I too have used cells for years to make splits and to requeen but
converted back to mated queens last year.  My rationale for cells was
that I could control the genetics somewhat in that I selected the queen
mother and her offspring mated with local drones, so I was hoping to get
perhaps the best of both worlds.  I also got some fairly hot colonies more
often than I wished.  My technique was to lavish cells on the split or
hive to be requeened as I grew my own cells and cells are cheap.
 
However, As Mr. Dick points out, cells can be labor intensive and very
unforgiving of weather delays and rough handling.  The net result was
injection of more variability into my operation when I was in search of
less variability so I switched back to mated queens.  Am I satisfied with
mated queens?  Yes and no.  They are a quick and simple fix when they
work.  One trip to install and one trip to confirm introduction.
However, I am very unhappy with overall survival (I saw a lot of
supercedeure last year) and variability in the queens.  I hope to correct
some of this witth more careful choice of suppliers.
 
We have a spring honeyflow in North Carolina and spring mistakes and
delays are costly.  Thus mated queens make sense in the spring for
increase too.
 
Bill Lord
 
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WILLIAM G LORD
E-Mail  : wglord@franklin
Internet: [log in to unmask]
Phone   : 9194963344