Well I took a big step today and grafted 30 larva. I am afraid that I did all that work for nothing. After getting the feel for it and being able to see the little newly hatched larva, I think the workers are not interested in raising a queen for me. The colony has been queenless and had or has laying workers. I did add a frame of brood several days ago and shook out all the bees, in hopes the laying workers would not be able to fly back.
So I had fed the colony yesterday and placed the cell bar into the hive for them to clean up. Then this afternoon I took the cell bar away and filled each cup with a larva. I could not keep my face out of the hive and checked back on them a few hours later. There were not any bees on the cell bars. The reason I had to check up was I figured it was going to be a flop. Am I being to anxious, I assume I should let them bee and worry about it in a few days.
With failure expected I went ahead and pulled 4 frames of brood from a strong hive, I then moved the original hive 30 feet away and set up a new 10 frame box for the brood and foragers to return to. I will be at work for the next 2 days starting at 0700 on Monday so I will not be able to check on them until Wednesday. They too were given a frame with 3 cell bars to clean up between now and then. Do y'all see any possible problems with that set up? The entrance is reduced down to about an inch, they were given sugar syrup. There is one frame with pollen and one with honey and the other two frames have capped and open brood. Before placing any grafts in there I plan on looking very very thoroughly for any queen cells and cull them. I am thinking with all the baby and nurse bees + the foragers they should be able to handle 30 or 45 grafts?
Feed back and constructive criticism in appreciated.
So I had fed the colony yesterday and placed the cell bar into the hive for them to clean up. Then this afternoon I took the cell bar away and filled each cup with a larva. I could not keep my face out of the hive and checked back on them a few hours later. There were not any bees on the cell bars. The reason I had to check up was I figured it was going to be a flop. Am I being to anxious, I assume I should let them bee and worry about it in a few days.
With failure expected I went ahead and pulled 4 frames of brood from a strong hive, I then moved the original hive 30 feet away and set up a new 10 frame box for the brood and foragers to return to. I will be at work for the next 2 days starting at 0700 on Monday so I will not be able to check on them until Wednesday. They too were given a frame with 3 cell bars to clean up between now and then. Do y'all see any possible problems with that set up? The entrance is reduced down to about an inch, they were given sugar syrup. There is one frame with pollen and one with honey and the other two frames have capped and open brood. Before placing any grafts in there I plan on looking very very thoroughly for any queen cells and cull them. I am thinking with all the baby and nurse bees + the foragers they should be able to handle 30 or 45 grafts?
Feed back and constructive criticism in appreciated.