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Author Topic: Queen quality in queenless versus queenright finisher  (Read 2324 times)

Offline Bee Nordic

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Queen quality in queenless versus queenright finisher
« on: June 03, 2014, 08:01:29 pm »
If the finisher is kept strong, with good amounts of feeding, pollen, stores and nurse bees added,
which system produces the best quality queens?

Does anyone have data regarding longevity, size and laying?

How does having the queen in there actually affect the building of the cells and feeding of the queen larvae?

Does adding emerging brood to a queenless finisher also transfer some of the queen pheromones?
I've read that adding some emerging brood periodically can keep the bees from developing laying workers.
If so, then the answer to my previous question must be "yes"?

In that case, the difference between the queenless and the queenright finisher is eggs and young larvae on the comb?

Offline capt44

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Re: Queen quality in queenless versus queenright finisher
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2014, 12:04:13 am »
That is why I use the cloake board method in rearing queens.
I put my empty cell bar in the top box and let the bees polish it.
Next day I graft then place the cell bars in the then queenless box.
24 hours later I can see the cells that are being drawn out.
I then remove the cloake board making the top box queen rite for finishing.
I have very good results doing this.
I have 4 hives I use as the cloake board method.
I don't have to worry about a worker laying.
I never put over 2 cell bars to a box of bees.
I believe too many cells and the bees can't tend to them as they should be.
Days 10,11,and 12 I stay out of the hive.
It is a Sensitive developmental phase.
Day 13 move the capped queen cells to mating Nucs or cage the cells with 4-5 tender bees in the cage.
So far I have been having around a 80% success rate.
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

 

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