Just some ramblings

More lessons in the world of beekeeping and specifically queen rearing. I think the one item I would really stress is no brood in the cell builder. Three times this year I had queen cells on frames that I didn't see, which emerged and killed my grafts. The first was because I added a brood frame and just didn't think about checking for QC's. The others were when rogue queens got loose, then got themselves mated and started laying. It's a bit more work but I think that henceforth I'll pull and check each frame every time I do grafts. The second lesson, which directly relates to the first. Find a way to secure cages.  This is where the second and third queens got loose. I'm using nicot cups and roller cages but some cages aren't real tight. I suspect that when a queen emerges, bees gather on the cage and the weight pulls it off.  I need to make frames with a bar under the cage to hold it up.  Another item is the temperature in the cell builder.  When I first started I had some good results, late April and through May. Then it got hot in June and I vented the top of my boxes. Three sets of grafts didn't finish. Took out the vents and I had some of my best results in July and August. Recently, just this past week, again I have cells that just don't finish and the over night temps are getting below 60. Since I run all screened bottoms my thoughts are I'm losing too much heat. I put political signs under my cell builders to see what happens. I know that most of the country has stopped their queen rearing, I'm in central Florida and I still see drones in more than half of our boxes. It doesn't cost me anything and I certainly can use the experience so I  think I'll keep grafting at least four to six each week at the off chance I can get a queen mated.  Had one mate last year during Christmas week so it is possible.