Author Topic: Your method? (Read 15741 times)

LazyBkpr · « **on:** December 07, 2013, 10:43:31 pm »

OK!!! what method do you use? OR are you planning to use?
Hopkins? Doolittle? Alley? Smith? How many "Methods are there really? LOL

I will probably try Miller and the Cell punch if I only need a Queen or three, and the Hopkins if I need quite a few... With my eyes and BUSTED UP old hands I have my doubts about being able to graft....

G3farms · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2013, 11:48:38 pm »

I just need a few every now and then and just make a split, they will give several good cells.

robo · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2013, 10:17:04 am »

When I use to raise a fair amount of queens, I double wet grafted. Grafting becomes an art, and the more you do the better you are at it. If you are only raising a few queens, the Nicot system works well. Here is a page a put together for using the Nicot system (with a Cloake board).
http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/queen-rearing/

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2013, 10:46:49 am »

ROBO!!!! Good to see you here!!
Thank you for the Link! I have considered that... and may give it a go as time progresses.. need to make a cloak board while the snow is whirling about so I can give it a go.. seems a little more technical than the more simpler methods I mentioned.. but Imagine.. like Grafting.. that it gets easy after you have done it a time or two?

robo · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2013, 10:55:44 am »

The Nicot system is not hard as long as you follow a few critical steps (miss these steps and you end up with nothing) and a strict calendar. The Cloake Board method gets you maximum return from minimal resources, so also good for backyard beekeepers.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2013, 02:11:34 pm »

Good to know!! Thanks!!!

ralph · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2013, 01:23:50 pm »

I think I'm settled on grafting in wax cups. When capped transfer to 93 degree incubator. Then another round of grafts in the same cell builder. Then transfer to incubator when capped. Then use said cell builder to bank virgins temporarily as they hatch out of incubator.

I've experimented with hatching queens in cages in the cell builder but it seems they have a hard time incubating the cells when they have air space between them and the wax so. The incubator is where I ended up the tail end of this year.

Just a cheap $40 adjustable thermostat one from tractor supply with a dc computer fan rigged up inside to make it a 'circulated air' one.

G3farms · « **Reply #7 on:** December 09, 2013, 01:37:12 pm »

Need pics of the incubator.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #8 on:** December 09, 2013, 01:39:33 pm »

Indeed! A chicken egg incubator?

robo · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2013, 02:43:07 pm »

A nuc sized box works good for a queen cell incubator. You want to make it deeper if you are using a light bulb as the heater. If you make it well insulated, you can even use it to transport.

I have had mixed results with temperature controllers. The worst thing to happen is for it to fail with the heat on. I burnt 2 5 gallon pails of honey in a honey heater cabinet when the controller failed to shut the heater off. I have recently put together and Arduino controller from parts off of eBay for like $25 with 3 sensors to hopefully prevent reliving my overheating incident. A lot of the cheap controllers have poor regulation as well.

Oh, and just like incubating chicken eggs, don't forget to add a wet sponge for humidity.

ralph · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2013, 03:57:34 pm »

Aight peopleses.

Here's some pics of my extremely high tech queen stuffs.

ralph · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2013, 03:58:05 pm »

and part two...

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2013, 06:25:29 pm »

Well aint that just slick! Well thought! and Well assembled! you put the queens in introduction cages when they hatch? I like the setup.. but not so sure how successful I would be at grafting.. I shake like a dog... errr... a lot..

ralph · « **Reply #13 on:** December 09, 2013, 07:14:22 pm »

Quote from: "LazyBkpr"

you put the queens in introduction cages when they hatch?

The queens are already in the intro cages. I direct release virgins to 24 hour old queenless splits who have mostly nurse bees. They are instantly accepted.

Usually any queenless hive will accept a virgin. Sometimes they will kill her in favor of cells they have already got started/capped. Just depends on their ideas.

I'm generaly trembly too. I brace the palm of my hand against the bottom bar on the frame and hold the tool with both hands at times.

more than one way to skin the kitty.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #14 on:** December 09, 2013, 11:20:13 pm »

cell punch tool already made fifteen bucks includes price of shipping..

http://www.carriagehousebeeproducts.com ... ow/2870477

robo · « **Reply #15 on:** December 10, 2013, 07:53:51 am »

I've attached plans for a nuc style incubator in the DIY section. With this, you can directly move the cell bar frame from the cell builder to the incubator. I'll try to get some pics of my homebuilt arduino controller if anyone is interested in building one.

iddee · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2013, 08:06:27 am »

I know cross posting is frowned upon on most forums, but would you put this under the do-it-yourself forum, also? Thanks.

tecumseh · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2013, 05:32:14 pm »

i graft into purchased beewax cell cups with a wood dowel base. I almost always use a swarm box and lot of young queenless brood bees for starting cells. Some times I use a finisher for the final step although at some point the starter may also become the finisher. I use two sizes of swarm boxes depending primarily on how many cells I need to produce.

fatbeeman · « **Reply #18 on:** December 24, 2013, 07:57:50 pm »

I have several videos up on utube about queens and I think just cutting them out is about the best. for a few or a lot it works fine.
Don

Crofter · « **Reply #19 on:** December 24, 2013, 09:15:53 pm »

Quote from: fatbeeman on December 24, 2013, 07:57:50 pm

I have several videos up on utube about queens and I think just cutting them out is about the best. for a few or a lot it works fine.
Don

Don, I like your one about cutting cell strips and waxing them onto a bar. With those big old hands of yours it shows that it doesnt have to be delicate work.

Good stuff