The productivity of any bee colony primarily depends on the quality of the uterus. Good individuals can lay up to 2000 eggs per day or more in the hive. The uterus lives much longer than ordinary working bees - up to 5 years. But, unfortunately, already in the third year of masonry significantly reduces productivity. As a result, few working bees are born in the hive, and therefore honey collection rates are falling. This can only be fixed by replacing the queen of the hive.
Actually, the withdrawal of the uterus itself is a rather complicated and laborious procedure. To facilitate the task of changing it, you can use a special design - a generic honeycomb.
Manufacturer
This convenient honeycomb was invented by the German beekeeper Karl Genter. Currently, many beekeepers equate this device in importance with the invention of the hive itself with moving frames. The device is really very convenient - it allows you to immediately display a large number of queens and at the same time has a not too complicated design. The production of such devices is carried out by the Genter company, whose factories are located in Germany. All components of honeycombs in its workshops are assembled from high-quality food-grade plastic.
Design features
It is easiest to get a generic honeycomb through the Internet in an online store of the corresponding specialization. Its main structural elements are:
- lightweight plastic case 117 x 117 mm;
- a cover designed for isolation in the hive of the fetal uterus;
- wax-shaped plastic grill;
- the bottoms of the bowls (100 pcs.);
- the bowls themselves (100 pcs.);
- nozzles for fixing bowls on the grafting frame and fixing screws to them.
In the center of the lid of the device there is a large opening for the exit of the uterus, which is covered by a plastic shutter. Throughout its area made long narrow slots. A grid with 90 holes of 4.4 mm diameter is inserted into the honeycomb box.
Types of device
The above is a description of the generic honeycomb model "Standard". There are also varieties of this device, such as:
- "Fast start".
- "Advanced standard."
Structurally from the base, these models are practically no different. The difference is only in the configuration. The “Advanced Standard” is supplemented by 115 bottoms and bowls, grafting slats, a plug for cleaning the cells, 30 cells for the uterus and some other devices. The dimensions of the honeycomb body of this model are 120 x 120 mm.
Complete with the Quick Start model are also cells, a device for removing cups, etc. This set is considered the best and most convenient for the withdrawal of bees, because, among other things, it is supplemented with special holders of bowls on the grafting plate.
Cell cost
The food grade plastic used to make this appliance is durable and easy to care for. Therefore, a long service life is what certainly distinguishes a generic honeycomb. The price for it, however, is rather high. In Russia, for it, depending on the configuration, you will have to pay about 5300-6500 rubles. In Ukraine, this device costs about 1700-2200 hryvnia.
When choosing a cell you need to be extremely careful. The fact is that in the domestic market there is a huge number of low-quality, short-lived and uncomfortable fakes of this device.
Gentsky honeycomb: instructions for use
Actually, the procedure for the removal of uterus using a generic honeycomb consists of several stages:
- obtaining larvae in the mother hive;
- installing bowls on the vaccination bar;
- getting queens in an educational hive.
If there are no cells and holders in the honeycomb kit, you can make them yourself. The former are usually made from cases of disposable syringes. They simply make holes in them, so that the bees can feed the released uterus. Sometimes the cells make them from segments of a thin-walled aluminum pipe. In this case, they are more durable and last longer. Holders are the easiest to make of PCB. Cork-caps for cells are usually made of the same material.
How to get larvae?
Before use, the new genter honeycomb should be thoroughly washed with soapy water. Larvae with its help are obtained as follows:
- in the cells of the lattice fixed in the housing, on the back side are inserted the bottoms of the bowls;
- from above everything is copiously greased with honey;
- a removable mesh lattice is inserted into the box;
- in the honeycomb the uterus is launched;
- the box is closed by a lid;
- the honeycomb is inserted into the frame, also previously coated with honey;
- the frame is placed in the uterine hive.
The honeycomb lid is designed so that the uterus cannot go outside, and the bees penetrate the body freely. For a couple of hours, working individuals remove all honey from the grate and clean the cells. After this, the uterus begins laying eggs. After 8 hours after installation, the frame needs to be removed from the hive and checked. If there are eggs in the cells, open the outlet for the uterus on the lid of the box. The honeycomb itself with the frame needs to be put in place. Egg larvae emerge on the third day.
Bowl Setting
After hatching the larvae, the generic honeycomb must be carefully removed from the frame and transferred to a warm room. In the room in which further work will be performed, a couple of pots with water should be boiled to increase air humidity. This is necessary so that the larvae do not dry out during the transfer to the vaccination bar. Actually, the procedure for installing bowls is performed as follows:
- the bottom with the larva is removed from the cell of the lattice in the housing;
- a bowl is put on it;
- holders are attached to the vaccination bar;
- a bowl with a bottom and a larva is inserted into them.
Thus, you need to place the required number of bowls on the holders. Next, the planks are installed in the grafting frame.
Gentsky honeycomb: withdrawal of queens from larvae
At the next stage, the grafting frame is placed in the hive educator. From it previously, in about two days, the uterus should be removed. In this case, the "orphaned" bees will be much more willing to care for the larvae. In one hive it is allowed to install no more than two vaccination frames. At the same time, only strong families can trust the withdrawal of new queens.
On the fourth day after installing the frame, you need to get it out of the hive and check how many larvae the family took. Using a generic honeycomb, in most cases you can get a 100% conclusion. Bees usually build queen cells over all the bowls attached to the planks. In addition to the honeycomb itself, the beekeeper should examine the family itself for the presence of fistulous larvae. If any are found, they should be removed.
Before the conclusion to the holders on top of the bowls put on cells. This is necessary in order to save all the queens, not allowing rivalry between them. As soon as the bees hatch, the cells are removed from the holders and covered with corks. In the future, they are distributed among families or sold.
Is it possible to make a honeycomb with your own hands?
The withdrawal of bees using a generic honeycomb is greatly facilitated. However, since such a device is expensive, many beekeepers would probably like to try making it with their own hands. The design of this device is quite simple. And therefore, making it yourself is not too difficult.
Instead of a case, you can use, for example, some rigid box of small size. A good honeycomb net is obtained from a regular piece of plywood. In it, you just need to drill the required number of holes of the same diameter. Bowls can be made from disposable syringes by cutting off their top (the holder for the needle will serve as the bottom). In this case, cells are made from the remaining plastic case. A honeycomb lid is also the easiest to make from a piece of plywood, by drilling holes for entry of working bees in it.