answer, In general there should be some delaying
tactic, but not as much as would be provided by candy in an introduction
cage.

Your circumstance would be similar to that which occurs when re-introducing
Instrumentally Inseminated queens back to the nuc she came out of. see...
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/ii_reintro.html

Do not confine your virgins for too long, they would normally mate after 5,
6 or 7 days.


Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net
Fall Back M/c, Build 5.02 (stable)

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