day four queen rearing, just at the eggs stage what to do???

[Glen H]

Hi
I'm in the process of starting queens for grafting.
I'm using the Cloake board method.

On Monday,(it's now Thursday) I put on the cloake board turned the hive base put in the queen excluder and put a drawn frame of wax in forthe queen to lay in. it was placed right beside a frame she was working on in the middle of the lower brood box, that was day 1. yesterday I pushed in the board to make the top box think they are queenless in the plan of grafting today on day 4.
When I brought the frame in to graft It was full of eggs still standing upright.

I pulled the board back out to allow the upper bees to mingle with the lower, didn't want to leave them queenless for another day.
Was that the right move???

Also the queen was on the frame that I pulled to graft today. So thous eggs that are standing upright. how do I know if they will be ready tomorrow or the next day??? If it's tomorrow then I need to put the board back in. Or will it be the day after next???

Any thoughts or suggestions. I'll be pulling the frame again tomorrow at this time 5:00pm to check and if they are ready I'll graft.
I guess the queen didn't jump onto the frame on day one and have no clue what day she did move onto it.


Thanks
Glen

[RayMarler]

Eggs...
The day they are laid they stand straight up.
The second day they are tilted over about 45 degrees or so.
The third day they lay down and turn into a worm late that day.
The fourth day is when I graft.
Hope this helps.

[Glen H]

Eggs...
The day they are laid they stand straight up.
The second day they are tilted over about 45 degrees or so.
The third day they lay down and turn into a worm late that day.
The fourth day is when I graft.
Hope this helps.

Thanks Ray
They are straight up so she must have laid them today. She has a mind of her own and is not following the schedule of my Excel Spread sheet.  :roll: LOL She was on the frame when I pulled it today.

So in this case there is no point in me pulling the frame again until Saturday morning, the day after tomorrow!?!?!?

Glen

[RayMarler]

Yep, Saturday morning once it's warmed up outside. I would close off the cloake division a couple of hours before grafting. Have fun and good luck!

Oh, wait, I thought they were straight up yesterday? If yesterday, then Saturday morning is the day. If today, then Sunday morning is the day.

[Glen H]

Yep, Saturday morning once it's warmed up outside. I would close off the cloake division a couple of hours before grafting. Have fun and good luck!

Oh, wait, I thought they were straight up yesterday? If yesterday, then Saturday morning is the day. If today, then Sunday morning is the day.

Yes yes you are right Sunday will be the new day 4!  8-) My math is off.

[Glen H]

To Sunday, my new day four, I grafted a bar of larva for the first time. It was easier then I though tit would be, So far.
Tomorrow I'll see if the workers have excepted any of the larva I grafted. I hope so!!!



Glen

[capt44]

I use a timing box.
I got the plans from Fat Beeman.
I pull a frame of eggs from the center and move it to the outside compartment.
I can pull the frame and check for brood.
As soon as I pull the frame and I don't see eggs but the cell is wet, it's time to graft.
I usually put the cloake board in and put my empty cell bar in for them to polish them.
24 hours later I graft and place the cell bar with larva in the top box.
24 hours later they should have drawn the cells out from 1/8 -1/4 inch.
I then pull the board and make the box queen rite to finish the cells.
Days 10,11 and 12 stay out of the box.
It is a Sensitive Development Stage.
Day 13 the cells should be capped and ready for mating nucs or caged with tender bees or place the cell bar in the incubator if it is cool weather.
Day 16 they will emerge from the cells.

[Glen H]

Captain,
What is your day one, the day the queen lays the eggs?

Glen

[capt44]

Yes day 1 is when I pull the frame from the center compartment of the timing box that has eggs.
I move it to the outside compartment.
I check that frame each day until I see a wet cell.
Then I graft.

[Glen H]

I built this timing box, from this you tube video. He calls it a Queen Castle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uuNa6s1WaI


Glen