>" Question: Is this extra depth and the addition of wet
sponges really necessary for successful queen rearing?"<

If you use Marla's/Gary's "Doolittle Method" you must have the sponges
for bees to have moisture to start the queen cells (make royal jelly).
This Swarm box is an enclosed box that the bees cannot escape from for
24 hours and are forced to start drawing out queen cells.  So they must
have the screens around the box and the moisture to prevent
over-heating.

The extra space is so you do not crush the 3 lbs. of nurse bees you have
shaken into the box with the frames.  You will crush some bees with the
lid, but a minor amount.  You will also need to place pieces of wood
across the inside (2 pieces of 1" X 1 1/2") of the box to support your
frames and can crush several bees between frames and bars.

I have been using this method for the past 8 years with good success.
We produce approximately 50 cells per week starting in May to the first
week of August.  We built two swarm boxes during the winter from plans
we obtained from Marla/University of MN.  If you get her workbook and
video they have plans and descriptions for all of the equipment you will
need to use with the Doolittle Method.

Good Luck on raising your queens.

Steve J. Hanlin
North Central Region Plant Intoduction Station /ISU
Ames, IA  

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