>
> >Randy,  how long would you keep the cells in transport using the method
> you described???,
>
>Queen cells should not be moved until they are very near to emergence.

I can't remember the study (Pete can likely cite it) that found that the
wing pads of queen pupae at (if memory serves) at 10 days after grafting
are subject to damage from a serious jarring.  Other than that, we find
that cells at 10 days after grafting can tolerate plenty of handling with
no noticeable loss in emergence or mating success (we normally install our
cells at 10 days after grafting).  We of course avoid dropping the cells on
the ground, but handle them freely.

We've repeatedly gotten very good mate out when we transported 10-day cells
in a transport nuc on the back of a load of freshly-made nucs for a 100-mi
transport on decent roads (cells to be installed the following day).

We install cells at Day 10 after grafting for two reasons: (1) it gives us
a longer brood break for our oxalic dribble of our nucs, and (2) we
occasionally have queens emerge as early as Day 10.5 after grafting, and
entire batches occasionally emerge at Day 11 (queens usually emerge on Day
12).  As Pete says, in a transport nuc, that would be a disaster (it's
enough of a problem in an incubator, although the queens don't kill other
cells in the incubator).

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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