# Grafting Attempt



## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Possibly a queen in your cell builder.
Possibly not enough nectar flow.

Cell builder works best when hopelessly queenless, meaning no queen and no eggs or larva young enough for them to make a queen of their own, instead of building out your grafts. It should be overly populated with young nurse bees and works best if a nectar flow is on. Feeding sugar syrup and pollen substitute is a good idea, nectar flow or not. Good luck on your next try!


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

I'll add: 

What you grafted was too old - if you can see it, its probably too old. A tiny shiny spot is what you're looking for. I need fairly strong magnification to graft. If the larvae is already "C" shaped, its too old. Or

You let the larvae dry out


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## DC Bees (Sep 24, 2009)

I tried my first graft on Saturday, I done 20 grafts and ended up with 2 cells.I was happy to get what I did for the first time.I used a small #3/0 paint brush and it worked ok.I tried the Chinese grafting tool and found it too difficult, with practice It will get better,good luck.


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## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

My first try I got zero out of 12. Second try 1 out of 10. Third try I got 9 out of 20. Keep doing it, you will get better. Look for the tiniest "c" shape in the cell. I need reading glasses and a light that clips onto my ballcap.
I used the Chinese grafting tool. I want to find something a little sturdier when lifting the larva out of the cell. It is nice for placing the larva in the cell cup though.



























The last photo is my "1 out of 10". She was a day or 2 late emerging but maybe the cooler nights slowed her progress. I'll see how she performs in a few weeks.

The others are due to emerge Thursday.

Don't give up and good luck.


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## captaintat2 (Oct 27, 2012)

AstroBee said:


> I'll add:
> 
> What you grafted was too old - if you can see it, its probably too old. A tiny shiny spot is what you're looking for. I need fairly strong magnification to graft. If the larvae is already "C" shaped, its too old. Or
> 
> You let the larvae dry out


I used the smallest larvae that I could see and get a hold of, which means that they were all definitely 'C' shaped. I did not put anything in the cell cup for moisturizing. What would be good to use for that?


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

If grafting is tough for you, just read up Old Timer's presentation on how he cuts his foundation with day-old larvae and punches out two cells between each future queen cell. You don't need to graft to get high quality queens.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

captaintat2 said:


> I used the smallest larvae that I could see and get a hold of, which means that they were all definitely 'C' shaped. I did not put anything in the cell cup for moisturizing. What would be good to use for that?


Yeah, sounds like you used larvae that was too old. Get some good magnification and try again. I will steal some royal jelly from the older nearby larvae to assist in the transfer. I know many just graft into dry cells, but I find a little moisture really helps me float them off.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

You need, the right age larvae, for sure, but also you need a starter that is LITERALLY overflowing with bees, and you need bees that are in the mood to rear queens. This is usually indicated by an abundance of drones.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesqueenrearing.htm


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## Eddie Honey (May 30, 2011)

One of my results.


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