grafting

[Finman]

It would seem that we are all wrong.


So there we go, I think we have all learnt something here.

Regards;

Well, grafting is not that difficult. What I have read, drying is a bigger danger to larva when grafting. When I put a small spot of queen milk into the queen cell cup, bees lick it often away and begin to feed with new milk.

Worker larva food is queen milk during its first 3 days.

 

[Poly Hive]

so if Snod is right and the oxygen is absorbed it persumably needs to be dry to achieve this and so needs NOT to be turned over.

I was taught not to turn them as "they die" which seemed at the time and also now to be a damn good reason not to.

PH

 

[mbc]

It would seem that we are all wrong.

From Snodgrass p230
the bee larva unlike adult ,makes no body movements of reparation, and consequently has no mechanical means of renewing air in its tracheae. It is probable therefore that oxygen diffuses into the traxheae. through the spiracles as it is absorbed by the carbon dioxide produced is eliminated through the skin. Also it is not improbable that some oxygen is taken in by cutaneous respiration.

So there we go, I think we have all learnt something here.

Regards;

For oxygen to diffuse it still needs a clear pathway, if the spiracles are blocked their blocked , makes no difference that the larvae isnt actively breathing in and out

 

[Finman]

.
That kind of grafting goes too far from practice. The larva is so small that you cannot see what side it has and should you turn it.

I have not found any difficulties in that point. Of course I try to take care that I put the larva at same position as it has been.

You take the larva to the tip of stick and then touch with larva onto cup. It stays there and that is all.

When I put larvae into swarming cups, bees accept almost all graftings and I can see that the graft happening is not very sensitive. If I put larvae into dry cell cups, the losses may be even 80%. Bees preper to make emergency cells.