Disaster

[MJBee]

It is day 14 of my first attempt with the Jenter kit. I was going to transfer the cells to Apideas but I found the majority of cells with holes in them and no queens
Has anyone any idea what has been going on? or a reason for this?View attachment 532

 

[Finman]

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If you find a cell, where is a hole on the tip, there has been emerged a queen. Then it has destroyed other cells and tahey have hole on side. The tenth day is time to put them inside the cage.

When I move larvae on Sunday they emerge next week's Thursday. It makes 12 days. If you have 2 days old larva, it takes 11 days to emerge. Emergency cells start to emerge after 10 days.

 

[MJBee]

Hi Finman,
These cells were raised from the Jenter cell kit and the eggs were laid between 1200hrs 9 April and 1200 hrs 10 April so they are precisely 14 days old, I would expect emergence tomorrow "at the earliest".
I agree is looks as if they have been killed by another queen - I will do a thorough check of the colony and see if it has a virgin queen.
regards Mike

 

[BKF Admin]

Thats sad,90% of the way there as well.

Are you ready to try again ?

 

[Finman]

Hi Finman,
These cells were raised from the Jenter cell kit and the eggs were laid between 1200hrs 9 April and 1200 hrs 10 April so they are precisely 14 days old, I would expect emergence tomorrow "at the earliest".
I agree is looks as if they have been killed by another queen - I will do a thorough check of the colony and see if it has a virgin queen.
regards Mike

Too small tolerance that one day. No problem if you put cells under the cage several days earlier. I work with hives only at weekends. That is why I shut cells in Sunday and they will emerge next Saturday.

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One thing more : To me those queen cells seems quite little/short. If there is no dry food inside the cell, the larva has not got enough to eate.

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[MJBee]

Yes I will be having another go once I have sorted the hives out and been forgiven by the hive I took the bees from for the Apideas - they were not amused at being sprayed and shaken into a box and are still showing their displeasure
Next time if I get to the sealed cell point I plan to cage 50% and put 50% in my incubator. I'll get there eventually. Mike

PS Finman the cells are on average 30mm long about average I thought.

 

[MJBee]

Well not a total disaster - had a look through the cell raising hive today and found eggs and very young larvae so a queen HAD emerged early and killed all her siblings - little minx - However she has been quick off the mark on her mating flight - 23 days from egg to laying, the good book says it can take up to 35 days.
Mike