Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => REQUEENING & RAISING NEW QUEENS => Topic started by: DoctorZ on April 28, 2012, 04:41:56 pm

Title: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: DoctorZ on April 28, 2012, 04:41:56 pm

My first attempt of using a Niquot system completely failed.  :? None of the eggs that I transplanted into the hanging cell cups fixtures hatched into larvae.

Perhaps I'm doing it wrong? Do I transplant eggs or hatched larvae into the hanging fixtures from the Niquot / Jenter cage?

Thanks for your help.

g

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: Robo on April 28, 2012, 11:32:01 pm

You need to wait until the eggs hatch before you move them to the cell builder. 

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-rearing/ (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-rearing/)

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: Michael Bush on April 29, 2012, 02:36:48 am

I have tried as an experiment transferring eggs.  They have never raised a single queen from an egg.  Larvae works, eggs do not.

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: DoctorZ on April 29, 2012, 09:17:11 am

Thank you Mr. Bush and Mr. Robo. Another newbee operator error! :roll:

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: Robo on April 29, 2012, 11:21:31 am

Quote from: DoctorZ on April 29, 2012, 09:17:11 am

Another newbee operator error! :roll:

Don't feel bad, I did the same thing my first time using the Nicot.

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: Michael Bush on April 30, 2012, 01:53:21 am

There have been writings over the centuries speculating that queens started from eggs are of higher quality.  I don't see how anyone ever got one started from a egg other than harvesting natural swarm cells...

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: DoctorZ on April 30, 2012, 06:31:06 pm

I've started again today and introduced the Q back into the Niquot "comb".

How long should I keep the Q in the Niquot cage? I'm thinking at least a day, maybe two. Perhaps three so that the nurse bees don't eat the eggs in the cage. (But I run the risk of double lays.)

I'm thinking that if I remove the Q after a day or two, the nurses will "clean up" the artificial comb i.e. eat the eggs before they hatch into larvae.

George

Title: Re: Niquot or Jenter System: Egg or Larvae
Post by: Robo on April 30, 2012, 09:05:09 pm

Remove the exclude on the Nicot as soon as the queen has laid in enough cells.   Put it right back in the middle of the brood nest and the nurse bees will care for them as normal.    The nurse bees will only clean them out if you put them in the cell bar and hang them vertical.   Once the eggs have hatched, then it is safe to move them to the cell bar.