> > ...the time when it
> > is critical to handle the cells with UTMOST care is the period when
> > the queen pupae is developing her wings.

> I regularly handle cells during that time and yet haven't
> seen any proof of that statement. When I introduce cells to
> a colony or a mating nuc they normally are 10 to
> 11 days from grafting. They will hatch on day 12 or 13
> depending on temp. Sometimes I'm forced to use even younger
> cells when I don't have the time to go twice to the
> same yard for requeening.

I was beginning to reply to this a few days ago, but I added some other
thoughts and my reply did not make it past moderation, thus I was spared
any 'snide' comments I might have suffered as result.

Anyhow, Jack Griffes and his son have done a bit of experimental work on
this and the results were reported in sci.agriculture.beekeeping, along
with some discussion from Adam and myself, so I won't repeat it here.
There are things in the BEE-L archives on this topic as well.  I know.
I wrote some of them, so I won't repeat them either.

Since the sci.ag.bee articles have expired (Some are from 1997), I
recommend going to http://www.DejaNews.com and searching for 'queen AND
cell AND temperature' in the complete archive.

If you are interested, I think you will find other fascinating things by
changing the search parameters a bit to try 'chill' instead of
'temperature', etc.

allen