1st grafting attempt

[greengumbo]

You haven't seen me threading a needle

I will have to give it a go. How late in the year can you realistically start grafts (I'm just looking and thinking it'll be later in August before I get a chance given holidays and all)?

Also what would I need equipment wise? Presumably some form of cell cups, I was looking at the Jz Bz type, then knock together a cell bar or two and fit in a frame?

Sorry - I've hijacked this thread!

Hi wmfd - you have very accurately described what I did - knock together a very rough looking cell bar with jenter or jzbz cells. The grafting bit is def the part with most mystique and also the easiest bit ! I was delighted with 2/6 taken.

[The Drone Ranger]

You haven't seen me threading a needle

I will have to give it a go. How late in the year can you realistically start grafts (I'm just looking and thinking it'll be later in August before I get a chance given holidays and all)?

Also what would I need equipment wise? Presumably some form of cell cups, I was looking at the Jz Bz type, then knock together a cell bar or two and fit in a frame?

Sorry - I've hijacked this thread!

Depends really what the plan for the queen is Wmfd if she is to replace an existing queen who will lay right up till your new queen takes her place

You would need 2 weeks for the queen to hatch and another 2 weeks or more till she mates then she needs to get introduced to the hive 5 days or so 5 or 6 weeks
That's all of August and well into September so I would be inclined not to delay getting the grafts done

Hijacked ?? you must be joking is great to have people posting

[Jon]

Hijacking threads is par for the course. You are in good company.
Most of my cell bar frames are made from ordinary frames with a second bar attached half way down.
I do have one single bar frame made from correx which has 12 base cups attached with tape.

Buzzy bee shop will sell you the stuff you want.

http://www.buzzybeeshop.co.uk/

I would have a go this year just to get my eye in then you can get yourself organised earlier for next year.

[Wmfd]

Hijacking threads is par for the course. You are in good company.
Most of my cell bar frames are made from ordinary frames with a second bar attached half way down.
I do have one single bar frame made from correx which has 12 base cups attached with tape.

Buzzy bee shop will sell you the stuff you want.

http://www.buzzybeeshop.co.uk/

I would have a go this year just to get my eye in then you can get yourself organised earlier for next year.

Thanks greengumbo, Drone Ranger and Jon, I'll get onto buzzbeeshop and get ordering, then work out how I'm going to squeeze in around holiday to try and get ahead of September.

I'd either be using any queens to replace a couple of nasty hives or trying to overwinter, but that's a long way off, would just be fun to try.

Any recommendations on which parts to use or are they much of a muchness?

Thanks,

David

[Jon]

You will need a dozen of the brown base cups, a dozen of the cream cups which attach on to them and a bag of 100 of the inserts.
I graft with the 000 paintbrush but most use the Chinese grafting tool.
Attach the brown base cups to an old frame and you are in business.

This is the basic stuff you need, and a few roller cages as well.

two good cells.jpg larva in cell cup.jpg larva on brush.jpg graft frame.jpg

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Wmfd

http://beeequipped.co.uk/component/o...,11/Itemid,29/
Mating hive these chaps are the cheapest
You dont need one of these if you are just making up queenless nucs because the cell can go directly into the Nuc hive

cell bar.JPG
this is what the cell bar looks like

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Beekeepers...item3a81303619
This is the chinese graft tool
chinese tool.JPG

Ebay has this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honey-Quee...item3cd31734a4
kit.JPG

[fatshark]

I'm late to the thread (partly because I've been out putting hair rollers round my current queen cells) and can add little to what others have suggested. Buzzy Bee Shop do a NC Queen Rearing Kit (10 Queens) for £9.75 +P+P. Coupled with a suitable brood frame (and I'd use brood to get the cell bar well down into the warm area between adjacent frames) and a fine paintbrush you'll be good to go. I'd add strong glasses if you need them and a head torch - both make seeing the small larvae much easier.

Practice makes perfect when grafting. If the weather holds there still ample time this year to get mated queens. I'll do my last round in mid-August probably.

Read up the threads on the Ben Harden system which is a single hive method of cell raising that needs little additional kit and does not interrupt honey production.

The most fun you can have with your beesuit on

[greengumbo]

I'm late to the thread (partly because I've been out putting hair rollers round my current queen cells) and can add little to what others have suggested. Buzzy Bee Shop do a NC Queen Rearing Kit (10 Queens) for £9.75 +P+P. Coupled with a suitable brood frame (and I'd use brood to get the cell bar well down into the warm area between adjacent frames) and a fine paintbrush you'll be good to go. I'd add strong glasses if you need them and a head torch - both make seeing the small larvae much easier.

Practice makes perfect when grafting. If the weather holds there still ample time this year to get mated queens. I'll do my last round in mid-August probably.

Read up the threads on the Ben Harden system which is a single hive method of cell raising that needs little additional kit and does not interrupt honey production.

The most fun you can have with your beesuit on

I wondered why people have the cells halfway down the brood frame. Thanks for clearing that up.

Did a second attempt last night but was clumsier this time round so will see if any take. The queen cell I thought was about to hatch in my nuc looked like the end had been chewed off by the bees ? No emerged virgin as a grub was still inside so I wonder if they decided to be happy with the mated queen I gave them. She had laid up a few frames so is doing well. Pity really as I was looking forward to trying out the mating nuc

[fatshark]

GG
The chewed away end is 'capping' which indicates the Q should emerge within 48-72 hours or so. It's usually the sign that you need to get the hair rollers on to avoid a virgin running riot through the rest of your grafts.

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi Greengumbo
I take it you could see a white grub in the chewed Queen Cell ?