> It was over two years ago when I took Sue Cobey's queen rearing
> course so I am not sure of the timing.  However, the concern for
> gentle handling of queen cells does not regard the larvae stage
> (although the concern pointed out by P-O is valid), the time when it
> is critical to handle the cells with UTMOST care is the period when
> the queen pupae is developing her wings.

Yes I have read that too. But as we previously have discussed here, bees don't read
the same books......
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. Before I put a cell in a colony I always check that there
is a queen present that looks OK. I do it by holding up the cell to the sun or
another suitable light source so I can see the queen through the wax of the cell. By
slowly rolling the cell I can see the whole queen and often see her moving. I have
done it with thousands of cells, and not yet had any reason to believe it will cause
any defect.
I have also opened cells to check queen, taken her out and then put her back again to
let her hatch. This is before wings are developed, or during that process.

They are not that fragile! Of course care has to be taken when handling cells, but
there is no reason to overdo it and prevent people from using this simple and
convenient way to requeen.

But I have bumped frames with 4 day cells so the larvae fell down in the tip of the
cell and couldn't get back up again. And they don't need that much of a bump at that
stage.

--
Regards

P-O Gustafsson, Sweden
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