# Grafting tips?



## Durstlight (Apr 25, 2013)

Ok, so I tried grafting this week for the first time. I had 3 cells take out of 20. Not a very high success rate, although I was still VERY excited to have any form of success...again this was my first time. 

I was wondering if any of you seasoned grafters could give me any tricks or tips to increase a higher success rate of the grafts? 

I will share the technique(s)I used for critique. 

I "wet grafted 10 and dry grafted 10. Nothing "took" in the dry graft cells. I'm not sure why the dry grafts were taken so poorly, there were a few grafts that to my judgment looked perfect? For The wet graft cells I used organic Royal Jelly from Y.S ECO BEE FARMS,to prime the cells .this is a food supplement for humans, being my first time I didn't have any of my own royal jelly. I will admit that in a few of the wet cells, I think I may have used too much RJ in priming the cells, the grafts didn't appear to "float" but rather almost submerge. 

I grafted in my house at room temp with no fan (we don't have A/C and it's been HOT!). 

I tried to keep the grafting process to a minimum of 10 to 15 mins, and then right into a nuke that was queen less for 24 )hours. 

I kept the newly grafted larva under a warm wet paper towel while working on other cells. 

I used the standard cell cups and steel grafting tool with a "cool" burning pen flashlight.

I believe the larva were all close to the same age. 

I was also wondering, amongst some of you Crusty Bee Wrangling Vets, what is an acceptable success rate for grafting? I know this is a very subjective questing and the answers could very well be all over the board but as time goes on and Lord willing my success rate goes up I'm just wondering what are some mile markers of being "successful"?

Any thoughts or suggestion will be very much appreciated as I'm heading back out to graft again next week. Thanks so much!!!


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Durstlight said:


> I used the standard cell cups and steel grafting tool with a "cool" burning pen flashlight.


Use the Chinese grafting tool, and graft the youngest larvae you can find with jelly under them. No need to prime.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

Read through this thread

http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...buying-anything&highlight=Grafting+jbeshearse


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

Don't be afraid to cut away the ajoining cell walls before digging under the target larvae. The lower the angle of the tool, the easier the scoop.

I see a lot new grafters jab in from the top -- this just makes it harder until you gain confidence.

Larvae can "drown", they must be able to get air to respire.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Was told that the larva have an up and a down. When you transfer them, make sure you don't flip them over or they drown.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

So many critical & seasonal aspects to rearing queens. Way too detailed to reply in a short post.
What works well in early spring, needs slight changes during the main flow. And all that changes in late summer with high temps, dearth periods, robbing & the bees natural tendency to brood down.

When I started rearing queens, I did my research for about a year prior, book marked all the techniques that appealed to me and when it came right down to doing it, would refer back to each method to refresh my memory.

A trial and error expectation in the beginning will get you started and keep you from being too disappointed.
Be sure to correctly identify where your weakness lies. Identifying and trying to correct the wrong problem will get you nowhere.

When I started, I chose both grafting and the Mann Lake grid system. Both types had the exact same partial success/partial failure rate. It was because of that I quickly realized it was my cell builder colonies that were the issue, not my grafting.
Your starter and cell builder colonies attitude, willingness & enthusiasm are more of a challenge than grafting. Grafting is fairly easy. Keeping your cell builder at their peak takes maintenance and resources. 

I use a queenless starter most of late spring & early summer, but I've also been using a modified method this year that is kind of a rotational queen right system. Not a cloake board, but similar in some respects. It has worked very well.

Rearing your own queens will make you extremely self sufficient. It's worth the effort.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Also take a look at your starter and finisher hive. Are they well fed and
teaming with young nurse bees? Yes, the hive condition is the most important
on the grafted larvae.


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## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

Michael Palmer said:


> Use the Chinese grafting tool, and graft the youngest larvae you can find with jelly under them. No need to prime.





jbeshearse said:


> Read through this thread
> 
> http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...buying-anything&highlight=Grafting+jbeshearse


There's your answer and if you graft from dark comb it is easier.


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## Durstlight (Apr 25, 2013)

Thank you so much for the insight and beautiful pictures Lauri! A few more questions....

how many cells are appropriate to graft at one time say in a 5 frame nuke box with a lot of bees that are fed well?(honey, syrup, pollen and pollen patty, just for insurance)

Do you use nuke boxes or just a rotating queen less hive? 

You said "keeping your cell builder at their peek takes maintenance and resources" could you please share what this entailes?
Again thanks for your time!


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## marshmasterpat (Jun 26, 2013)

Michael Palmer said:


> Use the Chinese grafting tool, and graft the youngest larvae you can find with jelly under them. No need to prime.


Somehow skipped over that last part of the first sentence the first few times I tried.


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## WilliamsHoneyBees (Feb 17, 2010)

No open brood in the cell builder and overflowing with bees helps acceptance. I have found poor takes sometimes and most generally they started cells of their own on frames of open brood. Set up your cell builder frames 10 days before you use them above excluders. Feed your breeder colonies thin syrup if there is no nectar flow so the larvae float on a larger pool of royal jelly. Practice practice.. good luck!


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