queen grafts and weather temps.

[Yankee11]

Here's my issue,

I did my grafts a week ago today.  The weather has me worried now on timing the splits. It is supposed to start raining today and heres the temps for next 3 days.

Todays high 57 low 57- 80% chance of rain
Mon  High 60 Low 43-  40% chance of rain
Tues High 63 Low 40-  30% chance of rain
Wed High 68 Low 49 Sunny

Wed would be day 10 after grafting. My plan was to make up nucs on Tuesday. Would the 40 degree night Tuesday night be a Issue?

Keep in mind I have a cabinet style incubator with digital controls. And I have roller cages to put the queen cells in.

[LazyBkpr]

Are you sure you got one day old Larvae?
   If you are, I would make up the nuc's on wed night and put the cells in on Thurs. Morning.
   Wed would be day 13/14 if you got freshly hatched Larvae. Thursday will be day 15. The queens will emerge on day 16.
   If you got an older Larvae it will emerge on Thrusday, so if you put the cells in early you may still be fine.  Running on the edge!
   You could also make the nuc's up wed morning and put the cells in wed evening if your not certain of the age of the Larvae.

[Yankee11]

That's just it. I am not sure, but pretty sure. My partner did one bar and I did the other. SO, I can't say for sure and it would only take one to hatch early and ruin all 8.

I would even feel better to have them in the nucs Tuesday but the 39 degree low worries me. With what Iddee said about his trap out frosting the first night, maybe 39 degrees will be fine. You think a nuc could keep the queen cells warm enough?

Heck, I had a queen hatch out this past Feb wen we had 3 days under 20 degrees.

Weather sure complicates things.

[LazyBkpr]

As long as you make sure there are enough bees to cover the frames of brood WELL and you put the cell on/between those frames of capped brood, I can't imagine there would be a problem with them keeping her from getting chilled.

[Yankee11]

I think you are right. I sometimes fret to much about these bees and they are actually pretty hardy.

I am gonna go with the queen rearing calender regardless of the weather. I think they will cope. Nucs made up Tuesday, day 9 after grafting and put queen cells in on Wed. 10th day after grafting.

Thanks,

[LazyBkpr]

Keep us informed Yank. We need pictures too! Stop slacking and get to snapping!!   

[tecumseh]

you have an incubator... man I am jealous.

I would place the cell in the incubator and wait for warmer weather.   if the weather is too cool too long you might need to transfer the queens in their roller cages to a small queenless unit just to keep them fed.  I like the idea of caging the queen cells and then installing them after the cells have hatched.  for one thing it gives you a much clearer picture of how many cells never hatch and also reduces the time any small populated box of bees is queenless.

again do keep us informed of you progress.

[Yankee11]

Hey Tec,

If I put queens in the bator and they hatch. Cant I put Honey and water on the sides of the cage or a qtip for food and water.
Would she feed herself for a few days?

This would sure take some pressure off and get me through this stupid cold rainy weather.

[tecumseh]

I would think so but again I have never used an incubator.  Some people do suggest that after the virgin has emerged you need to go back and remove the hulk of the queen cell and crush this < some people have told me that 'shy' queen will return to the cell and refuse to come out and they then die there.