Welcome, Guest

Author Topic: Bees will not deal with grafts  (Read 4472 times)

Offline thomas

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Bees will not deal with grafts
« on: September 03, 2013, 02:24:10 pm »
The hive has been queenless for about a week and a half i took out the old queen and then i went back and took out all queen cells and made sure they had none hid. I shook all the bees of every frame to make sure no cells to be found so i went and did a graft and put them in and 24hrs. later i went back and the grafts was gone no larvae or anything. So i went on a search to make sure there was no more queen cells and none to be found and now they have no queen or fresh larvae to make one so i am wondering what happen i am going to graft again Wednesday and give it one last chance.


Thomas

Online Michael Bush

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 19807
  • Gender: Male
    • bushfarms.com
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2013, 09:00:29 am »
Try just giving them some eggs and open larvae and see what happens.  Maybe your grafts are too old, or too dry, or too cold, or flipped over, or ...
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
-------------------
"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin

Offline mikecva

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 983
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2013, 03:01:43 pm »
I am far from an expert, but those who taught me stressed moving fast or being in a warm area so things stay warm when transferring. As Michael said maybe to dry, my instructor professed wetting the grafting tool with by putting the end in my mouth to wet the end (but then he was an old beek so he showed me what he learned). I have only grafted 5-6 times over the last 20 years but always with success. My back no longer allows my to stay bent over long enough.   -Mike
.
Listen to others but make your own decisions. That way you own the results.
.
Please remember to read labels.

Offline thomas

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 23
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2013, 02:46:05 am »
Thanks Guys but i put a warm cloth over my grafts when i am doing this and i never leave them uncovered until i put them in the hive. I did another graft my larvae was two days old very tiny and i did not roll any of them and i took them to the hive and as soon as i put them in the bees started moving right onto the frame and i saw some bees was in side the cells so if this does not work i have another queen that is laying on hand so i will keep you guys informed .

Offline ozbee

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 30
  • Gender: Male
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2013, 03:31:37 am »
queen less     for a week plus you most likely have a drone layer causing you the grief  . i do 500 queen cell a week on average 24 hrs is all you need  .

Offline merince

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 130
    • Maria's Bees
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2013, 12:41:34 pm »
If they have been queenless for a week and a half all the brood would have been capped and the nurse bees may have stopped producing royal jelly. It takes them a little bit to get them going again and by that time the larvae may be too old.

Next time if you have such a long queenless period, try "priming" them with a frame of eggs and open brood for 2-3 days before you insert the grafts.

Offline tefer2

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 2318
  • Gender: Male
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2013, 09:27:02 am »
 Also feed so they have resources to make royal jelly.

Offline Jim134

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 3045
  • Gender: Male
    • Franklin County Beekeepers Association
Re: Bees will not deal with grafts
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2013, 09:53:09 am »
The hive has been queenless for about a week and a half i took out the old queen and then i went back and took out all queen cells and made sure they had none hid. I shook all the bees of every frame to make sure no cells to be found so i went and did a graft and put them in and 24hrs. later i went back and the grafts was gone no larvae or anything. So i went on a search to make sure there was no more queen cells and none to be found and now they have no queen or fresh larvae to make one so i am wondering what happen i am going to graft again Wednesday and give it one last chance.


Thomas
Are you not a little late to try grafting in Virginia ?
This there still drones flying around ?
Isn't it a little cold at night time ?  
And in the daytime also ?
It has been my experience queen bees do not mate well under 65F



             BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may  remember,involve me and I'll understand"
        Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways."
 John F. Kennedy
Franklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/