u/NautiDrawings

Queen cell or just wayward comb?

So I’ve been trialling multiple substrates that I can source for free on a tropical island, plus a control bag from the culture supplier.

Grain inoculation (and control bag) 3ml of oyster LC - 12 August
Substrate inoculation 360g of spawn grain - 26 August

Bag 1: Banana trunk, banana leaf and dried long grass
Bag 2: Coconut trunk insides
Bag 3: Dried long grass
Bag 4: Banana trunk and leaf mix
Bag 5: Masters mix, rye grain, hardwood, soy hulls

As you can see from the photos. The grass has had the most action, and the coconut trunk has had the least. But nothing compares to the control where I’m only days away from harvesting my first flush.

I was hoping some local substrate was going to be the way forward but it looks like I might have to buy some soy hulls pellets in. I have a lot of hardwood timber offcuts from a recent house build so I could use those for the hardwood substrate, and I plan on switching to millet seed for spawn.

Question: why wouldn’t I make an all in one bag like the supplied one? Seems like if I can sterilise them properly then it’s the easiest and safest method, one sterilisation, one injection of LC and then wait. Saves pasteurising and mixing spawn into a second bag.

So I’ve been trialling multiple substrates that I can source for free on a tropical island, plus a control bag from the culture supplier.

Grain inoculation (and control bag) 3ml of oyster LC - 12 August
Substrate inoculation 360g of spawn grain - 26 August

Bag 1: Banana trunk, banana leaf and dried long grass
Bag 2: Coconut trunk insides
Bag 3: Dried long grass
Bag 4: Banana trunk and leaf mix
Bag 5: Masters mix, rye grain, hardwood, soy hulls

As you can see from the photos. The grass has had the most action, and the coconut trunk has had the least. But nothing compares to the control where I’m only days away from harvesting my first flush.

I was hoping some local substrate was going to be the way forward but it looks like I might have to buy some soy hulls pellets in. I have a lot of hardwood timber offcuts from a recent house build so I could use those for the hardwood substrate, and I plan on switching to millet seed for spawn.

Question: why wouldn’t I make an all in one bag like the supplied one? Seems like if I can sterilise them properly then it’s the easiest and safest method, one sterilisation, one injection of LC and then wait. Saves pasteurising and mixing spawn into a second bag.

So I’ve been trialling multiple substrates that I can source for free on a tropical island, plus a control bag from the culture supplier.

Grain inoculation (and control bag) 3ml of oyster LC - 12 August
Substrate inoculation 360g of spawn grain - 26 August

Bag 1: Banana trunk, banana leaf and dried long grass
Bag 2: Coconut trunk insides
Bag 3: Dried long grass
Bag 4: Banana trunk and leaf mix
Bag 5: Masters mix, rye grain, hardwood, soy hulls

As you can see from the photos. The grass has had the most action, and the coconut trunk has had the least. But nothing compares to the control where I’m only days away from harvesting my first flush.

I was hoping some local substrate was going to be the way forward but it looks like I might have to buy some soy hulls pellets in. I have a lot of hardwood timber offcuts from a recent house build so I could use those for the hardwood substrate, and I plan on switching to millet seed for spawn.

Question: why wouldn’t I make an all in one bag like the supplied one? Seems like if I can sterilise them properly then it’s the easiest and safest method, one sterilisation, one injection of LC and then wait. Saves pasteurising and mixing spawn into a second bag.

Just built this fruiting tent under my house. Top is the dark inoculation shelf, bottom is fruiting tent. I live in a tropical climate where the temperature hovers around 27deg day and night. In dry season I’ll have to add humidity, in wet season I probably won’t. Thinking about adding a fan to suck out co2 and keep the air fresh. Hoping to have 6 bags on the go at a time.

I relocated a wild hive in an abandoned building a month ago. I’ve checked their progress every Friday since. Here are some slides comparing the progress each week. Amazing how much they build in a week. I also can see lots of larvae. I have now removed all the rubber bands as they have attached each comb to the frames. I’ve fed them some sugar water each week. There are still 3 frames that are not being used yet.

How is it looking? Any suggestions?

A few frames has old comb from the original hive that they don’t seem to be using, they seem to be happy making new comb. Worth leaving or trimming any old comb they aren’t using?

Located on an island of Australia.