Nicot cupkit in a demaree top box.

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Raising cells in the top box is a good option if you are limited in hive numbers and during the main season can give acceptable results. However if your trying early or late season I’ve found acceptance drops right off in many cases. With Nicot I’ve found grafting far better and if you muck up or get a poor take on the cells it’s easier to re do.
 
You may as well do a queen right cell raiser in that case but it all depends how many cells you wanna raise. Look at Mike Palmer video on it. With the demaree I usually get 2-3 good cells but if I want 10 or more I use the queen right cell raiser option as you can pack more young bees in the box.
 
You may as well do a queen right cell raiser in that case but it all depends how many cells you wanna raise. Look at Mike Palmer video on it. With the demaree I usually get 2-3 good cells but if I want 10 or more I use the queen right cell raiser option as you can pack more young bees in the box.
I want to raise as many as possible I've got 20 or so apidea and will be freeing up 15 nucs maybe have more when the new nucs come and are transferred.

Im not wanting to concentrate on honey production this season so much.

What are your thoughts on using swarm boxes to start and finish cells?

I'll have a look at Micheals video.
 
Thanks dani have you ever had ago at rearing queen's vai the nicot or grafting?
No. I have only a few hives and if I had to find room for many more I think Stan would jump in the camper with the dog and disappear 😬
 
Done both. Much more success with grafting than Nicot. I use Cloake board method
How much more success?
Am I right in thinking the cloaked board method can be done for a longer part of the season drex?
The nicot can only really be done in the peak of the season.

Edit :These last two seasons queen rearing because of where we are has stopped in July ( Miller frame) but I want to extend it for longer
 
I have grafted for the last 2 seasons and that has worked really well and the process is far easier than expected. Over the last season I have had around 80-85% on graft but most of the loss happens with death of pupae (black queen virus I think its called) and no return from mating flights. Last year a combination of both meant I had an overall 55-60% success on 40 grafted cells.
 
What are your thoughts on using swarm boxes to start and finish cells?

What do you mean swarm boxes, use actual swarms that you have just caught for queen rearing? I don't think it would work, they are not nurse bees and are geared up to make wax.
 
What do you mean swarm boxes, use actual swarms that you have just caught for queen rearing? I don't think it would work, they are not nurse bees and are geared up to make wax.
No you make a swarm box up. 16106438773138134935252456718465.jpg16106438059682975504382016336480.jpg
 

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Edit :These last two seasons queen rearing because of where we are has stopped in July ( Miller frame) but I want to extend it for longer
If you want to extend the season use a queen less unit for sure. Why not just force a large colony down to a single box make them q-less and use as starter/finisher. Add another batch once the first are sealed if you like. You can then distribute to mini Nucs or break up as needed.
 
Hi, trying to get some idea of how folk have got on using the demaree top box with the nicot cupkit.
The cupkit looks good and easier than having to graft.
Thoughts pls.
Im a noob so be gentle.
I tried to use this method last year, but it was a no go! I did write about it on here. Apparently, I rushed the transfer of the queen cups. I should have let the new laid eggs develop more, before transferring them. The other problem I had was with apparently queenless nuks that suddenly had a queen. Oops, trying to rush things along I think! On a couple of occasions my cells were taken down. Lessons learned!
I was also going to try developing cells in a top demaree box situation and then transfer them to definite queenless nukes. I will make them up from a few double brood 'super-hives' that should be getting going by then. Feed feed feed is the answer to increasing populations early, I think. I'm also thinking of bringing in some deep-brood boxes for this as well.
 
In my experience, Demaree tops will only start/complete a few queen cells from scratch no matter how you introduce the larvae (Miller, graft, cupkit etc ). However they can usualy be relied upon to finish up to 10 cells if started elsewhere (swarm box, dequeened colony) and transferred after a day or so. I usually put two frames each with two bars of 10 cells into the starter and then once started transfer one bar into each of 4 Demaree tops. I have been using such a method for many years fairly successfully. I have also found the Cloake board a good method to start and finish up to 20 cells. Like all things you need to get the timings and conditions right eg in a dearth you need to feed other wise they eat the larvae and bite the cells back. Also important to have plenty of young workers present as well as a comb of pollen next to the frame of grafted / cupkit cells
 
Done both. Much more success with grafting than Nicot. I use Cloake board method
Trying that this season, really like Vince Cooks book, v easy to follow. Any advice / do’s & don’ts re colony set up from your experience of using the Cloake board? Planning on either cell punching or grafting v young larvae into cups onto a cell bar.
Thanks
Elaine
 
In my experience, Demaree tops will only start/complete a few queen cells from scratch no matter how you introduce the larvae (Miller, graft, cupkit etc ). However they can usualy be relied upon to finish up to 10 cells if started elsewhere (swarm box, dequeened colony) and transferred after a day or so. I usually put two frames each with two bars of 10 cells into the starter and then once started transfer one bar into each of 4 Demaree tops. I have been using such a method for many years fairly successfully. I have also found the Cloake board a good method to start and finish up to 20 cells. Like all things you need to get the timings and conditions right eg in a dearth you need to feed other wise they eat the larvae and bite the cells back. Also important to have plenty of young workers present as well as a comb of pollen next to the frame of grafted / cupkit cells
Hi just seen your message , asked a question re Cloake board use & colony set up below to Drex, which you’ve helpfully answered
 

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