Queen Rearing with Master Beekeeper Mike Cullen - Part Three

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

Happy to have found your channel. I subscribed 👍 thanks good health and God bless

[@MantelFarm]

Thanks for subscribing. Glad you're enjoying our videos.

[@gordonspond]

Great series of videos. Thanks for showing us that things don't always work out as planned and you sometimes have you improvise.
I have been in those situations all too often... 🤣

[@MantelFarm]

Thanks for the lovely comment. Glad you enjoyed the series and could take something from them. It definitely shows that, even when things don't go to plan, there is often something we can do to remedy the situation.
Josh

[@ME_MeAndMyBees]

Hi Mike and Josh.
Nice Beekeeping and Camera work ! First Video to show Grafting Larvae up close AND in Focus ! Very rare here on TH-cam ! Well done both. 👍
Question :
Could that "Hatched Virgin" in that slim Cardboard Box clip, be used in a Split too ? (Would it be best to Candy her into a Cage/Release setup, to go on Mating Flight etc.) Or as she's from same Bee Colony (add) drop her into a Seam of Nuc awaiting Bees ?
Guess you had so many QC's she wasn't needed. But was she OK, for 'us Beeks to use, if similar happened ?
Question 2 :
I can't lift full x10, x11 Boxes now, due to accident... : Have both Nationals & Langstroth Hives.
And two Poly Nuc Colonies, that survived Winter so far. 🤞
Also have a Large Horizontal Hive (using Jumbo Deep Lang)
Query:
Could I raise own Queen Cells this way (by dismantling each Box re Frames, to make them much lighter ? And follow your Sequences ? [Using a well Stocked x3 Stacked "Nuc Box Colony" instead. (Couldn't do all that shift overs on x10 Boxes in 24hrs , to much !!!)
Or Re Horizontal Hive *
Add Larvae & Nurse Bees at far End, away from other ends only Entrance : Say into the (Super) Area of the H.H. with QE in place, pre fitted close by. And add a 'QMP blocking board, to get Grafts drawn ?
*To make them think : we are in a 'hopelessly Queenless' quick make QC's asap.
Queen so good, she's Breeding material, but don't want her 'dispatched' by a Bee (colony) rebellion. Help...
Hope you can advise. 😎
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Happy Beekeeping 2023.
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Had an accident, Right arm can grab/clutch an empty x10er etc, but can't lift using 'box' Handles themselves. And with Bees in it either ! No way. And probably to heavy if I could (!)
Tried 'Walk Away Nuc Splits' last season, a few Wooden types didn't Mate well, and demised back in December in that Snowy episode.
Will try in May this year, guess early August was to late. 🤔
Any Tips & Tricks appreciated.
PS.
Amazing QC Tool and Rail Setup. Best DIY setup seen !
Think I might have enough Hobby Skill to botch similar. Maybe good enough to work my Hammer and Nail Skill levels on. 🙃

[@ToBeeOrNotToBeHoney]

Nice to see you show the video even though it did not work out quite like you expected. I am just starting to raise a few queens and you had a few tips in there that I am sure I can use to improve my process.

[@MantelFarm]

Glad you've picked up something that could help you with your process.

[@neilbush9873]

We in my circle of bee keepers believe its important not to invert frames with q cells of unknown ages ,whats your take on this?

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

My money on black queen cell virus why those failed

[@MantelFarm]

I'm sure that Mike would have spotted if this were the issue. I don't entirely know if this is a common issue in the UK. I have never come across it in my years of beekeeping.
I think the issue with these queen cells was the age of the larva and the timing was out as they were already trying to produce their own and get ready to swarm.