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Author Topic: Making splits - pulling queens  (Read 3425 times)

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #20 on: February 08, 2020, 01:41:18 pm »
Thank you Mr. JimmyC, well worth the read.  Mr. Bush has some vast knowledge, can blow me away.

Latest toy, I can easily graft larva hours old, to small and translucent to see with naked eye.

I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #21 on: February 08, 2020, 01:44:11 pm »
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #22 on: February 08, 2020, 02:06:22 pm »
Very nice Van! I love the LED ring light, and that is a beautiful stand! I work a lot with microscopes. Most of them are older vintages - none so nice as that!

1 question though - how does temperature play into grafting? I keep hearing (reading) of the dangers of chilled brood. It seems to me that taking a frame of brood into a laboratory would have to have an impact on said brood.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #23 on: February 08, 2020, 02:13:22 pm »
As Mr. Bush and others have correctly claimed, the age of larva destined to become a queen is critical for a prime vibrant healthy queen.  My problem is larva hours old are translucent, clear and invisible in the semi opaque liquid.  When I see the jelly in the bottom of a cell, if I can?t see the larva with the naked eye, the larva are the best age.  If I can see the C shaped white larva with the naked eye, the larva is to old for my use.

The stereo microscope easily detects the youngest larva for grafting.  The scope readily makes visible the extremely tiny breathing tubes of the larva. I believe some beeks grafting larva are actually picking larva that I would deem to old to make the superior queens.  If the larva is a white letter C, I consider to old.  Translucent, clear larva are a guarantee to be under 24 hours.  In other words: Clear larva is crown for the queen, white larva withers a queen before her time.

Some very successful queen rearing friends of mine, graft with a jewelers head band, the ones that have several magnified lens.  These work great and are a fraction the cost of a stereo microscope.  Some beeks use the large lighted magnifying glass, also a winner.

Point is:  the better the view of the larva, the better the queen to be.

Van
« Last Edit: February 08, 2020, 02:58:13 pm by van from Arkansas »
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #24 on: February 08, 2020, 02:18:34 pm »
Very nice Van! I love the LED ring light, and that is a beautiful stand! I work a lot with microscopes. Most of them are older vintages - none so nice as that!

1 question though - how does temperature play into grafting? I keep hearing (reading) of the dangers of chilled brood. It seems to me that taking a frame of brood into a laboratory would have to have an impact on said brood.

Agreed Alan, I place my grafting frames on a small heating pad.  Ya know: The heating pads made for a bruised elbow, knee what ever.  The room temp where I graft is about 72-74F all spring and summer so brood chill is a serious issue.  The heated blanket, about 14 inches by 20 inches is prefect for a frame/cell warmer.
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline CoolBees

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #25 on: February 08, 2020, 06:37:03 pm »
Very nice Van! I love the LED ring light, and that is a beautiful stand! I work a lot with microscopes. Most of them are older vintages - none so nice as that!

1 question though - how does temperature play into grafting? I keep hearing (reading) of the dangers of chilled brood. It seems to me that taking a frame of brood into a laboratory would have to have an impact on said brood.

Agreed Alan, I place my grafting frames on a small heating pad.  Ya know: The heating pads made for a bruised elbow, knee what ever.  The room temp where I graft is about 72-74F all spring and summer so brood chill is a serious issue.  The heated blanket, about 14 inches by 20 inches is prefect for a frame/cell warmer.

That makes complete sense Van. I was wondering how it was done. ... with that said, I don't plan to be grafting, unless I have to. If the bees want to make queens, I'll let them.
You cannot permanently help men by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves - Abraham Lincoln

Online Ben Framed

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Re: Making splits - pulling queens
« Reply #26 on: February 08, 2020, 10:53:08 pm »
Take a quick read here:  http://www.bushfarms.com/beesemergencyqueens.htm

Alan to answer the question of your concerns, read Mr Bushs last three points here in this article posted by jimineycricket if you have not already, and you should rest easy that you have made the right decision in your circumstance. 



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« Last Edit: February 09, 2020, 08:24:50 am by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

 

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