Simply the best teacher, I left all my bees in Georgia to come to NY for chemo, surgery and to be close to my kids and grand babies, they have been the best medicine. I was missing them so bad but God has blessed me with a feral NY swarm in my swarm trap. I checked them Saturday and the queen is huge! She is laying up a storm... I hope to make a bunch of queens from her but have to build her up and split her first. Thank you Joe for all the time you spend on us.
Hi Joe, I'm glad I watched this last night I grafted today for the 3rd time and found it easier after watching this and I adjusted the angle of the frame I'm getting the larva out of. The first 2 times were a fail. The larva I put in there was gone and I don't have a queen in there. Guessing I damaged or roll the larva. Thank you again. If only I knew I have the right age larva.
Thanks Joe after watching your video I got 23 out of 30 to take...... Did a few things different added more nurse bees and pollen sub don't know if it helped but what did was the way I picked up larva and push it off. I didn't use anything that touched the side that I may have rolled.
Tnx Joe for putting in the time to teach us , who are always waiting on queens, to graft our own. I've been putting it off for several years and will try in earnest in july. Tnx again.
Wish I'd have seen this 14 days ago. When you say "Let the tool do the work", makes me laugh. I was struggling with how to hold, scoop, lift, plunge, remove the stupid little tool. You make it appear like you are basically dipping the tip in and it grabs the little mush pile without effort. It's amazing. I thought I had 6 queen cells developing when I switched from starter to the finisher. Ended up with large growths of comb and no queens. I will try again, one of these days. Good video.
Ok Joe, tell me why you lick the Chinese grafting tool in between grabbing larvae. Is it to clean it off, make it easier to grab a larva, or just habit?
Here ia a link for grafting tools www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pcs-Beekeeping-Chinese-Queen-Rearing-Grafting-Tools-Retractable-End/184301300061?hash=item2ae936a95d:g:Z1AAAOSwOX9ex5u1
About how many weeks will a starter last before the nurse bees grow up and stop making the queen cells? Do you keep adding nurse bees or do you just run it for a few weeks and then make a new one? Do you have to be careful that they don't start with the laying workers if you leave them in there too long without a queen? I seem to have issues with the first graft going well, the second ok, but then it goes down hill fast if I try to run several weeks of grafts out of the same starter.
Another good video, Joe, thank you. I have been stalling on starting rearing my own queens, but with all the increase I have had this year I have to take the plunge. There are too many reasons which you might need a queen, and getting one in time can be a problem. Plus they are expensive and the quality is not there. It’s foolish of me not to try. Once I get the hang of it all will be well, and if I fail I am right where I am now. (Do you get the feeling I am giving myself a pep talk?) All the best, Stu
I will graft 2 or 3 cells into a split from another colony and let the split draw them out. I just push the cups into wax toward the top of the frame. The next day check which ones took and then take out the cups that didn't. Within a week I'll come back and remove any queen cells that might have been built in addition to the graft. You don't need a cell builder for a couple queens.
Mr May, thank you. I'm a self taught grafter, but I have a feeling I make it harder than it should be. Could you possibly show a clip of a larva on the tip of the tool, so we could really see the size, compared to the Chinese tool, which we probably all have or have seen? Thanks for all your videos. I've been keeping bees for 15 yrs or so, but really enjoy seeing how you do things. Western KS.
Check our Jason Bragg’s grafting video at New River Honeybees. He has one of the best grafting videos I’ve seen. I couldn’t get graft takes until I watched it.
I love your videos and I think they're really informational! I also think that you're missing out on a lot of views that you could have in the bee community because you don't label your videos and tell people what's inside of them. For instance your intermediate series video 18 is very good but it doesn't have what it has in it in the title so a TH-cam search would not show it.
My advice to beginners.....Everyone has a variety of steps that works for them....and everyone will evolve into their own ....don’t be afraid to try different methods....if the nurse bees don’t turn your larvae into Queens.....you grafted larvae that was too old....get the ones that resemble a comma ....not the ones that look like a “C”.....what’s the worse that can happen....you try again....
This is Rob. Great talking with you today. Look forward to getting another queen in April.
I’m new to grafting, Canadian Beekeeper Blog, Ian, mentioned you. Thanks for the video.
Cheers Joe, thanks.
Never seen some one graft with bee's on the frame. Outstanding.
Simply the best teacher, I left all my bees in Georgia to come to NY for chemo, surgery and to be close to my kids and grand babies, they have been the best medicine. I was missing them so bad but God has blessed me with a feral NY swarm in my swarm trap. I checked them Saturday and the queen is huge! She is laying up a storm... I hope to make a bunch of queens from her but have to build her up and split her first. Thank you Joe for all the time you spend on us.
Hi Joe, I'm glad I watched this last night I grafted today for the 3rd time and found it easier after watching this and I adjusted the angle of the frame I'm getting the larva out of. The first 2 times were a fail. The larva I put in there was gone and I don't have a queen in there. Guessing I damaged or roll the larva. Thank you again. If only I knew I have the right age larva.
Thanks Joe after watching your video I got 23 out of 30 to take...... Did a few things different added more nurse bees and pollen sub don't know if it helped but what did was the way I picked up larva and push it off. I didn't use anything that touched the side that I may have rolled.
Joe, You win the TH-cam award for “most bees on the grafting frame.” Thank you for your content. I find it very helpful.
Tnx Joe for putting in the time to teach us , who are always waiting on queens, to graft our own.
I've been putting it off for several years and will try in earnest in july.
Tnx again.
I agree with Tim Urich. Good video Joe. Thanks, Phillip Hall
Wish I'd have seen this 14 days ago. When you say "Let the tool do the work", makes me laugh. I was struggling with how to hold, scoop, lift, plunge, remove the stupid little tool. You make it appear like you are basically dipping the tip in and it grabs the little mush pile without effort. It's amazing. I thought I had 6 queen cells developing when I switched from starter to the finisher. Ended up with large growths of comb and no queens. I will try again, one of these days. Good video.
Thanks for that, El Bee, very interesting!
Is there a way to tell if it's a drone larvae?
The size of the cell the larva is in. Drones are in bigger cells.
Ok Joe, tell me why you lick the Chinese grafting tool in between grabbing larvae. Is it to clean it off, make it easier to grab a larva, or just habit?
When I was taught how to graft I was told the keep the tool wet you can do it with a cup of water it's just easier to put it in my mouth.
I need to get into doing this
What is in the bar cell before you drop the bee egg in it? I mean the original egg is in a true environment right?
There is nothing in the bar cell cup you graft larva not eggs.
Good info Joe !!!
Hey Joe can you send me a link to the grafting tool you use. Thanks
Here ia a link for grafting tools www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pcs-Beekeeping-Chinese-Queen-Rearing-Grafting-Tools-Retractable-End/184301300061?hash=item2ae936a95d:g:Z1AAAOSwOX9ex5u1
Hey thanks Joe. Keep up the great videos
About how many weeks will a starter last before the nurse bees grow up and stop making the queen cells? Do you keep adding nurse bees or do you just run it for a few weeks and then make a new one? Do you have to be careful that they don't start with the laying workers if you leave them in there too long without a queen? I seem to have issues with the first graft going well, the second ok, but then it goes down hill fast if I try to run several weeks of grafts out of the same starter.
I add a frame of capped brood and bees every 6 days.
When is the latest you would do splits?
Here in Indiana the middle of July
Little Bits Honey Bees joe may I’m just south of you. South central KY. Will you do walk aways that late or use mated Queen or QCs.
Im hopeing to start doing it next year i need to make my own from my best hives
Another good video, Joe, thank you. I have been stalling on starting rearing my own queens, but with all the increase I have had this year I have to take the plunge. There are too many reasons which you might need a queen, and getting one in time can be a problem. Plus they are expensive and the quality is not there. It’s foolish of me not to try. Once I get the hang of it all will be well, and if I fail I am right where I am now. (Do you get the feeling I am giving myself a pep talk?) All the best, Stu
How many hives would a person have to have to make it something that is practical? You make it look so easy.
Five or six you could make 3 splits off each one.
I will graft 2 or 3 cells into a split from another colony and let the split draw them out. I just push the cups into wax toward the top of the frame. The next day check which ones took and then take out the cups that didn't. Within a week I'll come back and remove any queen cells that might have been built in addition to the graft. You don't need a cell builder for a couple queens.
@@mccombeesapiaries198 That sounds like a way that would work easier since it's hard to tear up your hives to make 3 or 4 queens. Thanks for the tip.
So how much would you charge for the 30 minute lesson?
I don't know never really though about it.
Little Bits Honey Bees joe may , please think about it. I will drive from SC for that 30 minute lesson
Do you approach the larva from the open end of the C or back side?
Joe states from the back side.
Mr May, thank you. I'm a self taught grafter, but I have a feeling I make it harder than it should be. Could you possibly show a clip of a larva on the tip of the tool, so we could really see the size, compared to the Chinese tool, which we probably all have or have seen? Thanks for all your videos. I've been keeping bees for 15 yrs or so, but really enjoy seeing how you do things. Western KS.
one thing about it you can't graft to small.
Check our Jason Bragg’s grafting video at New River Honeybees. He has one of the best grafting videos I’ve seen. I couldn’t get graft takes until I watched it.
I love your videos and I think they're really informational! I also think that you're missing out on a lot of views that you could have in the bee community because you don't label your videos and tell people what's inside of them. For instance your intermediate series video 18 is very good but it doesn't have what it has in it in the title so a TH-cam search would not show it.
Thank you I will try to do better
@@LittleBitsHoneyBeesjoemay you have great videos
My advice to beginners.....Everyone has a variety of steps that works for them....and everyone will evolve into their own ....don’t be afraid to try different methods....if the nurse bees don’t turn your larvae into Queens.....you grafted larvae that was too old....get the ones that resemble a comma ....not the ones that look like a “C”.....what’s the worse that can happen....you try again....