[iivydriff]

The last batch of queen cells i grafted I checked in on them about day four after the grafts and my cells were huge. The biggest queen cells ive ever seen. They had already started some drone comb on the cell bar frame. I cut it out at that time. Well come time to pull the cells the whole frame was new drone comb and packed with nectar and ruined all my cells. this has happened to me about 3 times. Once this year and twice last year. I was feeding them syrup all three times it happened. i regrafted today and im not going to feed them anything. Im using a booming hive its big. This time I put an empty frame with a starter strip two frames over from my cell bar. I only grafted 10 cells last time this time I grafted 30 onto the frame. Im using the Ben Harden method. With the Dummy frames, but Ive had it happen in the past without them. I also moved a honey super right over the top of the cell bar box. If i can get it right this hive will make a bunch of nice queen cells. Also the hive is queenless so its not exactly the Ben Harden method, because the hive is not queenright. Im thinking with the hive this big maybe I dont need the dummy frames in there to block space and congregate the bees right through the center, and across the cell bar frame. Anybody got any tips to help me out?

 

[RayMarler]

I think this round may do better for you, you must be in a great flow. Put a frame of mostly pollen next to your cell bar frame. Good luck.

 

[iivydriff]

Ok Thanks. I did Place a frame of pollen next too the grafts. And the flow is on in a big way right now. It might have been even better to have grafted even more cells than i did this time. My thoughts on the first round was to only graft 10 and get some really big nice queen cells and hopefully some really well fed queens. I think i can still get that with 30 grafts, and not all of them will be accepted im sure.

 

[RayMarler]

Normally, if you have your timing down, you can cut the cells out of the drone comb they build around them. Use a sharp fillet knife or small sharp paring knife.