# First Graft Date



## SDiver40 (Apr 14, 2013)

Cant answer for Alabama but here in NC i start grafting once i start seeing drones in the hive.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Pretty much the same here. I keep an eye open for drone rearing and try to encourage it early on, once I see many hives with lots of drone brood capped, I employ a little math and go from there.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

From mid February in southern coastal areas to early March farther north.


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Red maple started this year in mid February. Dandalions, hmmm, I don't have many of those around here honestly. Wish I did.

But we can get a good freeze (for us) in February, but this spring I hope to be pushing to find out. Have a few hives picked out and they will be getting pollen blocks and syrup in mid to late January to see what happens.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Since I'm not making a living selling queens, and my objective is to get the best mated queens possible, I wait until I have good populations of drones running the combs and some flying before I graft. In my area, that's typically late March to early April.


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

Hey All,

And thanks for the replies. I'm on lunch at work right now. I was kinda hoping to bring down some over wintered nucs and build out making nuc comb earlier than I could here. Not sure if the season overlap would be worth it tho.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Here is an old thread about this subject:

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?295832-Test-grafts

First 2014 grafts were early April, but did a couple successful walk away nucs early March.


No mites, purple eyes. Early April. Mature fat drones already flying.

Brutal photo..poor drones. They don't get no love..and even when they do, they still die


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

If you only have a few colonies, you might be better to not push too early. I've done better waiting for a good number of bees flying in and out of the hive after drones first appeared. I think I'm getting more swarming impulse that way, and I know I have enough colony strength to make up massively populated "bee bomb" cell builders with plenty of strong donor colonies.

If you have upwards of 12 strong colonies, you could push the date forward a bit by combining a medium sized colony with a strong colony in the early Spring, and give them a week to get acquainted and happy. This is the basis of your cell builder colony, up to size maybe 2 or 3 weeks early.

Michael Palmer borrows 7 or 8 frames of capped brood from over-wintered nucleus colonies to add to each of his highly populated "bee bomb" colonies (queen cell starter/finishers) 10 days before grafting. I tried this, and it works. You can do the same with the Cloake Board method. 

It does depend on how many bee resources you have - with fewer, it's probably better not to push the date forward. You'll probably end up with inferior queens, and not enough resources to get going when the season proper arrives.


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

Charlie,

I appreciated your reply since it was an extension of thought and concern in the correct direction. 
So I have about 160 colonies to play with. I know I could sit back and just wait. But I'd also like to check out another area of the country. If I get some good grafts in, it also pays for the trip. So, without arguing with myself, I'll probably take 40 or so strong nucs, get the inspected here, and get my permit to move to LA, and get a jump on queens for the season. I was just curious from others in the LA and coastal Alabama areas what their first graft dates tended to be, and if anyone had more info to share, all the better. Hopefully will be able to sneak by with an income from beekeeping 2015. Working as a carpenter 5 days a week right now...


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Mr. Lyon is right on as usual. Most start around Valentines day here. That puts you making up the splits around the end of Feb. and will put your new queens mating the around the second week of March. The weather can be unpredictable the first part of March but, normally there is atleast a little window for the queens to get mated. Most hives will start raising drones when the Maples start blooming in Jan. so drones are not normally the limiting factor the weather will play a bigger role in success.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't doubt Jim Lyon either! He's been at the game a good while, rubs elbows with some good beeks, and keeps a decent herd of bees.

With 160 hives to play with, start early. Early queens that mate and lay a good pattern bring in higher prices than in the peak of the season. Best of Luck!


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

Thanks kilo and John,

I think I am going to make the leap and drive most of the hives to Louisiana and give it a whirl. I'd like a heads up on the season. My biggest concern is that southern Lousiana isn't practically ahead of Piedmont NC enough to really make it worth it. Although last year was funky, March our red maple flowers were covered in ice. I didn't get a first graft till mid april. Though I know others who pollen fed and got end of March grafts here. I was also thinking of just moving some to NC coast, but that doesn't sound appealing. So I guess I'll plan on New Orleans to give it all a try. You only live once, 4 months of beekeeping, waiting tables at night and sleeping in my truck. 
-Sunday


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Why LA? Do you already know someone with a yard there? If not I would look for a place in South GA. or Florida. It would be a lot closer and you would get about the same benefit. If you can find a place with lots of Maple or Willow your bees will start brooding up big time in Mid. January-Feb.


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

John,

A friend lives in NoLa and so I have a spot I can at least crash from time to time. Via craigslist have been able to get some yards within an hour of the city. But no, it doesn't make sense compared to South Georgia or even coastal SC. I simply do not know anyone in those states. 
The main reason I like to head south and then back up north (originally NH) is the extra spring doubles my experience. So this year I figured I could work from January till October for a long nectar season. 
Know anyone closer to NC that I should contact?


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

You might want to poke your head into the federal bee research laboratory in Baton Rouge. Some of the best brains to pick in the nation.

I'd love to make a video road trip to all the big university and federal bee labs.


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## Dave1958 (Mar 25, 2013)

SDiver40 said:


> Cant answer for Alabama but here in NC i start grafting once i start seeing drones in the hive.


are they sexually mature or just when you see them?


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

I've been up and down VT to NC for last couple springs and fall. I suggest trips like that to anyone. It's fun-educational seeing the different timing in flows. (North to south, elevation, coastal verse inland) 

We'll see.


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