On 24-Nov-08, at 11:06 AM, Bob Harrison wrote:

>
> Do not move the nucs for at least two weeks for best take or until  
> queen is laying solid patterns.

Hi Bob and all

Thanks Bob for a great 101.  My response is by and for small  
beekeepers.  I usually will buy 4-8 cells in late May or early June.   
My supplier grafts on Fridays so that he needs the order by  
Thursday.  The cells are ready for pickup(30km from me) Tuesday  
morning 11 days old.  Monty Smith from BC wrote in to ABJ a few years  
ago about his ideas on splitting.  I remember it well as I thought he  
was nuts in his timing.  I was wrong!  Monty said;  " once the cell  
is installed, leave the split alone for 25 days.  Check the hive  
entrance activity, if you must  to see what is going on, but don't  
open the hive".  Figuring on 2 days for the queen to emerge, 7 or so  
for the mating flight, another 7 before she starts laying and 9 more  
for first worker cells to be capped.  If you check on the 25th day  
and find brood in all stages, the cell took.  I find that if the cell  
wasn't accepted for some reason and the bees started their own cells,  
there are lots of polished cells on the 25th day and open brood about  
a week later.  This happens to about 1 in 4 splits

Bob Darrell
Caledon Ontario
Canada
44N80W

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