Jenter Kits

[PhilG]

In these times of austerity, a friend of mine is trying to find a competitive source for Jenter Kits, either in the UK or overseas (if this makes sense?) I note viewing a few sources for him that these seem to vary quite considerably per kit.

Any recommendations please.

Best regards

PhilG

 

[Poly Hive]

Buy a grafting tool and make a former for wax cups.

Far more effective.

PH

 

[Hombre]

Grab a scalpel or sharp knife, cut out a small section of grubs and shave some height from the comb, then dice into individual cells, secure into bar and job done.

No exceptional eyesight or skill required.

Far easier.

 

[Jim Lavie]

Grab a scalpel or sharp knife, cut out a small section of grubs and shave some height from the comb, then dice into individual cells, secure into bar and job done.

No exceptional eyesight or skill required.

Far easier.

That's interesting, wax cups not needed then? I am not trying to run before I can walk just interested.
regards Jim

 

[drstitson]

there is a whole spectrum of manipulations available - ranging from grafting into plastic cups eg jentner, through home made wax cups, to the range of options involving no grafting - fixing individual cut down cells onto a bar, the alley method using strips of brood or just letting them draw cells as they wish off the bottom of a zigzag piece of comb.

obviously a formal grafted cup based system allows easier handling of the (many) cells you want - eg straight into incubator - without need to excessive handling/cutting.

 

[Jim Lavie]

obviously a formal grafted cup based system allows easier handling of the (many) cells you want - eg straight into incubator - without need to excessive handling/cutting.

Thanks, more reading and thinking for me then! Good job we have paracetamol!

 

[BKF Admin]

Shoot a pm to member Rooftops,he sells queen rearing kits ect.

 

[Poly Hive]

The problem with the kits as ever is the theory is brill but the reality is another beastie altogether.

I found, more than once that the queen passed over all the cups and neatly laid up the non cup cells. I sorted that little game out by grafting out of the Jenter... not really the way it's meant to work.

You pays your money and takes your chances.

PH

 

[Hombre]

That's interesting, wax cups not needed then? I am not trying to run before I can walk just interested.
regards Jim

Hi Jim,

Last year I cut out a 2cm x 2cm square of young grubs/eggs and inserted it into a similar cutout in a frame in a hopelessly queenless colony. I didn't shave the height of the cell so that the bees would flare the cell correctly. Needless to say all went well, but the cell may not have been as good as they may have been.

The now sadly defunct IWD.de website showing the Swienty Girl rearing queens shaved the height of the cells on the one face, before slicing and dicing. Grafting without grafting The cells were stuck to a bar with wax and harvested as sealed cells later. The in between cells and those on the reverse face are casualties, but don't represent a much in the way of investment by the colony. Co-lateral damage.

It's the technique that I will be using this year. A refinement on what I did naturally last year.

 

[Poly Hive]

If you are going to go to that amount of bother why not learn to graft and gain the flexibility?


PH

 

[mbc]

Seems to me that whatever technique is used the important things are to get the larvae into the cell raiser quickly and unharmed. A developing queen larvae is visited at least ten times more frequently than a worker, and the less dissruption to this constant care the better.

 

[Jim Lavie]

Thanks Hombre I did watch some IWD.de films shame they have gone,
regards Jim

 

[Poly Hive]

I do wonder why people are so keen on incubators when the bees will do a better job for free?

PH

 

[Tim1606]

I have three frames all setup with wax cups waiting to receive grafts.

Every time my wife has a candle making session, i take the opportunity to make some wax cells. These are stored in a jar until needed.

 

[Poly Hive]

I would put your cups on at the last moment and keep them in a screw top jar.

Preserves the bonny scent, and every bit that helps acceptance is good.

PH