Grafting- How far ahead do you plan?

[mbc]

Made this little edit. There is always a bit of excitement when you lift a grafting frame wondering how many takes you have.

The "reveal".
I get that excitement too, doesn't have to be queen raising either, every crack of a crown board has its anticipation.

 

[Ian123]

Here’s my first batch there’s 18 out 26, not that great but they still had plenty of their own larvae to pick from. There now capped so a second batch will go in as soon as I get a chance!

 

[jeff33]

Here’s my first batch there’s 18 out 26, not View attachment 31970that great but they still had plenty of their own larvae to pick from. There now capped so a second batch will go in as soon as I get a chance!

This is absolutely rammed full of bees Ian. Do you do 2 rounds with this or more? How many queens do you usually raise?

I watched a video of Mike Palmer and made a similar Q+ cell builder rammed full of bees for my first time I grafting. I realised that with my resources and equipment I could realistically only mate 8 queens at the time and give them 20 grafts max. I thought this setup was overkilling it so now use a demaree with one or 2 more frames of emerging bees. This is sufficient for my needs but can only do 1 round. I will do another round early July and job done for the season.

 

[Ian123]

Hi Jeff you can’t get enough bees, I’ll pack out a single brood wall to wall brood and feed. You’ll easily get 2 maybe 3 batches, and can also top up some brood frames as you go along. Frames will need shaking to check for cells they love sneaking their own in

 

[jeff33]

Checked the mating hives this evening, all queens have emerged, happy with that.

 

[Ian123]

Checked the mating hives this evening, all queens have emerged, happy with that.

Put my cells into nucs today, bloody push in protectors from thornes to small for the cells

 

[jeff33]

Put my cells into nucs today, bloody push in protectors from thornes to small for the cellsView attachment 32066View attachment 32067

I bought a batch of 100 3 years ago, never used them.... it's sitting in the 'useless beekeeping items box alongside frame spacers, rombhus escape, and so forth.

 

[jeff33]

May as well go all the way with this thread, here is the emerged virgin being introduced to the mating nuc. Tried her in the introduction cage to see the reaction and just ran her in as they were over the moon to see her.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh yes. They are pleased.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Put my cells into nucs today, bloody push in protectors from thornes to small for the cellsView attachment 32066View attachment 32067

I protect my cells by cutting a finger off my nitriles then cutting the end of the finger to make a small hole then inserting the cell with the end just poking out.
The nitrile finger is then pinned to the frame and dangled between two frames.

 

[simonforeman]

Hey Simon, did your daughter practice much or was 3 out of 4 without much practice? I was going to have a go at cell punching, my eyesight is OK, but this inspires me to try grafting, I am only looking to rear 4 or 5 queens. Thanks.

No practice at all, I was grafting and she wanted a go. She was very slow and methodical but it worked

 

[Finman]

I am due to graft this afternoon but slightly put

about it as they are likely to find suitable mating windows?

Brood period 12 days from grafting+
7 day rippen to mating = 3 weeks mating from grafting.

Mating needs 3 good sunny calm days, over 20 C temps.

Then 3 weeks period to succesfull mating .

If you now graft, it is July when queens mate. Few days here or there, it does not matter. You see it then.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry Jeff. Just couldn’t resist this one from Jolanta.

 

[jeff33]

Slightly more ambitious than my little setup

 

[jeff33]

Brood period 12 days from grafting+
7 day rippen to mating = 3 weeks mating from grafting.

Mating needs 3 good sunny calm days, over 20 C temps.

Then 3 weeks period to succesfull mating .

If you now graft, it is July when queens mate. Few days here or there, it does not matter. You see it then.

I posted this early May. All my queens mated, never reached 20c though so I am sure mating adapts with local conditions.

 

[Finman]

I posted this early May. All my queens mated, never reached 20c though so I am sure mating adapts with local conditions.

It is possible in 18C temperature too,but it takes much more time.

Bees have the same biology. It does not depend on "local conditions". I read only foreign researches, how matings happen. And I have too 60 yeard experince.

You cannot explain mating with local conditions. So much happens "local failing".

 

[madasafish]

I posted this early May. All my queens mated, never reached 20c though so I am sure mating adapts with local conditions.

Have had several queens mated in the past month. Daily maximum temperatures rarely achieved 16C

 

[jeff33]

Have had several queens mated in the past month. Daily maximum temperatures rarely achieved 16C

Same here, I must have had a dozen mated so far. I am unsure what the 20c refers to, perhaps the best temp conditions for mating within an acceptable range? DCAs will also vary with thermal columns which usually have a different temperature. It could be that if a suitable thermal column is present near the apiary queens will go out and mate even if ambient temperature is around 16.

 

[madasafish]

Same here, I must have had a dozen mated so far. I am unsure what the 20c refers to, perhaps the best temp conditions for mating within an acceptable range? DCAs will also vary with thermal columns which usually have a different temperature. It could be that if a suitable thermal column is present near the apiary queens will go out and mate even if ambient temperature is around 16.

The Apiarist - darkest Scotland - rarely sees 16C at times...
Blog - The Apiarist

 

[Ian123]

When it all goes right