That 2 sides of brood she laid up would make perfect grafts and you know the timing of when to move them!
That 2 sides of brood she laid up would make perfect grafts and you know the timing of when to move them!
Castor, how many cells do you need for each round of nucs? I do understand that you've bought into using this kit but so far it's cost you at least four days which might not seem much but if that was repeated over a series of half a dozen batches it becomes a heavy cost. There's enough time lost when other stages of the process go wrong for various reasons without struggling to get eggs laid in the first place.
Cut cell strips or even the Miller method might be as useful for raising a couple of dozen queens.
edit: Not a very helpful post, I know, but having tried the same kit that you're using a few years ago I reckon I've seen enough of it to have some valid opinions even if they don't help you!
Last edited by prakel; 16-07-2014 at 07:35 PM.
Agreed, Sir.
I have to find a way through this that is consistent and repeatable - and I am hearing the "Graft" message long and loud.
As things sit I have the luxury of "no big deal" if it all goes horribly wrong - as you imply, on another occasion that delay could mean success or failure.
In reality the Corpularve is showing its shortcomings, but I have to put it down to the vagaries of the queen so I can be Right. I'm an engineer and have to be Right.
So Chinese grafting tool, stainless steel cranked thing or tiny sable paintbrush?
Or the miller method if you have concerns over sight. Let the bees work it out for you, but make sure the starter is right -this is where so many people get the walk away split method wrong and end up with stop-gap queens ...but that's for another thread...
If you're only after a few queens (always aim for more than you need so that you can actually select rather than just raise) and enjoy MAKING it work I reckon the Corpularve is probably as good as anything. I know that there are people who do very well with it but I'm always trying to cut out avoidable operations.
I had a lovely stainless Swiss grafting tool which I put down and never found again, at present I'm using a cheapo 000 brush out of a multi-pack from 'The Works' which most certainly isn't sable, really makes no difference in practice although some will say it does! If you're using plastic cups (which you have already) then the 'sable' brush is probably easier than the stainless tool; no experience of the Chinese type.
Last edited by prakel; 16-07-2014 at 08:39 PM.
Castor … just replied to your grafting thread. Should also have added … have you seen the fatbeeman video where he cuts a slice from freshly laid up com and fixes it to a cell bar.
Hang on, let me look … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y64cKn4rLNM
Edit … I see prakel has covered most things as well (cut cell strips). I also have a lovely stainless steel grafting tool. It's rubbish in comparison to a small paintbrush
Last edited by fatshark; 16-07-2014 at 09:57 PM.
How did you "condition " the cassette?
I put a drop of honey in each plastic cell and insert into hive 2 days prior to confining her maj.
Ensure the workers clean out each cell.
Whoooh .... I've just spotted a BIG flaw in Michael's very interesting and informative talk.
He starts by telling a story in which he was questioned about why he has just bought-in 100 queen bees, when he could so easily have been raising his own queens ... and he proceeds to ask the audience the same question for, as he points out, raising queen-bees is relatively straightforward. After all, the bees have been doing it unaided for a long time now ...
But - when he had just bought-in 100 queens - what was the size of his operation at that time ? He doesn't say, but I'd guess at least a couple of hundred colonies - and so he had a large number of existing colonies from which to select his initial breeding stock.
But what hope does the small beekeeper have of rearing from their existing stock 'in year one' when they may have only a handful of colonies to choose from ? Unless of course, the beekeeper is already blessed with stock having very good characteristics. If not, then there'll be a need for several decades over which to improve their genetics ...
Alternatively - they could buy-in some decent stock to start rearing from, and I know which of these options I'm choosing.
But - still a good talk, despite the above comment.
LJ
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