How late in the season do people graft?

[maddydog]

As per the title.

Taking in to account the obvious: yearly differences, drone population, location etc. Just wondered how late into summer my fellow queen rearers continue their work?

 

[Eyeman]

Each year is different. This year started early and QC's from 3rd round of graft will go into mini nucs on Tuesday. That should give me all the queens I'll need for overwinter nucs. Then one more round of grafting expecting the queen cells to go into mini nucs in approx 4 weeks. I have a finite number of mini nucs which need to be Q- before the next batch of queen cells go in. This last round of queens will be used to requeen nucs which aren't up to the mark and queens that are left I will try to overwinter

 

[Hivemaker.]

Just wondered how late into summer my fellow queen rearers continue their work?

Depends on whether you carry out instrumental insemination? can be much later.

 

[For want of a better word]

As late as mid October with the Native bees.... Mediterraneans have all done by 12th August.. different seasonal time clock set into their genes?

Yeghes da

 

[maddydog]

Mid October?!? I know you live in the sub tropics but I'm amazed you can get queens (naturally?) mated that late.

Sadly no II for me yet, have to rely on nature and the weather. I'll just keep setting up grafts and see how long I can go.

 

[Poly Hive]

Due to the dreadful weather this season I am planning on grafting next week. My total so far for various reasons is 3 cells. Not exactly stellar is it? I am really struggling mainly due to very long periods of time for the post swarming virgins mating and subsequent lack of bees. Thankfully I had no plans for the heather as the colonies are just not strong enough for it this year.

PH

 

[mbc]

I'll stop regularly grafting in a week or two but raise a final batch of cells towards mid august to populate the amalgamated mating hives for overwintering after the last queen catch.

 

[maddydog]

Thanks all.

I feel your pain PH. My own queen rearing has been poor this year through the weather, some bad luck and a dash of incompetence. I seem to have a well-honed ability to create starter colonies with a virgin in them.

 

[mbc]

Due to the dreadful weather this season I am planning on grafting next week. My total so far for various reasons is 3 cells. Not exactly stellar is it? I am really struggling mainly due to very long periods of time for the post swarming virgins mating and subsequent lack of bees. Thankfully I had no plans for the heather as the colonies are just not strong enough for it this year.

PH

A legacy of using carnies, bloody things do enjoy swarming.

 

[yeogi75]

I'm glad it not me, I've tried grafting and got one cell drawn tried nicot three times gone no eggs and one queen killed in nicot, finally got seven cells from nicot, tried honey in box leave in hive for bees to clean tried sugar water spray, any more tips to get good results from nicot before I go back to grafting.

 

[mbc]

I'm glad it not me, I've tried grafting and got one cell drawn tried nicot three times gone no eggs and one queen killed in nicot, finally got seven cells from nicot, tried honey in box leave in hive for bees to clean tried sugar water spray, any more tips to get good results from nicot before I go back to grafting.

Go back to grafting, those nicot things are landfill imho

 

[SDM]

Go back to grafting, those nicot things are landfill imho

Certainly not reliable from end of June onwards, queens don't seem to want to lay in them.

 

[yeogi75]

my thinking is when I caged the queen she got distressed and the bees reacted on her stress and killed her do you think that is the reason

 

[For want of a better word]

Certainly not reliable from end of June onwards, queens don't seem to want to lay in them.

Found much the same!

Yeghes da