Duo Chinese grafting tool PRO

01 · USE

What a Chinese grafter is for — fundamentals

In queen rearing by grafting (Doolittle method), the beekeeper picks worker larvae of less than 24 hours from the brood box of a selected hive and deposits them in cups (Nicot cells, Karl Jenter or plastic cups) on which nurse bees will build queen cells. The larva must be transferred without touching it with fingers, without removing the royal jelly around it, and without inverting it from its original position. The Chinese grafter has a flat flexible tongue that slides under the larva, lifts it with its royal jelly and deposits it in the cup.

02 · CONSTRUCTION

PRO vs standard — the difference that matters

Standard-grade Chinese grafters have stiffer and thicker tongues. They work, but the acceptance rate of larvae drops due to microscopic damage to the cuticle during transfer. The PRO grafters in this kit have a thinner tongue and better flexibility — they slide cleanly under the larva without pressing it. For a breeder with 50+ queen cells per season, the acceptance percentage is the difference between getting 35 or 45 queens with the same work.

03 · WHAT YOU GET

Why the duo kit

Grafting is done in batches: a typical session is 30-60 consecutive grafts to fill a complete brood frame. Working with two grafters in alternation lets you keep one loaded while the other deposits, speeding up the rhythm and reducing total time out of thermal control (larvae must not cool down). Also, if a tongue breaks halfway through a session, you have the second one ready to continue without stopping the batch.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY