I'd like to try grafting

[FordGuy]

Is it as simple as getting a grafting tool, buying cell cups (Jz BZ looks good - drill hole kind or top groove kind?) and spooning correct age larvae into cups then putting frame in a cell builder?

[TwT]

I guest you can say that, just picking the right age larva and some practice with a grafting tool learning not to roll the larva ect. , I use these kind of frames and cell cups http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/products.asp?pcode=505 and get a Chinese grafting tool, better buy about 5 of them because some are better than others, remember to keep the tip damp on the tool and then all you have to do is learn to make a cell builder  and know your time LIMIT when you have to move cells to nuc's, oh a another hot tip on cell builders, always use a queen excluder under hive body with cells, you would be surprised how queens can pop in one, last year I seen unmarked queen destroy about 90 cells and 2 weeks later in the same hive a marked queen showed up in the hive and killed cells, queens are marked after they are in a nuc and laying nice pattern AND PEOPLE SAY ONCE A QUEEN IS HUGE AND LAYING THEY CAN'T FLY (BAHAHAHAHAHAHA) , this one decided to leave hers and the cell builder took her with open arms, just remember is always helps to watch someone and ask questions instead of just doing it on your own, but you could do it own your own and Internet helps, a lot of videos   ;) look on you tube http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Ytgkb1sBU&feature=related, here is some

[Cindi]

FordGuy, I took a one day course on grafting with my Asian instructor that taught my initial beekeeping course.  It is not really that hard, but one must pay special attention during the grafting process.  The larvae must be no older than 18 hours (well it can be, but after that time the quality of the queen produced diminishes).  The younger the larvae is, the more royal jelly it has a chance to be fed and that produces superior queens.

When we were grafting the larvae, the larvae was not even really visible to the naked eye.  If the larvae was clearly visible, it was too old for good use.

It seemed to me that when we were grafting, that the cell that had the royal jelly in it without a visible larva was the one to choose.  That larvae would have just hatched from the egg and would be not very visible, just looked liked a shiny blob of royal jelly.

Do some research, leaning on the links that are and will be given here from forum friends.  Good luck, you will have some interesting times with grafting.  We used the Chinese grafting tool.

Keeping the tool moist is important, this may sound gross, but actually was not nor do I really think it is.  I would put the tip of the grafting tool in my mouth after each grafting to keep it moist so as not to have a dry tool tip scooping up royal jelly.  There is quite a technique to it, I never quite got that technique down pat, and when we had a test to see how many of 25 were capped by the bees, I only had 2.  That is terrrible results.  So you see, I really and desperately need to hone my grafting techniques, I was not really that good at it and freely admit it.  Have the best of a wonderful day, love this life.  Cindi

[JP]

Quote from Cindy:

Keeping the tool moist is important, this may sound gross, but actually was not nor do I really think it is.  I would put the tip of the grafting tool in my mouth after each grafting to keep it moist so as not to have a dry tool tip scooping up royal jelly. 

Just another example of the queen bee (aka, welcoming committee president) gettin' her royal jelly.  ;) :-* :-* :-D

....JP