# Wanted photos



## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Could someone post a photo of a day old larva with a egg next to it in the next comb? 

It would be nice if I had something I could see to judge the size comparison.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Not perfect but a couple pics.









See the slight curve to the egg in photo above?..just ready to hatch here. The eggs get larger as they get closer to hatching time and get a slight bend to them as they hatch. I both graft and use the grid. In the grid, I look for a tiny dab of jelly, but can't see the larva. If I can easily see the larva at first glance I usually pass on it for younger. It's easy to be a little faster and more efficient. 

I write the time I install the queen and know exactly to the hour the maximum age of the larva/eggs. This photo also shows the grid with _used _brown cell cups. ( You see them on the right two cups) I call it a 'dirty' grid. That means I left all unused eggs and larva from the last batch and just added new brown cell cups where they were needed. I wash out the grid with a spray of hot water and let it dry. When I put it in dirty, or with previously used cups it just takes an extra day for the bees to clean and polish the cells so the queen can lay. If I put it in without the queen installed for them to clean, they may ignore it or start filling the cups with nectar.

Mann Lake says there is significantly reduced laying in used cups. I have absolutly found that _not_ to be true. 

Below: Too old









Maybe something here you can use


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

very nice pics Lauri. I really like the depiction of different age larva up the frame. I have old eyes that's the first time I have seen an egg in years.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

Lauri, those pics are awesome!


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

Photo by Jeff LaSorsa










The camera makes the larva stand out more in the second picture than they actually do to the naked eye. Notice though that they are not much bigger than eggs - but the larva have segments.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

I call this one grafter's delight. Almost everything on this frame was graftable. Other than size you want to pick larvae that are still on clear jelly.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Very good pictures. Thanks.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

JBJ - can that picture be reused?


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

Cant see any harm to it. Not too bad for a cell phone pic. I am trying to take more pictures of everything this year.

What do you want to use it for?


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Thanks guys, it is what I was looking for


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Looking at these pictures again and have some questions.

Lauri - Did you shave the comb off the plastic foundation on that last picture to get the larvae easier?

JBJ - What type of foundation is that in your last photo?

Once again thanks for the help and sorry about all the questions. Just trying to get over the learning curve on so many things here. Thanks again.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

marshmasterpat said:


> Lauri - Did you shave the comb off the plastic foundation on that last picture to get the larvae easier?


This is another reason I like the black rite cell foundation. The cells are deep enough to remove the comb and the eggs/larva -W- jelly still sit in the depressions.
With new soft comb like this I take my knife and scrape it back. With tough old comb, I just grab it with my fingers and rip it off the foundation in small patches. It leaves the larva exposed for easy grafting. 
This works well when you have the right age larva in one area. If you have to pick and choose here and there for the right age of course you'd have to go cell by cell.

In this photo, you can see in the upper right, I harvested larva the day before and it is almost all repaired, with a couple queen cells built to boot. I took my larva and put this frame back into a queenless split to let some of the eggs hatch. The next day I took a second batch from the new spot you see that has the comb removed. The day before, the repaired area was just as clear of comb as the current one.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

JBJ said:


> Cant see any harm to it. Not too bad for a cell phone pic. I am trying to take more pictures of everything this year.
> 
> What do you want to use it for?


Broadly speaking - educational purposes. I write articles for our club website and do presentations at meetings, and beginners classes, and I'm always looking for good powerpoint slides or pictures for website articles. Whenever I post anything online I consider it to be going into the public domain for non commercial use. But I know that's just me.

What kind of cell phone did you use?


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

marshmasterpat said:


> Looking at these pictures again and have some questions.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Not sure... it just basic black waxed plastic foundation.


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## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

David LaFerney said:


> Broadly speaking - educational purposes. I write articles for our club website and do presentations at meetings, and beginners classes, and I'm always looking for good powerpoint slides or pictures for website articles. Whenever I post anything online I consider it to be going into the public domain for non commercial use. But I know that's just me.
> 
> What kind of cell phone did you use?


It was a Samsung Note 2. I have gotten several amazing photos with it. I am hoping to get the Note 4 this fall with even a better camera. That photo would make a great teaching slide.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)




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