i've only done a few, but they were on fair weather days and i'm able to get the frame into my garage in just a minute or so. i do get the temperature in the garage up to about 80f, and only graft about 20 larvae so it doesn't take too long. so far the grafts and the frame of brood have done just fine after putting them back in the hive. the only problem i've had so far was failing to see capped queen cells on the frames that i put into the cell builder, oops.
Grafting question
When one removes a frame with young larvae to graft from the frame is away from the hive and nurse bees for some time.
Is the remainder of the eggs, larvae and capped still viable when returned to the hive?
How long can one have the frame out without compromising the brood?
Are there tequniques,tricks that help maintain larval viability both for the grafted larvae and those still in the frame?
I believe I have the basic tools at hand, hives with brood frames. I still need to set up a nuc sized cell builder/finisher and drum up the courage to get started. I am motivated as have a few hives with Queens that aren't performing well and a couple that I believe remain Queenless despite buying them Queens and giving them brood.
Thanks.
Is the remainder of the eggs, larvae and capped still viable when returned to the hive?
How long can one have the frame out without compromising the brood?
Are there tequniques,tricks that help maintain larval viability both for the grafted larvae and those still in the frame?
I believe I have the basic tools at hand, hives with brood frames. I still need to set up a nuc sized cell builder/finisher and drum up the courage to get started. I am motivated as have a few hives with Queens that aren't performing well and a couple that I believe remain Queenless despite buying them Queens and giving them brood.
Thanks.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
This is a link to Dave Cushmans site, he writes about his experience grafting for a video. Two hours, harsh conditions, and the grafts took.
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/grafting.html
(Actually its Roger Pattersons experience, I think he contributes and maintains the site)
http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/grafting.html
(Actually its Roger Pattersons experience, I think he contributes and maintains the site)
Read Jay Smith on this; plenty of info there. The most important things are the density of bees in the starter + plenty of open stores (pollen + nectar) + hopelessly queenless. Pour some water into a frame also. Have a powerful colony as finisher also.
I'm saying this because I wanted to cheat a bit and didn't worked fine. I had almost 100% acceptances but the cells were most of them small. I'm through with queen rearing this year as I dissolved the finisher colony. So far I have 32 bee units, 7 of them have been given cells yesterday. Failures will be united with queenright colonies when the time comes to check for eggs in them.
In my case next year I will only do it by the book.
I'm saying this because I wanted to cheat a bit and didn't worked fine. I had almost 100% acceptances but the cells were most of them small. I'm through with queen rearing this year as I dissolved the finisher colony. So far I have 32 bee units, 7 of them have been given cells yesterday. Failures will be united with queenright colonies when the time comes to check for eggs in them.
In my case next year I will only do it by the book.
>Is the remainder of the eggs, larvae and capped still viable when returned to the hive?
Unless you really push it too long and they get too dried out, yes.
>How long can one have the frame out without compromising the brood?
Everything is a sliding scale. In four hours I would predict most of them would die. In two I would predict most of them would live... but things like humidity and wind and heat and cold all play a part...
>Are there tequniques,tricks that help maintain larval viability both for the grafted larvae and those still in the frame?
Wet towels, high humidity, no fans, fast work...
Unless you really push it too long and they get too dried out, yes.
>How long can one have the frame out without compromising the brood?
Everything is a sliding scale. In four hours I would predict most of them would die. In two I would predict most of them would live... but things like humidity and wind and heat and cold all play a part...
>Are there tequniques,tricks that help maintain larval viability both for the grafted larvae and those still in the frame?
Wet towels, high humidity, no fans, fast work...
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
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