[username00101]

Question is simple: Instead of killing the queen cells, can I have nucs finish the capping process?

Thanks.

 

[Gray Goose]

yes

the term is queen rite finisher

GG

 

[little_john]

Well, you can - but it's not necessarily advisable - because finishing a queen-cell requires a strong colony to supply the increased amount of RJ needed. Much depends on the strength of the individual nucleus colony concerned.
LJ

 

[username00101]

OK - so how long before they're finished putting RJ inside (at least how long before they put enough to make it a strong queen) ?

 

[JConnolly]

Is the queen cell in a queen right colony? If yes then move the queen, some empty frames, one frame of brood, a frame of honey, and a few shakes of bees from frames without cells (never shake a frame with any cells unless you intend to destroy the cells) to the nuc. Leave the queen cell in the larger colony.

 

[username00101]

Is the queen cell in a queen right colony? If yes then move the queen, some empty frames, one frame of brood, a frame of honey, and a few shakes of bees from frames without cells (never shake a frame with any cells unless you intend to destroy the cells) to the nuc. Leave the queen cell in the larger colony.

I am in a situation where I'm not going to do that at the moment.

 

[little_john]

OK - so how long before they're finished putting RJ inside (at least how long before they put enough to make it a strong queen) ?

When it's capped.
LJ

 

[username00101]

When it's capped.
LJ

Is the amount of RJ constant until it's capped or do they slow down a day before they cap it?

Does anyone know the answer to that?

 

[little_john]

I don't know the answer to that specific question - but I can't see why they would "slow down". If you consider how small the day-old larva is, half-a-dozen bees would be sufficient to supply that amount of RJ. But with each passing day the larva grows, and it's demands increase exponentially - that would suggest that just prior to capping would be the most demanding time - hence the need for a strong colony to feed queen cells.

I don't understand your desire to 'cut corners' by reducing the supply of RJ - why risk the development of a queen for such expediency ?

Also - if you are intending to donate open q/cells to nucleus colonies, do ensure that their nurse bees are in 'feeding mode' before transferring those q/cells.
LJ

 

[Radar]

If you can send a 48 hour queen cell through the post then they must stop feeding at 2 days, there is a report somewhere of a German beekeeper taken 48 hr cells from Buckfast Abbey back to Germany.
I believe that after the cup is filled and the larvea floated all that remains to be done is to build out the cell to accommodate the growing Queen

 

[msl]

there is a report somewhere of a German beekeeper taken 48 hr cells from Buckfast Abbey back to Germany.

Hadn't heard that story, if you bump in to it again please send it my way..

The whole point of the 48 is there is tons of jelly and the larva isn't eating much, yet !

it takes 40 bees (with no other jobs ) to make a 48 hour cell, 400 to bring the cell to the point of capping.
one key point of the 48s is cool weather.. the larva's metabolism slows down and they eat much less

I believe that after the cup is filled and the larvea floated all that remains to be done is to build out the cell to accommodate the growing Queen

if that was true starters would be much bigger then finishers


to the OP , yes you can finish a few in a nuc.

over a QE in a fullsized hive between to frames of open brood would be better