Starter Finisher Box is used in the starting or first phase of the Doolittle method of raising queens. It is prepared by shaking in about 5 lb. of nurse bees from colony frames containing open brood.
- Pollen and nectar frames are provided and the grafted larvae are added a few hours later
- Nurse bees start the cells, which are transferred in 24 hours to the “starter finisher box” colony
- One well stocked box will start about 100 queen cells
- The ventilated bottom section allows excess heat to escape as the queen cells are drawn out
- Add a sugar syrup soaked sponge to the bottom compartment to “fuel” the queen cell building process
- Add a pollen patty to the box to increase the amount of royal jelly stored in each cell
- Holds 5 deep frames
The use of the starter finisher box is described in Successful Queen Rearing by Marla Spivak and in many other queen rearing texts.
