Temperature for queen cell incubation?

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Joined
Mar 11, 2021
Messages
1,773
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Location
Glossop, North Derbyshire
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
4 to 12!
Trawled the search function as to the best temperature to incubate queen cells at. Found one statement of 36C, which sounds a bit low.
Anyone have any info.
Just found my favourite hive seemed to be the likely source of a swarm I found yesterday (had assumed one of 2 others where I'd nuc'd the Q and that I had missed a QC). No Q or eggs seen (but poor light & I need new glasses), 8 sealed QCs. I cut them back to one, but popped 3 more in my chicken egg incubator.
I only hived this lot as a swarm exactly one month ago!!
 
Trawled the search function as to the best temperature to incubate queen cells at. Found one statement of 36C, which sounds a bit low.
Anyone have any info.
Just found my favourite hive seemed to be the likely source of a swarm I found yesterday (had assumed one of 2 others where I'd nuc'd the Q and that I had missed a QC). No Q or eggs seen (but poor light & I need new glasses), 8 sealed QCs. I cut them back to one, but popped 3 more in my chicken egg incubator.
I only hived this lot as a swarm exactly one month ago!!
I’ve asked a number of sources & the consensus is 35c and 60% relative humidity. Temperature above 35c leads to queens emerging early, have seen research also verifying this. Emergence is later for temperature below 35c (too low and they don’t develop properly). 34c probably ok but personally I’d increase to 35c. Humidity can be between 60-70.
 

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