Any experience: german 1 frame mating nuc/ = Einwabenkästchen (EWK) micro nuc

[purvisgs]

This is a long video about queen rearing in Germany (narrator speaking english)
Rearing Of Queen Bee's:
http://mkat.iwf.de/mms/metafiles/02000018010220000000_lo.asx

I am particularly interested in finding out more about (and the name of) the type of single frame mating nuc that is shown, with a glass sides, for use on offshore mating stations on islands.

This video also features a different type of nuc that looks to be similar in design to the Kirchhain (also similar to the Apidea) mini nuc (see dave cushmans site here if you are interested in these: here

But what I am interested in is the nuc that shows up at aprox 46:45 in this video (yes it is a pretty long video)  The english narration never gives this type of nuc a name other than saying that it is used to send to isolated offshore mating stations on islands.  The video goes on to show the whole stocking operation/ etc, but they never give the name of the nuc its self.  Pretty interesting video all together-

I just spent quite a bit of time searching for info on this nuc and can not find anything no real mention in english whatsoever, I even tried german but I don't think that I am searching for the right terms in english to german translation...

maybe someone who can read german could find out more from the film's "accompanying publication" here (pdf/ I can't translate this)


thank you!

[BEES4U]

I have also watched the same video and it's very informative about how bees are worked in another country!

Page 17 of the PDF has a nice diagram.
If you are interested in making the same nuc you could make a prototype.
the slots for the glass to fit into can be made with the saw kerf of a tabel saw or router.
I would investigate the use of plexiglass as a replacement for glass. but, you will have to widen the width because of the expansion and shrinking difference between glass and plexiglass.
Making the nuc could be a nice winter activity.
As a suggestion:
You could modify the dimentions of an observation hive down to your needs
Good luck.

[purvisgs]

Thank You Ernie!

I should have taken the time to look further down through that pdf...  the nuc that I am referring to is pictured a few pages down from page 17 that Ernie listed

it turns out that this mating nuc is called: Einwabenkästchen (EWK)
outside dimensions 26cm x 24cm x 6cm, it has a small feeder area and a single frame.

I found a description of it from a uk newsletter here (see page 5)
Also cool looking :the combo top bar mating hives pictured in this newsletter

I am not so much interested in these as an observation hive, but a mating nuc that will use up the smallest possible amount of resources.  I think that it is also a VERY great idea to be able to check on the queen's progress (glass/ plexi sides) without disturbing the hive.

also I found reference to this book: Bernhard Möbus, “Mating in Miniature: the Rationale, Design and Use of Mininucs ”  anyone have access to this? (uk?)

thank you

[purvisgs]

I just received the following publication from the BIBBA (british isles bee breeding association)
Bernhard Möbus, “Mating in Miniature: the Rationale, Design and Use of Mininucs ”

Same type (copycat of german) design is referred to as the "BIBBA mininuc"

Lots of interesting info - mentions 65 -85 % success rate of producing mated queens- pretty close to what you would expect w/ other mini nucs (ie mann lake, aipedia) with more than one comb it seems, if you were able to optimize things...

stocked w/ 4-7 oz of bees, also very similar amount (maybe very slightly less) than others are using for multi comb styro mating nucs

also "not really recommended" for re-use... but I would still like to try...

kind of dated info- 60's-70's  -couldn't find any current info on the use of these minis in the british isles..(what does this tell you...)

advantages: quick check to see if queen laying without disturbing colony, possibly smaller drain on resources, shipping virgins to be mated/ isolated mating/ etc but this would take a high degree of organization.

might just have to build a few to try for myself...

any thoughts on being able to use these continuously (maybe w/ occasional "boost") if they were very closely watched?

anything you would like to know about/from the above publication/ please feel free to ask.

[Melilem]

Here is the 1 frame nuc from the film, a place in Sweden sells them and lots of other great stuff.

http://www.biredskapsfabriken.se/english/index.html

"One frame box, old model of SBR"

Its in queen breeding, mating hives.