Starter Finisher Box

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.