cell builder to finisher?

[rookie2531]

I grafted Sunday and looked at them on Tuesday. It seemed that more was accepted than really was. Many of the cells were being drawn down, but when I took a better look, a lot were empty. The ones that had larvae in them, I put in a queen right hive, top super box on top of a excluder.

1. Is 36 hours after grafting the best time to put in finisher?
2. I put the cells in the middle of a top super. The hive has one deep and two mediums. The excluder is under the top super, and no brood up there, just stores. Is that O.K.?

The reason for putting them in a finisher today was that I grafted again and put more grafts in the cell builder.

[Michael Bush]

>1. Is 36 hours after grafting the best time to put in finisher?

If the "starter" is a confined (not free flying) "swarm box" then I would put them in the finisher 24 hours later. 36 hours risks them running out of water or food.

>2. I put the cells in the middle of a top super. The hive has one deep and two mediums. The excluder is under the top super, and no brood up there, just stores. Is that O.K.?

I would put a frame of open brood on each side of the cells to draw the nurse bees up.


The reason for putting them in a finisher today was that I grafted again and put more grafts in the cell builder.

[rookie2531]

Thanks, Michael. My work has put me on 12 hour days, so it is hard keeping up with work and building boxes, other equipment and setting up stands and being online, I have been looking at post, but have very little time to reply. But I do appreciate all info. As I am reading and applying.

Thanks again.