It is raining here, so I have more time to write in the middle of an
increadible good season.


Painting: I also use modeling paint, but bought on a quarter litre jar on a
painting store. The trick: any painting based on ENAMEL . Almost odourless
and dry very very fast. As a painting tool I use a nail , nailed to a wood
handle, then the head of the nail is filed leaving a 1 mm non sharp flat
surface. The nail leaves on a hole on top of the pain jar.

I also use a "press in cage" bought from Thorne. Again fast and clean. No
need to catch the queen. Each beekeeper have one of them an set of
paint+nail tool. When checking a hive, if the queen is not painted and we
happen to spot her, we paint her. Again fast and clean.

Colors: I am stick to international color code: white, red, blue, green,
yellow. However as said by PeterB some color work better than other
depending on the color of the queen. As I have ALL colors, I have learnt
that light color (ie, base color + lots of white) are very easy to spot.

I must admit that dark queens with a blue spot look great. I love blue !! :)


Brother Adams: Probably he is right and caged queen (ie. born in incubator)
are worst than a natural system, but I do not have time. I produce 30% more
than what i need and then select the best ones. On a country with an average
of 20 kg per hive I am quite happy with an average of 60 kg, plus two nucs
per hive in average.

Timing: Timing is everything for me. I give the virgin 15 days to mate.
After that if not mated I mix the non mated nuc with a mated one on a brood
box. I use 5 frames nuc boxes. Only if I have spare virgin I give them a
second chance to those nucs. Any drone lying nuc is dissasembled. Bees to
the floor, frames to a super.

Nitrate: Yes it is a restricted agrochemical because it is used for making
bombs. Also restricted here. I ask a farmer friend for it. We use around two
kilos per season.


-- 
Juanse Barros J.
APIZUR S.A.
Carrera 695
Gorbea - CHILE
+56-45-271693
08-3613310
http://apiaraucania.blogspot.com/
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