transporting eggs

[pamlico]

I want to make splits this spring using queen cells made from eggs. To keep from interbreeding, a friend that lives 20 miles away has agreed to give me a frame of eggs to raise queen cells. I plan to give my friend a drawn frame on Monday, go back on Wednesday, and if I have eggs transport the frame to a waiting swarm box to raise the queen cells. I have been told that temperature of the eggs during transportation is critical. I need advice on this temperature control and how to do it while in transit. Thanks!

[Beeslave]

Are you grafting from those and putting in cell cups or letting the hive draw its own cells on the existing frame? Which ever way you do it you could use a 3 frame nuc, put the egg frame in the center and frames with open honey and pollen on the outside. Transport it with young bees(enough to cover all brood to prevent chilling).

[pamlico]

no grafting

[StevenG]

I apologize if I'm missing something, but wouldn't you want to wait for the egg transfer until spring, right before you want to do the grafting and queen rearing? Or do you have drones available now to fertilize your queens? Sorry, just not that familiar with your climate.
Regards,
Steven

[cmq]

Get a damp towel, wrap the frame completely so that high humidity is maintained. If you proceed directly to your yard the plan should work fine, provided of course that the hive is queenless and has plenty of young workers bees. Dont forget to be sure your hive is properly supplied with pollen and nectar.

[hpm08161947]

Perhaps I just do not understand - since I have never done any queen breeding - but isn't it a bit early to get started on that - I mean it's 28F outside and I am not that far from you?

[pamlico]

Yes Steven, in my first post, I related the time would be this Spring. I have never tried this method and I am trying to get as much information concerning transporting eggs. I will have the nuc in my bee yard ready for the frame of eggs. Another local beek told me I would have to provide an environment of 80 degree F. during transporting or the eggs would die. I did not have a clue what is required when transporting eggs. The local beek also told me that the life of the egg depended upon the race of bee. Some were beter than others but he did not know the best race of eggs to use. I appreciate all the replies because beesource is the place for correct information. Has anyone used a incubator for egg transportation?

[Countryboy]

I agree with Beeslave. Nurse bees will do the best job of keeping the eggs the right temperature, as long as the frame is covered with bees.

Transport the frame of eggs in a nuc box. Just make sure you have plenty of bees to cover the frame, and let them regulate the temperature.

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Similar advice to cmq. Pick a warm day. Take a nuc box, wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and secure it with cardboard in the nuc box so it doesn't jostle the frame. Place the frame in the box. Ask the supplier for another shake of nurse bees into the box; I read the best packing for bees was bees. Keep the heat on in the vehicle. House them quickly and carefully at home. Adrian.

[johng]

there is an incubator i have seen in some of my chicken magazines that plugs into your 12volt outlet. you would have to set it up a head of time so the temp would be right but, that would easily keep it 80 for a short 20 mile trip.

[sylus p]

Technicallly you're not going to be mixing genes until the new queens go on their mating flights.

So you could bring (your) bees to the eggs, let them raise queens there, and then transport the cells to mating nucs in your location. This would of course involve extra trips.

Otherwise just bring your friend three frames of brood and bees (or cash money) and leave with three frames of brood and bees. The bees will take care of the eggs.

just skinning cats...

[sylus p]

I have been told that temperature of the eggs during transportation is critical. I need advice on this temperature control and how to do it while in transit. Thanks!

The colder it is the more bees you will need to cover the brood and keep it warm, assuming the bees aren't climate controlled (in the cab). But the bees will do it for you if you enable them.

[Michael Bush]

I've never succeeded in starting queens from eggs. Just hatched larvae works...