polishing queen cell cups question...

[chillardbee]

does anyone out there prep ther cell cups by putting them in the hive for the bees to polish before you would graft? if so, how long do you leave them in there before you graft?

I've heard people do this with wax cell cups more then plastic, and even though i am using plastic cups this time i'd like the bees to give them a little spit and shine before i graft.

[Jon McFadden]

Hi Chillard Willard,
It is recommended the plastic cups used in the Nicot System be placed in the donor hive, without the excluder, 24 hours before capturing the queen.
Jon

[peggjam]

What about the ones u graft into? Do they need to be preped? If so, how.

[Dan Williamson]

>>What about the ones u graft into?

Yes. Place them in the colony the day before you graft. The day you graft, pull them out. Graft into them and them put back into the hive.

Guaranteed to work 100%. ;)

Ok so that part is fantasy... but hey it could happen to a lucky few first-timers.

[ May 09, 2006, 11:55 AM: Message edited by: Dan Williamson ]

[Michael Bush]

When I'm resusing them, I don't, when they are new plastic I often do.

[Chef Isaac]

I take a small paint brush and dip it in water and go around the cell with it. Just do not use to much water.

Some people prime with royal jelly mixed with either honey, sugar syrup, or water.

I like the water idea.

[jean-marc]

I do not prime or anything like that. It's just another move that takes time and I doubt very much that there is any benefit to it. I would consider it if the grafts were not taking, but I've done alright on that side.

Jean-Marc

[chillardbee]

so i finally grafted on saturday and went back to see the take yesterday, 118/120, all grafted from my SMR X Russian girl. this must bee the funnest part of beekeeping

[Jon McFadden]

How many cell builders are you using? It is recommended that 45 cells should be the max/cell builder. If more are introduced, the quality of queens are compromised. Also, a 48 hour wait is recommended before checking progress.

[clintonbemrose]

I place them for 24 hours before grafting. I have found that I get better acceptance by the bees.
Clint

[chillardbee]

i have 60 cells per builder and each builder is a single that is absolutly packed with young bees, 3 frames of pollen and frame feeder kept full, and pollen supplement and caspian solution to top it all off. i've just transferd the cells to finishers and i'll be grafting again today into the same hives.

i don't think going through them to early is nessessarly bad, i think quit a few beeks remove there cells from the starters to the finishers after 24 hours but i might be wrong about this.

anyway, these are the largest cells i've reared in a long time, can't wait to see the results when there mated.