Nice cells

[mbc]

This cell finisher has done a good job, one of three frames of cells started in a Queenless cell starter then moved to finishers, well two of them, one left in the starter to finish.

 

[jeff33]

Is that from your first graft of the season Ceri? Good take on this!!

 

[mbc]

Is that from your first graft of the season Ceri? Good take on this!!

No Jeff, this is round three, with any joy the next round of cells can be placed in newly queenless mini nucs after the first catch of the season

 

[Anduril]

No Jeff, this is round three, with any joy the next round of cells can be placed in newly queenless mini nucs after the first catch of the season

I've heard that some bee farmers are having problems with mating this year because of the weather, how are you faring?

 

[Repwoc]

Is that from your first graft of the season Ceri? Good take on this!!

Yes - much better than my success rate so far. Round 1 I got 9/20 takes which were finished in the cell starter. Round 2 I got 11/20 takes; I transferred them to a cell finisher and they tore 6 of them down. Round 3 I got 5/19 takes only. God knows what I'm doing wrong.

 

[jeff33]

Yes - much better than my success rate so far. Round 1 I got 9/20 takes which were finished in the cell starter. Round 2 I got 11/20 takes; I transferred them to a cell finisher and they tore 6 of them down. Round 3 I got 5/19 takes only. God knows what I'm doing wrong.

Yes that's sounds pretty low and probably very frustrating when you think of all the effort needed to set-up the starters and finishers. It may just be the weather that puts them off and you will get better take as soon as it warms up. Last year I struggled with the after, I got good results with grafting but out of 20 capped cells ended up with only 5 mated queens.

 

[mbc]

I've heard that some bee farmers are having problems with mating this year because of the weather, how are you faring?

Delighted to announce that I've seen a few nucs today from the first graft, I haven't been through many but what I did see suggests the majority have made it through their nuptials and are laying nicely, a bit early to gauge the brood pattern on most but it all seems good so far.

 

[Curly green finger's]

This cell finisher has done a good job, one of three frames of cells started in a Queenless cell starter then moved to finishers, well two of them, one left in the starter to finish.View attachment 26251

I was wondering what strips you are using there OA?
Another question I have a few starters one double nuc and 4 14x12 colonys I'm wanting to put in as many cells as possible in the 14x12s and nuc, the 14 x12s have supers on, make super frames up with cells? Quick replys one needs to get on with it.

 

[mbc]

I was wondering what strips you are using there OA?
Another question I have a few starters one double nuc and 4 14x12 colonys I'm wanting to put in as many cells as possible in the 14x12s and nuc, the 14 x12s have supers on, make super frames up with cells? Quick replys one needs to get on with it.

I prefer to have frames of brood above an excluder in a double brood round my cells to finish them but I have heard of people finishing cells in supers.