Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Larval transfer
The term 'larval transfer' describes accurately this method of rearing queens, but the
word 'grafting' is used colloquially and will therefore be employed here. Transferring
small larvae from cell to cell requires excellent close-up vision and so, for many
beekeepers, reading glasses and/or a magnifying glass may be necessary. If all the
following looks a little complicated at first, persevere: it really is simple, is invariably
successful and well worth the effort.
To transfer larvae, you will need some extra equipment:
A bain-marie.
Some wax, new or recycled.
A wooden cell former (a piece of 8 mm (⅓ in) dowel with a rounded end).
A frame with a cell bar(s).
A 'grafting' tool. There are several different types of grafting tool, and most are
available from bee-supply firms. The Chinese grafting tool is perhaps the easiest to
use because it facilitates both the removal of the larvae and the placing of them in
their prepared queen cells.
A small, sharp scalpel.
A magnifying glass, if necessary.
When you first start this process, you should prepare certain items in advance, and so
the procedure starts off with a preparation phase.
First, prepare a frame fitted with two cell bars. Then make some artificial queen cells,
as follows:
Round off an 8 mm-diameter (⅓ in) piece of dowling as a cell former.
Make a mark on the dowelling 5 mm (¼ in) from the rounded end.
Place the rounded end in a glass of water for an hour or so.
