Simple Queen Rearing

[Poly Hive]

They come to no harm mbc and by now I really would have thought you might have realised I tell no lies.

After rearing hundreds of queens please take it I may actually have a vague idea of what works. Then again I may just be a keyboard warrior hmm? LOL

PH

 

[mbc]

They come to no harm mbc and by now I really would have thought you might have realised I tell no lies.

After rearing hundreds of queens please take it I may actually have a vague idea of what works. Then again I may just be a keyboard warrior hmm? LOL

PH

Having searched my library and then the web and found no papers on the possible consequenses of a "gentle shake" of 48 to 60 hr old queen larvae on their subsequent development and performance as adults, I've decided to conduct my own field trials next season.
Not.
I'll go with my hunch that, on the whole, they wont do as well as unshaken larvae.
I've never even hinted at you lying PH, its just, IMHO your missguided on this one.
I can totally accept you may actually have a vague idea of what works

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have grafted,and raised a few queens in the past,and gently brush the bees from the grafts.

 

[Norton]

I cant believe this thread is still going after advice to shake bars of q cells was given.

Actually not incorrect advice given by Polyhive. He did say a gentle shake and as the larvae are under 48 hours old it is usually OK.

 

[Poly Hive]

The critical word is gentle.

I know what I mean and I suspect that you know what you mean and the two are not the same.

PH

 

[mbc]

FWIW I've often used starter boxes and wondered about transferring the cell bar minus bees as every time I've removed the bar, large numbers of bees have been clustered on it and I've mostly thought it best to leave the bees on ( strengthening the finishing colony ) and leaving the cell bar unbrushed,unshaken and unsmoked. On the times I've brushed and smoked the bees, as best as I could, back into into the starter box, I've always been unsatisfied with the results( in terms of time taken to get the bees off, and success with the subsequent grafft ). I was hoping for a gem of advice from you, PH, as you'd set yourself up as a queen rearing expert, unfortunately, instead I got some patronising rubbish about "a gentle shake will do it".
Note to PH, if you go around slagging other peoples books off, you must try harder.

 

[drstitson]

Honestly i don't know why people like PH bother - go to the trouble of composing a fairly detailed summary of what you have found works in your hands during your YEARS of solo experience & working with big honey farmers and someone gets all snotty over a genuine piece of follow up clarification.

show some gratitude. like everything this isn't meant to be taken as gospel or even "do as i say not as i do" but just well meaning advice.

i for one appreciated it (and have just spent an enjoyable hour or two translating it into italian - google can't handle the scots turn of phrase very well!!!!).

 

[Tim1606]

Here here
Well said that man



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mbc]

Honestly i don't know why people like PH bother - go to the trouble of composing a fairly detailed summary of what you have found works in your hands during your YEARS of solo experience & working with big honey farmers and someone gets all snotty over a genuine piece of follow up clarification.

show some gratitude. like everything this isn't meant to be taken as gospel or even "do as i say not as i do" but just well meaning advice.

i for one appreciated it (and have just spent an enjoyable hour or two translating it into italian - google can't handle the scots turn of phrase very well!!!!).

Dont go advising Italian beekeepers to shake their cell bars without expecting egg on your face.

 

[drstitson]

it's ok - most italians either buy queens from the big boys (too cheap to bother) or rely on natural swarming for increase!

 

[drstitson]

PH - you describe the swarm box as being arranged as follows:

stores/pollen/graft/stores/pollen

is that correct - ie rather than SPGPS.

 

[Poly Hive]

Ah that should read as you put it, both pollen combs next to the grafts.

PH

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Definitely agree this should be a sticky

I have always run a little scared of doing 'proper' queen rearing. Will definitely be giving it a real go next season. Thanks PH.

 

[drstitson]

re the "gentle shake" issue.

I know concerns were mostly re retaining strength in numbers in the cell starter for next batch of grafts but having just reacquainted myself with Ruttner (thanks to dire festive TV schedules) he mentions that it is fine to transfer cell bar PLUS it's full complement of nurse bees to the cell finisher ie no acceptance issues if the bees concerned are "occupied".

 

[Poly Hive]

Very true but as you say you are diminishing the strength of the starter. However if you are not intending a 2nd (or 3d) batch it is of no matter.

PH

 

[Kate's Bees]

Thank you for such a clear explanation.

I am new to beekeeping but have a wonderful colony that is very docile, produced 120lb of honey last year and didn't freak me out but swarming. My mentor (mum) and I are really keen to raise from her this year so this will really help.

 

[blackcavebees]

Just found this post and really appreciate it PH - another great learning tool for me, thanks.

Now I have another wee winter project making some kit up for spring and queen rearing ...

Q you use a wet dowel to build up the cup, I noticed there are 1000 plastic ones on flea bay for 9.99£ Do the plastic ones need coated in wax first, or is it worthwhile just making your own as you suggest?

Thanks, Stephen

 

[drstitson]

sure you can spend £10 for 1000.

do you need 1000?

it only takes minutes to make 50.

 

[blackcavebees]

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know.

 

[Poly Hive]

Plastic cups do not need waxing.

The advantages to the wax cups though are several I find.

One is the pure enjoyment of making them and thus ensuring they are the correct 9mm dia.

Then there is the advantage of being able to press the grafting tool into the base to allow the larvae (some seem stickier than others) to slide off the tool. If using a brush then it is of no account I imagine as I cannot use them.

Then there is price, they cost me nothing.

The most important for me aspect of using the cups and grafting apart from the obvious one of selecting the youngest larvae is that you can easily handle the accepted grafts compared to natural cells and so move them as you wish.

PH