When should I start grafting?

[bpmurray]

I asked this in the usual part of this forum to derisive laughter, but it was suggested here would be a better home for this question, so I'll try again.

After last year's disastrous attempts at getting queens mated, I'm wary about when I should time the mating flights this year. My idea was to perhaps try in around a month, i.e. the 14th May, which should have initial mating flights on the 31st. I can see that everything's already around 3 weeks late this year, although I'm guessing that nature has its way of catching up.

So do you think that timing is OK? Is it reasonable to expect a busy DCA to keep the queen entertained?

 

[Hivemaker.]

So do you think that timing is OK? Is it reasonable to expect a busy DCA to keep the queen entertained?

Yes that timing should be fine, I'm doing first grafts this coming Sunday.

Three days later than last year....http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=23405&page=4

 

[Poly Hive]

You could graft tomorrow but... pointless.

What I do is look to see the first drones emerging, and work my timings from that point. Say they start showing up on the 21st of April, then I would be looking to start in the last week of May to give them time to a, mature, and b, increase in numbers to the point matings should be successful.

The laughter me thinks was mainly as the q could be construed as how long is the proverbial string. Further most "laughing" ain't much of a clue about queen rearing and were/are a tad jealous.

PH

 

[B+.]

Three days later than last year....http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=23405&page=4

I usually aim for 1st May but it could be a bit later this year if it doesn't warm up a bit before then.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Three days later than last year....

5 weeks earlier than I'm able.

 

[For want of a better word]

The Jack has to be taken to the top of Kit Hill to greet the sun rising on Mayday morn!
Then the merryment of grafting can begin.

BIPCo /BIBBA South West have two 2 day grafting and queen rearing PRACTICAL days on the 14/15th May and 16/17th May... here in sunny Cornwall..look to the BIPCo web page if interested

Mytten da

 

[mbc]

Just look at your average colonies and aim to have your virgins in the air about a fortnight after they have big patches of drone brood emerged.
A week or two away for me, I'm also envious of hm's earlyness, though that could be partly down to the more prolific early bees he keeps.

 

[For want of a better word]

Just look at your average colonies and aim to have your virgins in the air about a fortnight after they have big patches of drone brood emerged.
A week or two away for me, I'm also envious of hm's earlyness, though that could be partly down to the more prolific early bees he keeps.

And the shelter he gets from Exmoor from the bitter winds from the Sout West which cool the South coasts of Devon ans Cornwall and blast up the Bristol Channel to put the South Welsh valleys in almost permanent perma frost!

Sheltered where we are in the GreatgreygreengreasieTamarvalleyallsetaboutwithemptysecondhomesthatpeoplelikemysonandgirlfriendwouldliketobuyiftheyhadabankexecutivesannualmeggabonus!!!

Phew
Mytten da

 

[nantmoel]

I'm grafting for the time this year, I'm aim for mid June, there should be ample drones around then. Keep us updated as to how yours goes.

 

[sipa]

We are aiming to do the first round of grafting on Tuesday if the weather is ok.

A few days later than last year if I remember correctly.

 

[Hivemaker.]

A few days later than last year if I remember correctly.

Yes, I did my first grafts on the 14th April and you did yours on the 15th.

 

[B+.]

Yes, I did my first grafts on the 14th April and you did yours on the 15th.

It must be much warmer where you are: it was 2 degrees C in the car at 11:05 this morning

 

[Brian Bush]

We are expecting -2 tonight. There are no drones as yet in any of my hives!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

It must be much warmer where you are: it was 2 degrees C in the car at 11:05 this morning

Turn your heater on...lol.

12c in the shade at the moment here, and wall to wall sunshine, so a bit warmer in the sun, just been for a quick check of three apiaries and the bees are very busy foraging.

No shortage of young drones, and plenty more sealed drone brood of course.

Time to start grafting is when I start to seen plenty of sealed drone brood and young drones just emerging, in several colonies, in various apiaries, the virgins will be the correct age to mate about three weeks after grafting, the drones are ready for mating two to three weeks after emerging.

 

[nantmoel]

Turn your heater on...lol.

12c in the shade at the moment here, and wall to wall sunshine, so a bit warmer in the sun, just been for a quick check of three apiaries and the bees are very busy foraging.

No shortage of young drones, and plenty more sealed drone brood of course.

Time to start grafting is when I start to seen plenty of sealed drone brood and young drones just emerging, in several colonies, in various apiaries, the virgins will be the correct age to mate about three weeks after grafting, the drones are ready for mating two to three weeks after emerging.

How many times in a year do you take virgin queens to your mating apiary in Sherberton?

 

[Hivemaker.]

How many times in a year do you take virgin queens to your mating apiary in Sherberton?

No fixed amount of times, but none until June and onward.

 

[nantmoel]

No fixed amount of times, but none until June and onward.

Was the apiary just abandoned by the Abbey, leaving all the breeding lines there, or did they remove all the queen and drone lines before it was left?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Was the apiary just abandoned by the Abbey, leaving all the breeding lines there, or did they remove all the queen and drone lines before it was left?

Abandoned and left them to die.

 

[nantmoel]

Abandoned and left them to die.

I read a post here from JBM and he said that it was disgraceful what Abbey did, BA was possible the most famous bee breeder ever, and just to let all his hard work die away. I really think someone should have taken over where he left off at the Abbey. I wonder what has happened to all his records he kept.

So when he retired from his life long work, did anyone keep the out apiary going or did they use it for a few years. I can only imagine the number and genetic quality of the queens that were just left to perish there. Have you found any hive records under the roofs of the mating hives he used.

 

[Hivemaker.]

I really think someone should have taken over where he left off at the Abbey.

They did get someone in, but for the Buckfast breeding it did not work out.