Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => REQUEENING & RAISING NEW QUEENS => Topic started by: bee-nuts on July 14, 2009, 01:03:17 AM

Title: Queen cell Size, does it matter
Post by: bee-nuts on July 14, 2009, 01:03:17 AM
Im courious how much the size of a queen cell matters to the health of the queen and how productive she may be.  I did a few searches on internet and could find no reference to it.  Im wondering if the size of the cell is an important factor when picking a queen cell when making a nuc with one.  Im guessing its and obvious yes, the bigger the better.

Can anyone give me ther oppinion or the facts on this?

Thanks much all!!

bee-nuts
Title: Re: Queen cell Size, does it matter
Post by: RayMarler on July 14, 2009, 02:41:32 AM
A larger queen cell holds more royal jelly so get a better fed queen resulting in better performing and longer lasting queen. In this instance, bigger is better.
Title: Re: Queen cell Size, does it matter
Post by: bee-nuts on July 15, 2009, 03:48:48 AM
Ok, Thanks.  I figured bigger must be better.  I just made a nuc a while back with a nice large healthy looking queen cell.  I hope I do not find any more this year though.
Title: Re: Queen cell Size, does it matter
Post by: Michael Bush on July 16, 2009, 09:50:10 PM
IMO most queen cells have more than the queen can eat no matter how large or small they look.
Title: Re: Queen cell Size, does it matter
Post by: BEES4U on July 17, 2009, 10:27:56 PM

What really matters is the age of the larvae that the natural queen cell was construckted around.
Grafted queen cells helps to get the bigger queen.
Regards,
(Queen breeder.)