Late season grafting

[fatshark]

I'm interested in overwintering queens in Kielers. How late can I reasonably expect to be able to graft and get queens mated? The Kielers are already populated and have drawn comb etc. so it's simply a case of getting the new queen laying. I was hoping to graft early August with the expectation of mated queens in early September. I appreciate it's all weather dependent, but does this seem unreasonable?

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Fatshark

 

[Mike a]

I think that is leaving it a bit late to start grafting in August and hoping there will still be enough good drones around to mate with her and the weather is good for 2-3 weeks as well. Improve your chances and start as soon as possible.

I grafted 10 eggs on Friday using a stem of grass as I forgot my grafting tool (first attempt - will let you know how many if any take Pete).

 

[beebreeder]

Have you got or made a second storey for the kielers then you can remove the feed chamber and feed with fondant in the winter, they also have two more top bars to work?
They can and do overwinter well but they do need to be watched as they have not got sufficient space to store food so need topping up in winter, varroa treatment is another thing that as to be worked out.
kev

 

[Hivemaker.]

I grafted 10 eggs on Friday using a stem of grass as I forgot my grafting tool (first attempt - will let you know how many if any take Pete)

I have done that in the past as well Mike,hope they take,but if not just keep doing it,practice makes perfect.

 

[fatshark]

Have you got or made a second storey for the kielers then you can remove the feed chamber and feed with fondant in the winter, they also have two more top bars to work?

I united Kielers from my earlier grafting - as I used the queens - using the upper storey available from MB. I now have 'double deckers' with scrub queens and 10 drawn frames ( er, bars?) of comb. It's the pesky family holiday that prevents me grafting again until late July.....

 

[Crg]

I'm interested in overwintering queens in Kielers. How late can I reasonably expect to be able to graft and get queens mated? The Kielers are already populated and have drawn comb etc. so it's simply a case of getting the new queen laying. I was hoping to graft early August with the expectation of mated queens in early September. I appreciate it's all weather dependent, but does this seem unreasonable?

I'll be raising some queens that late, but I'm further south than you.

 

[Poly Hive]

There will be plenty of drones about so get after it.

PH

 

[2beeor]

I united Kielers from my earlier grafting - as I used the queens - using the upper storey available from MB. I now have 'double deckers' with scrub queens and 10 drawn frames ( er, bars?) of comb. It's the pesky family holiday that prevents me grafting again until late July.....

Hi fatshark.
I am new on here. Took me three days to register. lol
I am into topbar hives and wish to learn about queen rearing.
What are Kielers.?
I live in Branston, Lincoln.
Just testing the site and found your post interesting. Thanks
2beeor

 

[beeatshellards]

welcome to the forum 2beeor

 

[fatshark]

2beeor
Kielers are top bar mini-nucs ... see http://bit.ly/oKg8B7 who (I discovered when I searched for the link) have a sale on at the moment ;-) and do a very useful instruction manual for their use.

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fatshark

 

[BobsBees]

Hi fatshark.
I will be trying to graft late in september, just as an experiment down here in Kent. I will post my results if there are any to post.
It will depend on the weather and night time temperatures, not to mention the drones.
Bob.

 

[fatshark]

Bobsbees, that us late ... I grafted on Sunday and have lots of QCs now. Fingers crossed for good mating conditions in the second half of August

And October by the sound of things. Good luck!