I too, would like to second this.
 
I plan on trying several methods to raise queens that I have been researching.
One method I started 3 weeks ago was to locate a frame of brood with young
eggs and larva.  I took this frame and after making sure the queen wasn't on
the frame I moved it above the brood nest with a queen excluder between the
two.  9 days later I came back to see if any queen cells were started and sure
enough there was one beauty, but there was also one problem -- the cell was
attached to two frames, at the top and bottom.  In moving the frames to
inspect the cell I ripped apart the new queen cell before I discovered the
problem.
 
Well, I moved another frame of young eggs and larva up above the queen
excluder and told myself I would not disturb this hive until the 18th day, but
when I discovered another hive I had queenless and  decided to risk it and see
if the cell had developed so I could relocate it to the queenless hive.  I did
it again.  I ripped the cell apart because it was attached to both frames.
Any ideas on what to do other than leave the cell alone until it hatches?.
 
I plan to start some grafts tomorrow since weather has been beautiful here and
is expected to stay that way for at least a week.  I thought I better begin
practicing so I can get a feel for every thing before I really need queens.
 
I have ordered 20 3 # packages of bees with a queen from a honey producer in
Utah.  I will drive up to Utah and bring back the packages, then divide those
into smaller nucs and put a queen cell with each one to get more nucs for my
money.  In my research I have come to understand that a queen with a 1/2 # of
bees can be almost as effective in developing into a strong hive as a larger
package can if proper management is given to it.  It has been said that most
of the bees that arrive in the package mature and die off shortly after the
new brood begins to emerge from the cells and begin their duties.  By getting
20 3# packages I should obtain 60 1# nucs or 120 1/2# nucs.
 
I figured the worse that could happen if I experience total failure would be
to reunite the nucs with the original packages and be back to the beginning
with some possible attrition of bees, a little loss of time and an increase in
experience.
 
I also hope to experiment with a multi queen system.  By this, I plan to
continue taking bees I shake from my strong hives on a periodic basis, add a
queen cell and develop them as nucs.  Some I will develop in full hive bodies
with dividers to give me 2, 3 and 5 frame nucs per hive body; some I will
develop above an existing hive with a queen excluder between them.  When I get
close to a honey flow I plan on stacking multiple nucs on top of each other to
form a stronger hive for the honey flow.
 
In following the development of a hive that has been overwintered it seems to
me that in our area (last frost date is May 1st) the hive emerges from winter
with approximately 4 pounds (20,000) bees and then brood rearing begins in
earnest.  The queen begins to lay about 15,000 eggs by April 1st, 40,000 more
by May 1st, another 40,000 more by June 1st and 30,000 more by July 1st to
reach a hive strength of approximately 100,000 bees for the main honey flow.
 
It therefore seems to me that the later you start in the season developing
nucs the more one can compensate for the lack of egg laying by using multiple
queens in one or more systems.  I am not addressing the economics of these
practices at this time
only the theory I plan to explore.
 
I have a great desire to expand my inventory of hives, but my financial
resources are limited.  There exits a catch 22.  If I divide my exiting hives
to make increase (beyond the standard divide of one hive into two hives and
add a queen to the queenless hive) I sacrafice honey production on the other
hand my growth is slow if I go for honey production and limit my divides.  I
believe I can have both by raising queens, manage their egg laying and then
reorganize these nucs into strong hives before the honey flow.
 
I have spent many a night researching, reading books, on Bee-L, thinking and
drawing on my experience the last 30 years of beekeeping (10-50 hives, BV -
Before Varroa), knowing there are flaws in my plans, but hoping and praying
that the small details will work themselves out.  Please give me your input,
experiences and thoughts.  It is my desire to increase my hives to 250 this
season then to 1,000 by next year.  (By the way, I build all of my own
equipment in my shop.  I have access to lots of cheap wood for frames and hive
parts, with the equipment to finger joint lumber together to make hive bodies.
My biggest need is bees.)
 
Ed Costanza
Edgewood, New Mexico