In a message dated 2/10/01 4:35:16 AM Pacific Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<  There are many many ways to get
 the bees to raise their own queens but none I have found to raise early
 queens without drones.  I did a post early last year to see if any of the
 worlds beekeepers had a way to force the bees to raise early drones.  None
 did.  >>

    One of the advantages of southern US beekeepers is that we usually have
drones very early; here in SC we usually have drones all winter. But this
year there are NO drones whatsoever. It's been one of the coldest winters on
record, and drones were cleaned out of ALL hives quite a while ago.  Just
yesterday, I saw the first capped drone brood, so things are coming on now.

    I have made splits here in SC during the first week in March. I never
made more than I felt I could risk, that early. One year I had some beautiful
nucs that really went on to be "busters."  Other years I've lost quite a few
of the early ones, with some not getting mated, others mating poorly.

    I'd like to push the season sometimes, but have pretty much come to the
conclusion that it's not worth it. When I start seeing the first swarm cells,
the bees are ready; the drones plentiful, and it's time to start splitting.
Around here, that is usually the last week in March. Heavy syrup feeding can
push the season by a week or two, but beyond that, you risk a storm during
the breeding time, and the nucs have to be re-celled or re-combined.

Dave Green
The Pollination Home Page:   http://pollinator.com