Figuring out when to start grafting?

[Glen H]

Hi,
How do you know when it is safe to start grafting queens in a given area.
what are the signs or signals that say it's time to start grafting?
Is it when the day and night time temperatures reach a certain mark?
Is it when you see pollen coming in? Is it when the hive you want to graft from has X number of frames full of sealed brood....
I know there has to be drones flying by the time the queen is ready for here mating flights.
I'm having a really hard time finding out when people in my area generally start grafting to produce queens for splits.
I'm just north of Toronto in Ontario Canada.

there is so much info on why and how to graft queens but not when to start specifically. I don't want to start too early or to late.

Glen

[Robo]

A quick rule of thumb is if your hives have capped drone cells.   This will give time to have sexually matured drones when the queen is ready to mate.

[BeeMaster2]

What Robo said, open the drone cells. When you see purple eyed larvae you are good to go. Do not worry about killing a few of your drones. Your queens will not mate with any of the queens in your apiary. Do you have any other apiary's within a few miles of you?
Jim

[Glen H]

Thanks guys, Will be in the hives today and have a look for capped Drone cells.
I have to assume so, due to the fact That one hive swarmed last year and the virgin Queen went out and got mated.


Glen

[BeeMaster2]

So what did you find?
Jim