An insight into U.K. queen breeding

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

paul24

New Bee
Joined
Jan 9, 2024
Messages
30
Reaction score
20
Location
Australia
Number of Hives
100
Good day!

I am Paul, I am a literal migratory beekeeper who does queen-breeding from all over the globe. My last Gig was in Australia and been doing queens mainly in the USA for more than 10 years.
I would like to ask since beekeeping relies on location location location ( as what the old timers would say), what is the most general method of making queens in the UK (i have read Jay Smith's book years ago)?

I have attach a vid on how we graft in Florida inside our truck, Some companies have their own dedicated queen room where we graft (like what my wife are doing), but for the majority of commercial breeders, the cabin of a pick up truck is alright.
Sorry for the language, we are using our own dialect.

And can you recommend a good youtube beekeeper based in the UK?
Thank you so much.

Best regards,
Paul
 

Attachments

  • grafting.mp4
    3.4 MB
  • P_20150419_022157_HDR.jpg
    P_20150419_022157_HDR.jpg
    193 KB
I'm in the US not the UK. I also use the cab of my vehicle.Sometimes the truck and sometimes the Jeep.
I'd love to have a dedicated grafting hut but the vehicle is so convenient...and there are tunes and temperature control.
The Chinese grafting tool works best for me.
 

Attachments

  • DSC_4194.JPG
    DSC_4194.JPG
    2.3 MB
  • DSC_4182.JPG
    DSC_4182.JPG
    304.1 KB
I graft in the cab of the truck with a headtorch, but with a 0000 brush rather than a grafting tool
my wife does the brush winsor and newton 0000, I did it a few times but I am more faster with the chinese one. When using a brush we use freshly drawn comb as a grafting frame, much easier than using old ones.
 
I'm in the US not the UK. I also use the cab of my vehicle.Sometimes the truck and sometimes the Jeep.
I'd love to have a dedicated grafting hut but the vehicle is so convenient...and there are tunes and temperature control.
The Chinese grafting tool works best for me.
Are you the M. Palmer "Sustainable apiary'?
The one who taught Ross Conrad?
 
Yes, I’m me. Haven’t a clue what I might have taught Ross Conrad.
Hi there.
Follow you on YouTube . . . Really like your Channel. Learn so much...
Think we are nearly as Cold today as Vermont...Kind of. 😄
Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 is experiencing a Blast of Freezing Weather, Snow Storms and an Arctic Blast. (Guess it's a Balmy Temp, to what you Guys are experiencing in up State Vermont !)
Looking forward to more of your YT Content. Nice to learn more Bee themed Apiary Skills & Techniques.
Enjoy your Queen Rearing footage.

AND, thinking lucky you for having 'Maple Syrup' on Tap. . . Re the Sap Rising in those "Maple Trees" 🍁
Do "Tappers"and Beeks compete on the "Sweet Stuff" ? Or are they very different Markets ?
Re Vermont Raw Honey and Maple Syrup. 🙄
Hope to improve my Queen Rearing Skills more in 2024. Don't have a Truck, but a South Facing enclosed Glass Porch on my Home. Will 'be warm' and a bright place to do some "Grafting." And only Yards from my Nucs also aligned due South in my Fenced Front Garden !
Hope you have a great Bee Season. when it starts. 😎
 
I use the back of my Citroen Picasso, bit of a tight space but works well. Frame resting on the table and the cell bars on my knees. I don't do 1000s of graft mind you, just 30 at the time twice in the season.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200517_075944_526.jpg
    IMG_20200517_075944_526.jpg
    2.2 MB

Latest posts

Back
Top