422 Beekeeping 



Queen cells on artificial bases. 



To have the queen cells in more convenient shape for 

 handling, artificial cell cups have been devised. Doolittle * 

 made cups by dipping a smooth stick with rounded end into 

 melted wax and removing the adhering wax. Now the usual 

 method is to use wooden cell bases. A short cyhnder of 

 wood is hollowed out on one end and lined with wax, the 

 cavity being the size of a queen cell base. The opposite 

 end of the cylinder has a nail point in it so that the cell cup 

 may be readily attached to a wooden strip or, better, the 

 cylinder is flanged and hangs through a hole in the support- 

 ing bar (Fig. 187).' 



Transferring larvos. 



Having made the necessary cups they are inverted, and 

 the usual practice is to wipe the inside of the cell with a little 

 royal jelly procured from another queen cell. Young 

 larvae are now carefully lifted from the worker cells and 

 placed in the artificial cell cups, being taken of course from 

 the colony of the queen selected as best for breeding. The 

 supplied cells are now hung in a colony prepared for cell 

 building. The larvae chosen should be as young as they 

 can be obtained, preferably not more than one day from the 

 egg. Older larvae may be uSfed but the resiilting queens 

 will probably be less valuable. 



Swarm box. 



A method for getting queen cells started which is in some 

 respects preferable to putting them in a queenless colony is 

 the use of the swarm box (Fig. 186). A special box, with 

 wire screen bottom to provide adequate ventilation, is made 

 large enough to hold five full frames, but only three are used, 

 there being left alternating spaces the width of a frame. 

 The frames used should be abundantly supplied with pollen 



' Doolittle, G. M., 1889. Scientific queen rearing. Chicago: also later 

 editions. 



^See the various booklets by E. L. Pratt (pseudonym Swarthmore). 



