Queen+ cell starting.

[Poly Hive]

I've set up a double BB unit with the cups above with the following configuration as per bee base. Stores, pollen, space for cups which are syruped and being cleaned up, open brood, then sealed brood for the rest.

In the past I have had good success with bloodless q- bees so this is a new venture as I only want ten cells or so.

Has anyone tried this with what sort of results?

PH

 

[Ian123]

Are you queen right in bottom box?

 

[Poly Hive]

As per beebase yes.

PH

 

[Poly Hive]

So no one here has tried the Beebase system nor are there any takers on a couple of FB UK forums so I suspect that people have looked at it and thought no chance. I grafted yesterday and will report later on what has or has not happened to my 21 grafts.

PH

 

[Repwoc]

I did intend to try it this year, but my selected cell raiser colony caught swarm fever which scuppered the plan somewhat as I had to A/S them.

 

[Jimmy]

I have used it in 2018 + 2019 but it's the only queen raising I have done so can't comment with respect to other methods. It worked for me.

 

[Poly Hive]

Well as expected utter rubbish. Of 21 grafts 4 larvae are left and they are sitting on the bottom of the cup utterly lacking in royal jelly.

A complete waste of time as those four are worthless.

PH

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Not sure what the Beebase technique is but sounds like the Ben Harden method I found on David Cushman's site.

First attempt complete fail. Graft + 3 days. I've had some success before with grafting using a queenless cell builder so I was expecting at least one or two of the 10 cups to take. ?

The brood box with fat dummies either side of the 4 frames was inserted between the BB and the half.

Changed the surrounding frames and using the same cups having one more go. Will let you know.

. . .. . Ben

 

[Ian123]

I’ll check later what the bee base version is but you didn’t mention any other boxes bar 2 broods, you need to create some distance/separation if rearing above the queen. A couple of supers qx and or crown board. Those methods also tend to be less effective each end of the season,

 

[Ian123]

Ok seen the set up on bee base and yes there’s no boxes between so no separation from the queen bar an excluder. Looks pretty crap to me. Try lifting young brood eggs above several boxes even 2 queen excluders, nurse bees will come up. Give existing eggs larvae a chance to get to old for the bees to raise their own(just) then add grafts

 

[Poly Hive]

I was astonished at the lack of separation but as I said I wanted to test it, and I gave it a damn good shot and frankly the weather couldn't have been better, the colony is bloody strong so if it were to work it had every chance.

Utter crap.

PH

 

[Jimmy]

I was astonished at the lack of separation but as I said I wanted to test it, and I gave it a damn good shot and frankly the weather couldn't have been better, the colony is bloody strong so if it were to work it had every chance.

Utter crap.

PH

Dan Basterfield has had success - see post 9 on this thread.

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42012

Might be worth another go?

 

[Poly Hive]

I know and that was one of the things I had in mind, but with my results? Not wasting any more time on it.

PH

 

[Walrus]

It sounds utter crap but thanks for actually testing it out and proving it PH.

 

[Ian123]

It sounds utter crap but thanks for actually testing it out and proving it PH.

Thats it in a nutshell

 

[Goran]

Maybe I don't understand correctly.. I use Cloake board method regularly ( queen right breeders). I have no issues with acceptance and queens for myself seems OK. Only difference is that I use honey as feed and jenter instead of grafting..
I know how to use q- breeders but I got into routine with this and I don't change.. Like the Russians use to say, what is working - don't change..

 

[SDM]

Even with 2 or 3 supers of separation I find more colonies than not won't raise Q cells and those that do raise less than an equivalent Q- colony..

 

[jeff33]

I have always done the queen rearing when I demaree a hive: Q+ in bottom box, 2 supers, demaree board, BB with added frames of emerging brood a week before grafting. The day b4 introducing the graft I cover the access on the demaree board so the top box is separated from the Q+ part. I make space in the middle and introduce a frame of pollen, graft frame to clean and frame of open brood.

Grafting day I remove the frame of open brood and put it in another hive, replace with a frame of stores and introduce the graft. After 3 days when all the graft have taken I remove the cover on the demaree board for free access. I usually have 100% take (ie: whatever I grafted properly, the last batch was 10/12).

 

[mbc]

Maybe I don't understand correctly.. I use Cloake board method regularly ( queen right breeders). I have no issues with acceptance and queens for myself seems OK. Only difference is that I use honey as feed and jenter instead of grafting..
I know how to use q- breeders but I got into routine with this and I don't change.. Like the Russians use to say, what is working - don't change..

+1 for the cloak board, works every time.

 

[AI Queens]

I use the cloak board and have done for years, I have also used double nuc's and they work grate too, The trick with them is timing and feeding but small amount's contact feeders are best, or rapid feeder but only 1 1/4 of the hole available for the bees to feed from.