Many years ago Sue Cobey told me that mated queens can theoretically be
banked 'forever'.  But she was quick to add that it was a lot of work to
keep the nurse bees in proper condition, so 6-8 weeks was a more practical
time frame.

I've routinely keep mated queens banked 3-4 weeks, and have extended that
to 6 weeks on occasion.  I keep them in a five-frame nuc box with 1 frame
of eggs and larvae, 2 frames of sealed brood, and 2 frames of honey and
pollen.  *Every week* I exchange one frame of sealed brood for one frame of
eggs and larvae.  I think that exchange is the key to enticing the nurse
bees to keep feeding the queens appropriately.

Lloyd

-- 
Lloyd
Office/Honey House 518-573-8246
Lloyd Spear Beekeeper Inc.
Ross Rounds Inc.

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