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 1 
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 cylinder 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). 2 
Transferring larva. 
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 used but the resulting 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. 18G). 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 
1 Doolittle, G. M., 1889. Scientific queen rearing. Chicago: also later 
editions. 
2 See the various booklets by E. L. Pratt (pseudonym Swarthmore). 
