# First time Grafting



## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I tried grafting some queen cells Wed. the 15th. I checked them this morn the 17th and it looks like I've got 12 out the 16 cells being made into queens!! I'm very excited so far. I used store bought wax cups, a Chinese grafting tool and a flash light. I had a hard time seeing the youngest larva to graft. All I could really see was a small pool of royal jelly so I knew there was a larva there. I finally just started scooping up the whole pool and placing it in the cups just as it was in the donor cell. I know its still early in the process but, I'm incouraged so far. Everything I've learned about grafting came from this site!! So thanks for all the info!


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## Mbeck (Apr 27, 2011)

Awesome!
Sound like you did a good job!


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Yep, many times I graft that very same way, myself. Keep up the good work, and welcome to queen cell grafting.


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

Thanks for the post John, I'm going to be doing that exact same thing here in a couple months. Unfortunately I don't have the weather you do.

Where did you get your wax cups? I got mine from Rossman. In 25 years when I finish off the first pound, I think I'll try making my own.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

I bought the cups from a local bee suplier. (Debs Bee Supply) She had a small bag for 5$ so I thought what do I have to loose. For less than 10$ I would give it a try. I think when mine run out I will try to make some too.


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## Solomon Parker (Dec 21, 2002)

They're much more economical than the plastic ones as well. Plastic ones cost 5-10 cents, wax cost 2.4.


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## Michael Johnston (Nov 25, 2007)

You should go to your local chain drug store and buy some strong reading glasses. I'm over 50 and I use 2.25 for reading but 3.25 for grafting. I'm impressed that you got as good a take as you did without being able to see the larvae.
I think that the plastic cell cups are the way to go. They can actually be put through a solar wax melter and used again. I don't do it but I know people who have.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

Sounds good,
I'm going to try again this year. Just bought a magnifying light with LED's. They don't generate heat, so shouldn't dry the larva.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Michael Johnston said:


> I think that the plastic cell cups are the way to go. They can actually be put through a solar wax melter and used again. I don't do it but I know people who have.


Oh yes definately use them again. Not sure about the solar wax melter though because what you need to clean is the dried dob of royal jelly in the bottom of the cell not eaten by the previous queen. We would collect the cell cups at the same time we caged queens. We made a tool by grinding the end of an old hack saw blade to the shape of the bottom of the cell, and wrapping some tape around the other end of the blade to make it easy on you hand when using it. Once we had a box of dirty cells we would sit down and clean them by puting in the blade and giving it a quick twist. You can do several thousand cells in not too long of a time.

Before the next graft, the cells are put in a hive for a few hours for a final clean before being grafted into.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I don't know - I put all of my used JZBZ cups from last year in a crock pot full of wax and they came out looking like new - except with a nice wax coating. I don't know how well it will work, but I'll see soon. I was surprised to see that I had used over 150 of them.


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## MattDavey (Dec 16, 2011)

Just wondering... Has anyone used an eye dropper to graft? Then wouldn't necessarily need to see the larvae as clearly?

Thanks
Matthew Davey


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I've seen an Eastern European video where the larvae are washed out of their cells with warm water (Edit: it actually is a honey solution - see Tomekmiodek, post #15), then they are plucked out of the [honey solution] and placed into [primed] queen cell cups. It worked well, but I don't think I'll ever need to do it that way.


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## Tomekmiodek (May 1, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4b-n7tEp4E&feature=player_embedded that is the video


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Yes, that is the video. It is certainly a fascinating technique. I will probably try it someday just to see, for myself, how well it works.


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## Tomekmiodek (May 1, 2010)

there is honey water, 40% honey, temperature - 30 celsius


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

Here is a pic of my cell bar. Its not a great pic I will get some more right before I harvest them. http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa100/rgraf/queen cells/?action=view&current=IMAG0011.jpg


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## DRAKOS (Oct 17, 2011)

How do you know that the larva will be put in the same position , in the cell, that was before the washing?


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