[robere]

So I'm wanting to graft from someones hive next year. She lives about 20 miles away. I was trying to think of the best way to do it. My idea is to use one of my 2 frame nucs (bees closed in there with screen of course). Once I get there, we swap a frame of brood. Any other ideas?

 

[JWPalmer]

That is the best way. Second best is a frame wrapperld in a warm damp towel and carried in a small cooler with a bottle of hot water in it. Of course, if you have a 12V thermostatically controled frame carrier...

 

[Michael Bush]

Set up a swarm box (starter hive) with a lot of nurse bees, some frames of honey and pollen. Take it to the friend's yard. Graft. Put the grafted cells in the starter. Drive home. Put the starter in a cool place for 24 to 48 hours. Then put the started cells in the finisher.

 

[robere]

Set up a swarm box (starter hive) with a lot of nurse bees, some frames of honey and pollen. Take it to the friend's yard. Graft. Put the grafted cells in the starter. Drive home. Put the starter in a cool place for 24 to 48 hours. Then put the started cells in the finisher.

Hmmm. Interesting. Do the grafting there. Thanks

 

[Michael Bush]

Setting up a swarm box:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enUAOPyWrg8

 

[JConnolly]

If you were meaning that you take her a frame of brood and bees, and then bring home a frame of brood, eggs, and bees, then the brood is tended the whole time and it remains safely in comb during transport. That sounds like a good plan.

Why not graft and raise in place some queens at your apiary, and then help her graft and raise in place some queens at her apiary, and then swap queen cells the day before they emerge? You and your friend both get new queens with different new genetics for each apiary. Win + win.