Most people say it can't be done but it works well.

Making a queen bank out of a queen right hive without a queen excluder.

[@DavidCrosley-id7eq]

Great tips David W Crosley SR- Ferry Farm -Fredericksburg, Va

[@DavidCrosley-id7eq]

Candy Down - sounds like a good slogan ! David W Crosley SR

[@altaylor6655]

I have to add that Joe is absolutely right on this process. Joe taught me this type of queen bank and I have been using it all summer. I still have a few queens in one right now. I might point out that I have also done the same process in a five frame NUC. The key is to make sure there is open brood on either side. I have also been able to add queens as Joe described once the bank is active. I made a different type of frame using hardware cloth since most of my queens are in the 3 hole wooden cages. Good video with excellent information.

[@TheOregonOutlaw]

Brother Adam would be proud of you! Letting those nurse bees be attendants is the most natural way I can think keeping the confined queens happy and healthy!

[@welshblackbees]

Great video (again!). Would it be possible to keep each mated queen on a single frame up there, each one separated from the next frame by vertical and horizontal queen excluders - I know they’d make Q cells when the frame was full but it would keep their ovarioles in good shape and could supply laid up frames for nucs - after rubbing out the unwanted Q cells. Something I might try here in Wales this year. It sounds like something you might already know 😁

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Possible

[@Tonnsfabrication]

When you got stung and yelled out,I was LMAO because that is real time bee keeping there and I can relate.

[@godsstandards]

Thank you for such a clear explanation. You are the only person I've seen do this and I've been hoping you would take the time to create this video. The information you give is a great help and I just want to thank you again.

[@julieenslow5915]

Awesome video. I do love a person who doesn't listen to what can't be done - at least not permanently. You should learn the skills needed - and once that is done, then you can - and should - start looking to see if there is not a better way to do it. I love the way you teach, and if you say you can do it - I know it has already been tested. So thank you for the video, the teaching, the testing and that you care enough to do all that.

[@philjanikjr9805]

Thanks for showing your queen banking process. HBM

[@Dstick1Spearfishing]

Great information Joe. I keep learning all sorts of useful things.

[@BlackSheepApiaries]

Awesome, Thanks Joe ! Just about to start breeding now, Our season is just kicking off here in Oz. Have a good one mate.

[@mrcshoneybees]

Thank you so much Joe. Good info for next year.

[@livingadamman7994]

Hi Joe, thanks for your videos I watch when I can from Australia, Happy New Year hope it's a good one for you

[@josephrawls]

That is about as simple as it gets. I couldn’t help laughing when that last one got you. Sounded like me in the bee yard.

[@PhillipHall01]

NO wonder you are picking up so many subscribers, with all the good teaching. This video answers questions I was wondering about too. You had mentioned some of the big outfits bank queens through the winter. That sounds like it would have advantages to me, especially if you need a queen in early spring before the drones are hatched out. When a mated queen is over wintered in a bank how will it effect her laying ability? I am guessing no more than a loose queen that has stopped laying for the winter, would that be right? Thanks Joe for the great teaching and question answering. Sincerely, Phillip Hall

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Some times they are not very good banked over winter. The queen slow way down in winter but never stops laying.

[@PhillipHall01]

I didn't know that. Thank you sir .

[@PhillipHall01]

Theirs a whole lot I don't know! But I am learning, Thanks Joe 😊😁

[@r.r.s4812]

Good vid Joe. Keep rockin!

[@scottpierson7495]

Mr. Joe got a question? I’ve noticed the bees have back filled some brood space, will the bees eat or move that when major egg laying begins in the spring? I took that brood frame and moved it up to a super that is full of stores for winter and took empty comb and put that in place of that one. But just wondering if they will open egg laying space for her after winter. Temps here are in the 70s in Northern California with rain coming. Thank you for your help you have given me! 🇺🇸👍🏻

[@scottpierson7495]

Kind of wish I would have made more splits in September because we were in 80s most of of October so now I have 5 colonies that have exploded and running out of equipment.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

They will be fine in the spring.

[@nailladi1]

You rock Joe!!

[@chrisbgarrett]

My bees were cranky last couple days. Figured out why on friday. I had a Africanized scout group come to take over a hive. Caused all kinds of trouble throughout the yard. Saturday I went back to kill them and they were gone. But about 30min after working some hives,the swarm came and landed on a different hive. I seen the queen and killed her and the small cell Africanized bees. I start thinking I can make queens here if I flood the area with good drones then I see Africans here. I’m only gonna sell bought queens with my nucs. Frustrating

[@franciscomacias9603]

What you witnessed was a usurpation event. In my ten years only saw it once and that was two weeks ago. Caged the good queen, killed the bad queen. Good queen is out and laying normally

[@chrisbgarrett]

I normally just catch the Africans hanging out under the front door way to hive. Clinging on and planning. I took 2 swarms in last year but the got very hot and I waited till after I seen drone comb started to make splits. They took new queens well and built fast in spring. I won’t gamble like that anymore. I’m moved to gentle stock from the north. No need to raise hot bees. No fun for anyone.

[@franciscomacias9603]

@@chrisbgarrett it's also a major liability. When I first started I would accept some behavior, but in the AG world no one wants grumpy bees. I get them from northern California, area free of AHB genetics. Good Queens they are. Keep those mites low.

[@markspc1]

Humm you are way ahead of me; I was wondering if I could do that.

[@PhillipHall01]

It will be a year tomorrow when you published this video. I am glad that I watched it again. Good stuff! Joe how many queens could you have put into this particular bank, and they still would have been able to be tended to by the nurse bees, and still been ok and not overloaded? Hope you had a good Labor Day today. Phillip Hall

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Some hive do a better job than others taking care of queens. I have had as many as 40 in a bank.

[@PhillipHall01]

Thanks Joe. I like your plastic cages and holding bar too. Nice set up. Phillip

[@wignot]

Thanks! You are great!

[@davemaloneyvideos]

Should banked virgins not be removed from the bank put in some sort of mating nuc within four days? I understand that mated queens can be banked for weeks, but don't those virgins need to get out and mate before it is too late?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

You read a lot of things in books that are not true. I have had virgins in the bank that I was going to AI did not get to them put them in mating boxes at about 3 weeks old they still went out and mated.

[@mikeries8549]

Have searched for a source of queens that's "drive-n-go-get". Am in Champaign county, Illinois. What's your twenty? I'd consider a trip in May because that's when I could do splits. Kind of hoping you're in southern Indiana where spring comes early.

[@charlesdillon6155]

may I ask what state you are located in? just wondering cuz hive Beatle

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Indiana

[@petarmiletic8594]

wow heaps of info i'm just puzzled about what you put in the cd cases for bait,for the beetles

[@earlmoorman250]

Joe i need one of them queens

[@williamthomas1977]

How do you use a cd case as a beetle trap? What do you do to the cd case?

[@marthayoder7995]

What happens if they release queen? Or is cage plugged with cork?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

the tube were the queen comes out is closed off by the orange tray they are standing in.

[@66otnt]

Do you have a feeder on the hive at all times, or only during the season?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

feeder are on all year but only use them in the spring. They have a 2 inch peace of Styrofoam in them.

[@newbeebeekeepersguy1207]

i am curious to know more about the buckfast bees and the advantages and disadvantages of them??

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

They winter well, slow to swarm,gentle,make strong hive,above average honey, disease resent. The only thing I know negative is they are not VSH but I am working on that. Buckfast has a bad name for being mean that's because one of the only guys that sales them is in Texas they are Africanized. My bees come from Denmark though Canada.

[@guysanders3851]

I might be interested in purchasing a nuc of them do you have some available ??

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

No I won't have any until spring they are pick up only.

[@newbeebeekeepersguy1207]

so do you do any shipping or just not the nucs?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

I ship queens only,

[@corneliualdea5385]

Hello got a question,,,, is nectar. honey .?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

no not until the bees cure it.

[@earake00]

Where did you get the bank bar for the cages?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Mann Lake JZBEZ shipping bar

[@jeffreyhoffmann2176]

Have you made a video on how to make queen candy?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Yes I have

[@MegaDavyk]

Good video, how many queens can you keep in this bank at a time?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

about 50

[@MegaDavyk]

could you put the queen bank frame in the bottom box?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

I don't know never done that because I don't want to take box off to get to them.

[@natserog]

whats in the CD cases? rat poison?

[@strugglingbeekeepermarkcot9642]

I am new to beekeeping what is a queen bank and what is the purpose for it?

[@ruthannjones5873]

It's a way to keep queens in a safe place to use in other hives.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

a queen bank is a hive to store matted or virgin queen until you have a place to put them.

[@strugglingbeekeepermarkcot9642]

Little Bits Honey Bees joe may thank you for the information I appreciate it I learned something new I did not know that you could do that.

[@newbeebeekeepersguy1207]

so theoretically i could put a buckfast queen in a Italian have and eventually turn them all into Buckfast Bees ???

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

Yes that is correct in six weeks they will all be buckfast.

[@newbeebeekeepersguy1207]

i will make plans to order one in the spring what is the earliest that you will be shipping queens?

[@larrypotts4892]

Don’t you ever spit that tobacco juice on those stings?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

no just us plantain

[@herbertjacobs8422]

Ok, Now what is the purpose of this? Saving a queen till you have a place to place her?

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

yes holding her until I got a place for her

[@DarNadeem0786]

Apna number doo

[@davegrandeffo330]

This must not be for beginning beekeepers 'cause I had no idea what you were doing or trying to accomplish. You handled the bees rough and you got stung; no mystery there.

[@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay]

This video is not in the beginner series.

[@michaelmueller8976]

Try a little music in the background brother

[@r.r.s4812]

Man, music during informative videos like this causes distractions. I vote NO! On music.

[@sandrocamargo698]

If you want to listen music you should look for other channels, you will find a good one.

[@michaelmueller8976]

I mean a lightly played music, not loud in your face stuff. Of course I subscribe to learn and must listen to do so.

[@michaelmueller8976]

Sandro Camargo kinda bossy, eh?

[@woodchucktinman9893]

Joe is so busy we should consider it as major blessing for his time giving information and videos. I may be speaking out of line, but my guess is he does not have time for crap like editing and putting some music in the background, an introduction, etc. Sorry to be harsh, but just pointing out the obvious.