Grafting.

[Hivemaker.]

Plenty of drones around now,so carried out first set of grafts early last week,not very good take on these first grafts in large queenright colony,12 out of 20,these are now in incubator until they emerge.
Second set of grafts carried out yesterday,decided to do these in a starter nuc box,so giving the bee's no choice,result is 19 out of 20 cells taken,now just need the weather to be co operative. Ran a virgin queen into a swi bine 20 mins ago, see how she gets on being the first mini nuc set up of the season.

 

[beebreeder]

Show off LOL,I am all set up to start things going end of this week now i have enough drones, hope the weather holds up or its out with the II gear early.
kev

 

[Poly Hive]

Pair of showoffs.

I just have open drone brood in one hive. Going to be another month for me.

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

6/18 for me.
Think I will do the same Hivemaker and use a starter nuc box for my next go.

 

[Red Bee]

Is that a queenless starter nuc? So you can Q rear on smaller scale, I like it tell me more please. Are you selling your Q's hivemaker?

 

[Poly Hive]

I have always found a good box of young queenless well fed pollen supplied shut-in over night bees to be the best queen starters. Further you can get one batch started over night and then push a 2nd through if needed the next afternoon.

Chances are you could get 40-50 from the one unit.

And if you only want three well give them ten and see especially if you are starting out in grafting.

PH

 

[Red Bee]

Ideal cheers Poly Hive, sounds good for a first timer like me.

 

[Heather]

2 apideas with virgins just installed. Had to use donated queens. Isn't it the way -I want to queen breed and non of my colonies have even built a queen cell,
Will start grafting next week as some so GOOD- must use them

 

[mbc]

Did my first grafft on sunday using a cloak board starter and finisher. Havent checked the take yet but will have to get nucs ready on the weekend to take the cells. I'm still getting frosts so will make up strongish 5 framers instead of using mininucs( theyll come into play later)
I just love this time of year - colonies expanding exponentially, drones emerging,supers going on and starting up the queen rearing -never fails to get me excited !

 

[Poly Hive]

Check the take the next day before planning ahead...

PH

 

[mbc]

Check the take the next day before planning ahead...

PH

did check and had two out of twenty....maybe the splintered match stick wasnt the best grafting tool !

 

[BKF Admin]

Possibly the time of year,I think loads get a bad take at the start of the season.

 

[Poly Hive]

Weather I think and the method.

Cloake bard is on a Q+ colony yes?

I graft as said already into Q- broodless nucs where there are NO distractions.

Just my grafts.

I also agree that a proper grafting tool is very important as is good strong light to see by.

I sometimes use a head torch.

I always use a double cranked grafting tool. Not the cheapest tool but then what is a queen to buy? One queen pays for a life times grafting. *shrug*

PH

 

[jezd]

Plenty of drones around now,so carried out first set of grafts early last week,not very good take on these first grafts in large queenright colony,12 out of 20,these are now in incubator until they emerge.
Second set of grafts carried out yesterday,decided to do these in a starter nuc box,so giving the bee's no choice,result is 19 out of 20 cells taken,now just need the weather to be co operative. Ran a virgin queen into a swi bine 20 mins ago, see how she gets on being the first mini nuc set up of the season.

HM, what kit you using for cups? also why would you use a queenright colony as I would have expected little interest or am I missing something here,,,

Anyone found really good magnify-head gear?

Jez

 

[gandalfwhitewizard]

Results of our first grafts of 2010.

Found that the we have 9 out of 19 accepted grafts yesterday so not a bad result so early in the year. I have been told that our 2009 queens have overwintered well and some report they are on double BB and one is spliting the colony shortly so hopefully these will be just as successful.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The brown plastic cell cups,holders and hair roller cages,very fine sable artist brush for grafting,incubator for all sealed cells. Yes large queenright colony most of the season,also starter box's at certain times,seem better for early and late season.

 

[Heather]

Will go along with that one- a fine paint brush for grafting is gentle but lifts them well

 

[mbc]

Weather I think and the method.

Cloake bard is on a Q+ colony yes?


PH

I find the cloak board method excellent normally. The bottom stays q right but the top turns into a bustling freeflying q less cell starter easily turned back into a q right cell finisher with the removal of the sliding board.
I think my problem was I didnt have my brush with me and possibly as admin said the time of year - frosts monday and tuesday mornings.
Actually had about five take but I wittled all but two out for various reasons.
Grafted again yesterday and fingers crossed it'll go a bit better

 

[Poly Hive]

It always comes down to personal choice.

I have never mastered the brush which I tired very early on in my "career" and so my choice and preference is what works for me, the stainless tool.

Also over the years (remember I have always had AMM) I found that Q+ type situations just failed. Hence I use Q- starter boxes as I know they will work, given the right weather.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

Hive swarmed today,soon came back though when they realised the queen was not keeping them company,she was in a cage over the feed hole where i placed her yesterday lol, queen now taken away, and this bunch are in good condition for raising grafted cells for a few days.