First time grafting, tips

[Smudger55]

This is going to be my first year attempting to graft ,I have al the kit I need plus different grafting tools . So any tips would be grateful....many thanks in advance

 

[B+.]

This is going to be my first year attempting to graft ,I have al the kit I need plus different grafting tools . So any tips would be grateful....many thanks in advance

Get yourself a Chinese grafting tool (very good at picking up/putting down young larvae), a magnifier headband and a cold light source.
Select the smallest larvae and transfer them to the centre of a cup

 

[Finman]

.
I have made always grafting tool from dry birch twig with kife. I make it quicker than go inside and wonder where I put that super tool. No need to clean it then.

Make a sharp twig and push tip to L-Form.

 

[Poly Hive]

I suppose we all have our methods and I cannot work the chinese one so I use a double cranked stainless tool.

I bought grafting glasses for £40 from ASDA and they have been a huge help as the focal length is set for me.

You want to graft larvae under 24 hours old and if possible younger than that.

A good light source is very helpful, though cold in my experience is not critical as used to use a 150 watt bulb and had very good results.

A very strong starter box is a massive help as is GOOD WEATHER. If it is cold and wet forget it and wait which is where grafting has a massive advantage over the cup kits as you are not tied to a schedule.

Letting the bees select cells for you by using supers as incubators can be depressing but trust them to make the right decisions.

Most of all the more you do it the better you get at it.

PH

 

[mbc]

Not got on with the Chinese tools very well myself and prefer to use a triple 0 sable artists brush.
My advice would be to arm yourself with a selection of tools and find out for yourself which you get on with best.
As B+ with choosing the smallest translucent larvae possible.
I've been grafting for nearly twenty years yet take a while to get good takes at the beginning of each season, I'd suggest simply repeatedly giving it a go until you find yourself becoming comfortable with a method.

 

[fatshark]

Paintbrush and headtorch and +whatever diopter glasses from eBay.
Get comfy.
Take your veil off and do it in a quiet corner of the apiary.
Keep donor frame and grafted larvae under a damp cloth and out of direct sunlight.
Pick the larvae next to visible eggs ... assuming the Q is laying well in good new comb.
Don't bother pre-exposing the cups to the colony.
Graft when there's a good flow.
Make sure there's ample pollen available.

Practice.

 

[Millet]

Out of curiosity what are the chances of grafting the odd drone larvae by mistake.

 

[madasafish]

Out of curiosity what are the chances of grafting the odd drone larvae by mistake.

If your eyesight is so bad as to mistake drone for worker cells, you should take up another hobby...

 

[fatshark]

100% if you select from drone comb

PS madasafish beat me to it ...

 

[For want of a better word]

Out of curiosity what are the chances of grafting the odd drone larvae by mistake.

There must be some chance!
If you had a laying worker.... and I am sure some are present in all colonies....
BUT the bees would surely ignore it in the cell starter, and not draw it down??

Yeghes da

 

[Millet]

If your eyesight is so bad as to mistake drone for worker cells, you should take up another hobby...

The only reason i ask is you sometimes see domed drone cells among worker brood that could well be missed if the larvae is removed before the domed wax capping is formed..and to add i have had laying workers lay in worker cells which do look like worker brood until capped.

 

[fatshark]

Nope ... at least I don't think so.
Laying worker eggs - and there are probably a very small number - are removed as eggs by other workers as they lack the queen pheromone I think.

I also made clear to choose a patch of larvae next to where the queen is clearly laying well ... so almost zero chance of a LW egg being there.

 

[Millet]

Nope ... at least I don't think so.
Laying worker eggs - and there are probably a very small number - are removed as eggs by other workers as they lack the queen pheromone I think.

I also made clear to choose a patch of larvae next to where the queen is clearly laying well ... so almost zero chance of a LW egg being there.

Thanks for that..

 

[For want of a better word]

Nope ... at least I don't think so.
Laying worker eggs - and there are probably a very small number - are removed as eggs by other workers as they lack the queen pheromone I think..

I have noticed the odd drone cell scattered among the worker brood... more commonly in the NZ... so there may be a very small chance... perhaps the queen, if she laid it, did not fertilise that one odd egg?

Never really given it that much thought!

Yeghes da

 

[Hivemaker.]

Tried most types of grafting tools at one time or another, even a piece of grass, settled on just using the triple o sables brush for several years now though...and a good light, do all the grafting sat in the truck and cover each bar with a warm damp cloth until all the bars are ready to put in the cell builders.

This is my favorite light....http://www.headtorches365.co.uk/pri...MI1MDTs8Hp2AIVq7vtCh3zMw00EAQYASABEgI2_vD_BwE

 

[Smudger55]

I will be using the cloak board method as I got given a brand new one , so thought I would try this ,I have read as much as I can on this system and laminated print outs as I am bound to forget a few things lol ....what are peoples thought's on the cloak board?

 

[Finman]

Out of curiosity what are the chances of grafting the odd drone larvae by mistake.

It does not harm anything if such happens.
.
.

 

[Finman]

I will be using the cloak board method as I got given a brand new one , so thought I would try this ,I have read as much as I can on this system and laminated print outs as I am bound to forget a few things lol ....what are peoples thought's on the cloak board?

You just start to graft and you will learn grafting. It is not so difficult.

If you doubt that the larva violated, graft another, and bees will take off the extra larva.

First cut the cell walls lower with sgarp knife that you see better what you are doing.

Cut the piece of comb from proper point, and the piece of comb is better handle than the whole frame.

Speed is important that larvae do not dry up.

.

 

[Finman]

I have noticed the odd drone cell scattered among the worker brood... more commonly in the NZ... so there may be a very small chance... perhaps the queen, if she laid it, did not fertilise that one odd egg?

Never really given it that much thought!

Yeghes da

Do not take larvae from such colony, if the hive is not normal.

Or the brood frames are porous, something kills larvae. Perhaps inbreeding symptons.
.

 

[madasafish]

I will be using the cloak board method as I got given a brand new one , so thought I would try this ,I have read as much as I can on this system and laminated print outs as I am bound to forget a few things lol ....what are peoples thought's on the cloak board?

I used it last year with no problems except I found the upper box very heavy if I needed to inspect teh lower one. Once set up, it's easy to keep going buy swopping comb around requires lifting the top brood box.

Other than that, it worked well and I raised 15 queens in June and 2 in July using the setup - enough for my requirements. BUT you must follow the timetable