FIEM A50DP Queen Rearing Incubator — 80–100 Queen Cell Capacity | Made in Italy

FIEM A50DP Queen Rearing Incubator — 80–100 Queen Cell Capacity | Made in Italy

The FIEM A50DP is a precision queen cell incubator purpose-built for beekeepers who breed, raise and mate queens — not just keep bees. Manufactured by F.I.E.M. SRL of Italy, specialists in incubator technology since 1975, the A50DP is exclusively available in the UK from Gwenyn Gruffydd. It gives queen rearers a controlled, stable environment to finish capped queen cells, time emergence, and mark virgin queens before introduction — taking the guesswork out of one of the most failure-prone stages of queen production.

This is the compact model in FIEM's beekeeping incubator range, sized for hobbyist-to-sideline queen rearing operations working with up to 100 cells at a time. If your volumes are bigger, FIEM's larger A-100, A-140 and A-316 cabinets step up to 300, 400 and 500 queen cells respectively, with deeper interiors that also handle honey decrystallising — something the A50DP's compact cabinet isn't built for (more on this below).

Built for Queen Breeders, Not Just Beekeepers

Anyone who has tried to finish queen cells in a cell-builder colony or a makeshift box at home knows how much can go wrong in those final days before emergence — temperature swings, robbing, chilled brood, queens emerging unmarked and uncontrolled. The A50DP solves this by taking grafted cells from around day 5 post-graft through to the eve of emergence, holding them at a stable, bee-accurate temperature so queens emerge on your schedule, not the colony's.

This makes the A50DP a natural fit for:

• Queen breeders running grafting and cell-raising programmes
• Sideline and semi-commercial queen rearers supplying nucs and mating apiaries
• Beekeepers raising their own replacement and breeder queens
• Anyone needing to mark queens before introduction (best done within 4 days of emergence)

More Than a Queen Incubator: Doubles Up for Pollen Drying

The A50DP isn't a single-purpose box that sits idle outside of queen season. Fit the optional mesh or perforated steel shelves and it converts into a pollen-drying cabinet, so it earns its keep year-round rather than just during grafting season:

• Queen cell incubation — finishes ripe queen cells in controlled conditions, ready for emergence and marking
• Pollen drying — fit optional mesh shelves (stainless frame) or perforated steel shelves to dry pollen ahead of packing

A note on honey decrystallising: FIEM markets its larger A-100, A-140 and A-316 cabinets as 3-in-1 units that also liquefy crystallised honey. The A50DP's interior is just 190mm tall — built for a single layer of queen cell frames and cell-builder slats, not honey jars or buckets — so we don't list honey decrystallising as a function of this model.

What's Included

The A50DP comes with its adjustable internal frame already fitted, ready to hold your cell-holder slats. To keep your costs down and let you choose the system that suits you, the following are sold separately:

• Cell-holder slats are not included. We recommend our genuine JZs BZs Cell Bar, a Langstroth queen rearing cell bar that's compatible with this incubator's adjustable frame
• Pollen-drying tray is not included and is available to buy as an optional extra

Mini LED Advanced Thermostat — The Heart of the A50DP

Every A50DP ships with FIEM's Mini LED Advanced control system, built around a self-calibrating temperature and humidity sensor for the kind of accuracy queen cells actually need:

• Temperature accuracy of ±0.1°C
• Humidity accuracy of ±1.5% RH
• 3-digit LED display with °C/°F switching
• ON/OFF temperature control mode
• Live humidity monitoring
• Digital calibration for both temperature and humidity sensors
• Plug-in WiFi module coming soon for optional remote smartphone monitoring and control

Key Features

• Insulated PVC panel cabinet, 20mm thick with polystyrene core (optional insulated steel panels)
• Forced, indirect ventilation via an axial fan motor for even heat distribution throughout the cabinet
• Cold LED interior lighting for easy visual checks without opening the door
• Humidity supplied via an external water tank feeding a constant-level basin (automatic top-up available on request)
• Adjustable internal frame included as standard, ready to hold cell-holder slats (slats sold separately — see "What's Included" below)
• Internal support structures can be adapted to suit your specific cell-bar and frame setup
• Control panel mounted outside the cabin, away from internal moisture and condensation
• Compliant with CEE electrical safety regulations

Technical Specifications

FIEM's separate export datasheet also lists a 110V version of this model as available on request, with packed/carton dimensions of approximately 51 × 62.5 × 51.5cm.

Recommended Settings for Queen Rearing

• Switch the incubator on at least 24 hours before use to confirm the temperature control is holding steady
• Set the digital thermostat to 33.3°C (92°F) for queen cell incubation
• Leave the ventilation fan running continuously — this is what keeps internal temperature even throughout the cabinet
• Follow your usual queen cell care routine up to the day before emergence, then let the A50DP handle the final, most sensitive stage
• Mark and introduce queens within 4 days of emergence for the best acceptance rates

Optional Accessories

• Pollen-drying tray (not included as standard)
• Wet-bulb hygrometer for an additional, highly accurate humidity reading
• Mesh shelves with stainless steel frame, for pollen drying
• Perforated steel shelves, for pollen drying
• Genuine JZs BZs Cell Bar — compatible cell-holder slats, sold separately

Why Choose the FIEM A50DP

FIEM has been manufacturing incubators and hatching equipment since 1975, and the A50DP brings that same engineering to queen rearing: precise digital control, continuous forced ventilation, and a build quality designed for repeated professional use season after season. As the exclusive UK stockist, Gwenyn Gruffydd can support you directly with setup advice, accessories and spares for your queen rearing operation.