View Full Version : candiling queen cells
Does any one out there have any advice for candiling queen cells?
JBJ
nursebee
03-25-2005, 03:47 AM
What the flip is this supposed to mean?
Bob Russell
03-25-2005, 04:03 AM
It simply means checking ripe queen cells with a light.You can see if you have a live queen.A poultry fertility tester would mosy likely adapt well for the purpose.Many years ago I sold mine with my poultry incubators.Under the right conditions a torch does the job ok.I can direct you to a site where candling of queen cells was performed for a specific reason but has no photos.
Have a look at this site, similar to the one I had.
http://tinyurl.com/5xspd
BULLSEYE BILL
03-25-2005, 10:17 AM
A high intensity led flashlight with a disc type reducer would work well.
Those little Surefire flashlights are incredibly bright, I have some of the G2 Nitrolon high output lights in the store for around $30. 65 lumens or 120 lumens with optional ultra high output lamp. That's a lot of light with very little heat.
Bob,
Is a torch what we here in the US call a flashlight? Just wondering.
Pugs
Bob Russell
03-25-2005, 12:46 PM
Pugs,
That's correct,there is one that has about 6 LED's
that is an intense cool light with low battery drain.However technology has come a long way and I have been recently seaching eletronics stores for a cheap (concentrated) cool light for work I am doing in cells relative to varroa reproduction.Looks like Bill is onto what I am looking for and may double for queen cell candiling.It must be a cool light.
D. Murrell
03-27-2005, 08:15 AM
Hi Guys,
It's real easy if you use JZ BZ plastic queen cups.
Regards
Dennis
Are we looking for anything besides actual leg movement, and if so what else? Also, what is the earliest or most appropriate age a cell could or should be candled?
J
D. Murrell
03-27-2005, 04:19 PM
Hi Guys,
Gently tip the cells. A live queen will rock inside the cell.
Regards
Dennis
Dennis, thank you so very much for your feed back. I have noticed many times the queen rocks as you described and in other instances you can see the legs actually moving in older cells. I was not sure which was the best or actual indicator. How early will she rock in the cell? I like to pull cells on day 10 and incubate or directly install, adding candling to this regiment would would really increase efficiency. I have had great luck in years past without candling, but with bigger batches and larger orders this year there is no time to waste on duds. Once again thank you very much for your informative response.
John
jean-marc
03-27-2005, 09:28 PM
I tinkle the cells. Kind of like ringing a small dinner bell. If the queen is alive you'll be able to feel it. It seems that most cells are alive anyways if they make it to day 10.
Jean-Marc
D. Murrell
03-28-2005, 07:02 AM
Hi Guys,
I used to routinely candle cells when I transferred them from the grafting bar into my incubator. But I would find about 1 failure/1000 live cells. So I abandoned candeling.
Those hives were on clean wax. If I were raising queens in pesticide treated hives, expecially with Checkmite, I would candle every one of them. Actually, I wouldn't raise queens in a hive treated with checkmite. :>)
Regards
Dennis