Nicot Queen rearing 2008

My first attempts in 2008 were very similar to 2007, but with a higher acceptance rate. The first batch of queens is mating and beginning to lay now (5-10-08). Once again, the "breeder queen" did not lay in the nicot cell frame in the first 24 hrs. After 48, almost all the cells had eggs in them. Both years, I prepped the cell frame by spraying a bit of syrup on it and the cells and placed in the hive with the queen for a few days prior to putting the queen in the frame.

I waited a bit later than my 2007 attempts to transfer larvae and I believe it helped. I transferred 39 cells on two cell bars to the queenless builder/finisher. Once again, I left the strong hive queenless for the entire process. After 24hrs, only 3 cells were not built and just prior to the cells being capped, 5 more cells had been torn down. I attribute the tear downs to the fact that I did not feed the hive as we were in the middle of the fruit bloom. I think it would have been better had I fed at least syrup...

The queens are now in the mating process with some already mated A Nicot raised queen, Ohio, May 10th, 2008 and beginning to lay on day 23 (from egg lay). I was pleased with this as the weather is beginning to turn for the worse with much rain in the forecast. I recall a few years ago, a dreadful Ohio May with 21 days of rain in the month.

The queens mated well and were sold as nucs or used to requeen and expand my colonies.

Summer attempts at rearing queens have been haphazard to say the least. We are currently in a dearth period. The eggs are laid in the Nicot only to be subsequently eaten. I have been feeding both nectar and pollen patties to the queen mother hive as well as the starters. I may try using a swarm box and grafting.

My last attempt with the Nicot for the summer was somewhat successful---at least all the eggs were not eaten this time! The cells were started and underway when I ended up in the hospital for a week. I thought all was lost as I did not think I would be out of the hospital in time to move the ripe cells to mating nucs. But all went well and I just made it in time. Twenty-seven cells were started and are now in mating nucs. With successful mating, they should be laying by the end of August and hopefully will develop quickly with the coming aster flow.