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Offline Mosti

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Queen less hive
« on: June 10, 2015, 05:27:36 am »
I have a queen less hive at the moment. The workers are packing it up due to a present flow. My first thought to get a queen for them. However I am thinking into making my first attempt at queen rearing.
so here comes the big question. ..if I give them a frame with queen cups,leave them to it for 24 hours and attempt grafting will it work? I have read and watched how it is done in proper ways but was just thinking the above. At this point in time I'm aware that it will take longer to get the hive going again.
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Offline Perry

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2015, 07:12:01 am »
Why not just add a frame with eggs and let do what comes natural?
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2015, 09:42:57 am »
You could try notching the frames, or Cell punch, or full out grafting if you have good eyes and a steady hand...
   A lot depends on what you have for hives, how many queens you want?  A good strong nuc and some notched cells will get you six to nine queens. A strong hive with punched or grafted cells can get you thirty or more..
   If you have three or four hives.... As Perry said, give them eggs, and they will draw out four or five cells.
   Its always fun to consider the options!
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Offline pistolpete

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2015, 11:25:18 pm »
I'm a big fan of the OTS (on the spot notching) method for raising small numbers of queens.  The main difference between OTS and just popping in a frame of eggs is that you get queen cells drawn where you want them.  Grafting is great if you want large numbers of queens, but otherwise not worth the effort.
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Offline Mosti

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #4 on: June 11, 2015, 01:44:22 am »
notching looks interesting. ...
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Offline capt44

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2015, 04:04:01 pm »
Be careful putting a frame of brood and eggs in a hive for them to draw out a queen cell.
Here in the Central US I am selling a lot of queens to folks that tried doing just that.
Putting in a frame of eggs and brood doing a walk a way type queen rearing.
This is one of those weird years that they might or might not draw out a queen cell.
If you have a queen cell in another hive it would be better to install it with a protective cage.
Remember from the time the egg is laid until you have a laying queen takes approximately 29 days.
That would be around July 13th.
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Offline Barbarian

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2015, 11:43:07 pm »
This year, due to bad weather, the hives are weeks behind normal.

I have a strong nuc which I made Q less a week ago. Today, I hope to go in --- remove any started Q cells --- and give them a frame of eggs from one of my better queens. I am only after one new Q.
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Offline Mosti

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Re: Queen less hive
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2015, 06:56:25 am »
Thanks all.I am will get them a laying queen by the end of this week  . I will post the progress here. ....
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