Queen Cell Incubator

[Etton]

I use my chicken egg incubator to put in removed queens cells, works well... then put queens into apedias .

 

[HughMann]

I use my chicken egg incubator to put in removed queens cells, works well... then put queens into apedias .

Do they require the same temperature then?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Do they require the same temperature then?

Same as Etton I use a Chinese egg incubator relitive humidity and 35c for finishing cells of or introducing them at day 14 to charged nucs or colonys I've made queenless.
I keep my cells in hair curlers.

I think my lad bought it for £30 I've tried to look for the same incubator but it's not for sale anymore.
I would recommend a Chinese make though they make the best egg incubators around bloody Chinese!?

 

[HughMann]

https://www.banggood.com/220V-Auto-...-p-1639779.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Casglwr haid means Swarm collector BTW @HughMann

 

[HughMann]

Casglwr haid means Swarm collector BTW @HughMann

Exactly what I am - won't find me buying those Italian queens when good black Welsh swarms about! A swarm collector is an apis taker!

 

[Heather]

Yes, I picked up 2nd hand egg hatching machine for £30. Thoroughly disinfected.. keeps temp beautifully, and hatched many good queens..

 

[Furer]

Hi, I thought I had struck gold too with the 60v euro one, a scam. Got one just before Brexit for 199.00 Pounds from the English site Incubator shop. They can be hard to get, Sold out very frequently.
https://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/rcom-bee-70-incubator.html

 

[Black Mountain Honey]

Hi, I thought I had struck gold too with the 60v euro one, a scam. Got one just before Brexit for 199.00 Pounds from the English site Incubator shop. They can be hard to get, Sold out very frequently.
https://www.theincubatorshop.co.uk/products/details/rcom-bee-70-incubator.html

What are you thoughts on this unit?

Any good? I have a Brinsea Ova Easy 100. Its massive but not specifically designed for incubating cells.

This looks ideal but any feedback before I hit the trigger would be welcomed

 

[madasafish]

https://www.banggood.com/220V-Auto-...-p-1639779.html?cur_warehouse=CN&rmmds=search

Just bought one £10 ebay.

My home made one played up in last year's heat of a week when it reached 31C and cooked 15 cells

 

[Swarm]

What are you thoughts on this unit?

Any good? I have a Brinsea Ova Easy 100. Its massive but not specifically designed for incubating cells.

This looks ideal but any feedback before I hit the trigger would be welcomed

It's very nice but there are a few drawbacks, mainly the lack of space down the centre ( I use this area to store cages of emerged virgins. ) Apart from that it does a good job.

 

[Brian Bush]

I believe it is important to have humidity control systems on an incubator for queen cells.

 

[elainemary]

Yes, I picked up 2nd hand egg hatching machine for £30. Thoroughly disinfected.. keeps temp beautifully, and hatched many good queens..

Can you explain pls the advantages of using an incubator rather than letting virgin queens emerge in their roller cages in the colony?
I’ve been toying with whether to buy one. I don’t raise that many queens probably a dozen a year and currently leave them to emerge in the hive then transfer them to small Nucs for mating
Keen to learn more
Thanks

 

[elainemary]

It's very nice but there are a few drawbacks, mainly the lack of space down the centre ( I use this area to store cages of emerged virgins. ) Apart from that it does a good job.

Pls see post 33, would appreciate your views. Plus any other experienced beekeepers too that have experience of using incubators vs leaving virgins to emerge in roller cages in the queen rearing colony

 

[Black Mountain Honey]

It's very nice but there are a few drawbacks, mainly the lack of space down the centre ( I use this area to store cages of emerged virgins. ) Apart from that it does a good job.

Thanks. How many cages can you get in taking into account the restricted internal space? I don't need loads of space but want something reliable for temperature and humidity.

 

[Sanntos]

Pls see post 33, would appreciate your views. Plus any other experienced beekeepers too that have experience of using incubators vs leaving virgins to emerge in roller cages in the queen rearing colony

It's easier to check (of course) when they have emerged, and then you can mark her, and use the virgin directly in an small colony
It frees up space in the finishing colony, if you want to do several graftings
And if you ask me, a lot of running virgins in the same space, in one colony, that's a risk. Accidents can and will happen, sooner or later.
And also the temperature and humidity is controlled in the incubator, in the colony not always that much, and that can change the emerging time

 

[madasafish]

Pls see post 33, would appreciate your views. Plus any other experienced beekeepers too that have experience of using incubators vs leaving virgins to emerge in roller cages in the queen rearing colony

deleted

 

[madasafish]

Weather in summer - variable. Easier to inspect in garage.
Otherwise open hive, avoid rain, take emerged Q and mark somewhere dry..(garage) Also feed Qs left in cell.

I mark all Qs when emerged - much easier.

 

[mbc]

Pls see post 33, would appreciate your views. Plus any other experienced beekeepers too that have experience of using incubators vs leaving virgins to emerge in roller cages in the queen rearing colony

The main advantage of transferring cells to an incubator I think is the ability to cycle more cells through the same building colonies, also taking them out once they're sealed avoids the risk of early emerging vigins trashing the other cells.
I have a little 12v incubator that'll plug into the lighter socket in my truck for transportation too.

 

[Swarm]

Pls see post 33, would appreciate your views. Plus any other experienced beekeepers too that have experience of using incubators vs leaving virgins to emerge in roller cages in the queen rearing colony

The reasons have been posted above, I like the flexibility and some of mine go to local beekeepers so a quick phone call and straight out to their apiary.
I can honestly say that the humidity is not such a big deal, relative humidity seems to be quite sufficient. You can always put a little jar of water in the incubator if you are worried. I also had a gorgeous virgin emerge from a damaged cell. I could see the white of the pupa through a small tear in the cell and just popped it the Nicot cage, not expecting any success, imagine my surprise when I spotted her crawl out of her cell and what a beautiful specimen too.