http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/vlwbee/100_0721.jpg
When i first got mine a few years back Got 11 out of 16 first try beautifully built
And i learned some things that worked better for me
The second batch was about late Aug put the queen in the grid got about 20 larva they built about 80% then about 3/4 the way after they were sealed the cell builder tore 1/2 of the 80% down out of the remaining 7 or 8 sealed cells went to get them to put in the nuc's they had tore most all down
The third try the queen had laid about 70 Cups i thought wow this will work great I set up another cell starter finisher in a 5 frame nuc put in about 30 cell cups with very tiny larva 12 hr or under. The next day 24 hrs later NOTHING Zipo not even 1. So I rechecked cell builder for an queen no queen so redid it.
The 4th Try Queen had laid in several cups 40-50 went to collect the cups with tiny larva I had done ck earlier and found plenty of eggs but on the day of transferring the cups nothing, seen some shriveled up eggs and a few freshly laid eggs.
Next Spring started trying it again Some of the thing that happen last late summer. They would start 80-90% then half way they would tare about 1/2 down. It was 2-3 days from hatch I rechecked the they had tore down a few more so I took one off the bar and broke it open to my surprise the larva was a huge big fat larvae it fill the cell fuller than any other queen cell i Had ever seen it Was a Drone Larva.
One day I was setting holding and studying the Nicot grid box trying to figure out some way to get it to work. Then i thought cell size the cell looked close to a worker cell but it is a a bit bigger than worker and smaller than a drone as i was trying to figure it out had a coke i was drink through a straw i had a thought the straw fit down into the cells on the grid perfect.
So I cut me some Sleeves to fit into the cells most were just below the rime of the hole in the cell grid. That ended the problem of the queen laying drone eggs in the cells.
When I first started using the grid in the late summer the queen had started laying Drone brood in the frames for the fall.and when i used it the early spring was the same the queen was geared up laying drone eggs in the comb sense the cells were a little bigger than worker cell this is what she laid was drone eggs it will not happen every time if you were to use again without putting in the straw sleeve but for me i wanted it to work every time without worrying was i going to have GOOD queens in the cells
Also got where I just left the breeder in the grid it was kind hard on her catching her by the wings every time i placed her in the grid she got where she would really cling to the comb as i was catching her i was afraid i was going to hurt her.
I would collect cups with barely see able larva. then would work the eggs to the outer edges and place the empty new cups in the center would get from 15- 30 some times 50 larva. I might transfer 1day skip a day or two would collect from the outer cups. if larva got big beyond the proper age for good grafts i would remove these cups and put in new ones. Doing it this way you will have to keep closer check on the cell cups for tiny grafing age UNDER 24 Hours larva. 12 Hr or just hatch would be the best