Keeping frame warm while moving it

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mr_so

New Bee
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
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Location
Torbay, Devon
Hive Type
Commercial
Number of Hives
16
I need to take a frame of eggs, but no bees, to a colony several miles away, the journey will take between 30-60 minutes depending on the (bank holiday weekend at the seaside) traffic. the plan is to put it in a nuc surrounded by frames of foundation, do I need to worry about it getting chilled or does that not apply to eggs? If I do need to worry about the temperature, is there any established way of keeping the frame warm enough?
 
I take it the nuc has bees? If so, wouldn't it be better to bring the nuc to you, so that when you insert the frame, the inherent heat of the bees will keep the brood frame warm!
 
They used send comb with eggs via post ... of course, that was in the days when the post was a bit faster. An hour should be fine though.
 
Assuming that you hope to directly raise a new queen from those eggs - I hate to be a 'party-pooper' (honestly !) - but this plan may be doomed to failure.

When a queen lays an egg, it is coated with that queen's pheromone as it leaves her body, and so bees are then able to distinguish between 'their' eggs, and those from a foreign source. But - when a young larva 'hatches', the thin egg membrane dissolves, and disappears along with that queen's pheromone.

Which is the principle reason people use young larvae rather than eggs for grafting, because bees will invariably eat those eggs which don't 'smell right' - i.e. have an identical smell to that they're used to.

Seriously suggest that you re-think your plan ... assuming that I understand what you have in mind, of course. :)
LJ
 
No doubt the above is right but I have successfully grafted from a comb that was in the towel for over 4 hours.

I base what I say on practical experiences.

PH
 
Allowing the hive to raise a queen is exactly the reason yes, I'll be sure to take eggs and young larvae and hedge my bets ;)

Thanks for the input, I'll do the damp towel thing and hopefully if they aren't happy with the eggs they will accept the larvae..
 
Littel John : I have transferred cupkit cells containing eggs on two occasions in the past and got 60 - 70% acceptance (12 - 14 cells out of 20). Eggs were probably within one day of hatching. Eggs are far more temperature and humidity tolerant than young larvae.
 
If you keep the frame vertical the eggs and small larvae are insulated, Its for the same reason that the pipe off the top of your hot water tank is supposed to run near horizontal for 300mm or so.
 
Littel John : I have transferred cupkit cells containing eggs on two occasions in the past and got 60 - 70% acceptance (12 - 14 cells out of 20). Eggs were probably within one day of hatching. Eggs are far more temperature and humidity tolerant than young larvae.

I tried eggs with a Cupkit system on 3 separate occasions, and each time they just scoffed the eggs. Feeling pretty miffed, I then researched the problem and came up with the explanation I posted. Glad to hear that you were successful - that's bees for you ... seems that nothing, but nothing is predictable with the little darlings. :)
LJ
 
Job done, 45 minutes wrapped in newspaper and a towel, and kept upright too ;) now to wait and see if the bees will make queens on it..
 

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