Queen Rearing Kit

[doak]

Has any one tried Mann Lake's Queen Rearing Kit?
Going to try raising some Queens this year. May just go with out a kit. what say you?

Started getting my honey supers ready today, will put some on as soon as the wind tunes down.

Haven't even looked in on the girls. It has been so unsettled here the last couple weeks.
Wish me luck, I do. :)doak

[RayMarler]

Yes, I've used the Mannlake queen rearing system, it works well. Best of luck, it's a blast!

[Robo]

It looks like Mann Lake sell the Nicot.

I use it and it works good if done properly.  There are a few critical "gotcha" steps that can result in no cells.   Unless they have improved the directions over the years, they are of no help.   David Eyre form beeworks has an excellent video on the nicot system.

Here is how I use it -> http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-rearing/

[danno]

I bought the Jenter kit from Bushy M thinking it was the original (I think) and the price was good.  What I learned is that the extra components are not that cheap and can only be bought in quanities of 100. 

[Robo]

If this is any indication,  looks like Jenter kits/parts are becoming hard to procure

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,21232.0.html

[doak]

Just decided I am going it with out a kit.
I am going use the "Miller Method".
I have two new colonies that will be just about right to start with about mid may or June 1st.
I have plenty boxes, one 5 frame deep nuc, 3 five frame medium nuc's, 8 or 10 8 frame medium supers, 3 deep 8 frame boxes 8 or 10 deep 10 frame brood boxes.
All these extra pieces was aquired back when I had 15 colonies.
Sitting there doing nothing. Got to make some bottom boards and top covers.
The two colonies I am going to queen from are good honey producers and are gentle.
One is from the big swarm I got in April 2007, It took 4 boxes to hive it and I got two medium boxes of honey off it that same year. It swarmed last year and I split it and it swarmed again but I didn't get that one. It is the one that swarmed Sat, after I had split it. I hived it Sunday and it took two deeps and a medium to house it.
I had just got the boxes ready to use. About an hour or two after the swarm took the tree limb I noticed a couple dozen bees around it, Then noticed they were bringing pieces of wax and other small bits of foreign matter out of the box. Bingo, I told my Son they were cleaning it out for the swarm.
With in an hour they took it and are doing fine.
doak

[Robo]

So I guess affinity to swarming is not a criteria your using for selecting a mother :-P

[doak]

Not with this colony. It is in part me not using swarm prevention practice on this one.
My slow get up and go, not seeing to them in time.
The build up, gentleness, and honey production is there.
I intentionally let some of my colonies swarm last year for the sole purpose of increasing my heard.
That puts me from 5 starting out last year to 9 as of now.
The ones I did tend to did not swarm, but were split.
doak

[Robo]

Glad yu have better luck catching your swarms than I do.   Seems like I either miss them or they are a mile up in a tree.


rob...

[doak]

The last three I got was about 25-35 ft up the tree.
I just set a double box with top and bottom as close under as I can and hope for the best.
I had drawn comb for this one. I have used division board feeders with success, but only when a swarm is present.

My beginning year beekeeping story.
When I bought my bees they were a good ways from where I live.
I could not move them at the time I purchased them. I removed three supers of honey and brought them home. This was before I got my de capping out fit and my extractor. Just did the squeeze and drip method. Took the boxes out back and set them on the wood pile.
The second day a swarm came from the wild and went in.
I had my veil handy and put it on and went and stood about 8 or 10 feet to the side.
After about half the swarm got in i noticed the bees slowed and were spaced uniformly across the entrance board.
Then I saw her, right in the middle marching in.
After she was out of sight the rest went in at random  pace and formation.
That has been 10 year ago, and all the bees I have now originated from (that) swarm.
The ones I bought "died", why? I don't know.
I tried to re queen some with purchased queens from 2 different sources and they all died.
So you tel me.
5 of the 7 I lost year before last was from Purchased queens.
That is my Bee keeping starting story. :)doak

[Robo]

wow.   I think you should be called doak "the swarm whisperer"

I must admit I'm not shocked by your experience with purchased queens.  I have also found much more success with my own locally raised queens.

continued success.....