At 04:37 PM 9/9/97 -0600, you wrote:
>     I just received and installed a queen from a reputable breeder.
>When comparing the old queen to the new queen that I just purchased I
>noticed the old queen to be considerably longer (having a longer thorax).
> Will the new queen increase in size once she is starting to lay?  Are
>older queens naturally larger than young queens?  If a queen breeder
>sends small queens is it reason to complain or quit using them?
 
The size of the queen depends on many things, but for sure they shrink in
storage and shipment.
 
Small queens that are mated well will do as well and large ones, and your
small queen may double in size in a few weeks of feeding and laying.
 
It is possible to make queens bigger or smaller. You can get them so small
that most would have a hard time telling them from workers, not a good idea.
 
If you make your own queen cells and want larger queens add a little petrol
wax (MOBIL Wax) to the bees wax. This wax has a lower melting point and the
bees will make much larger cells depending on the percentage of petrol wax
to bees wax. These larger cells will contain more food and produce bigger
queens. They will be no better then smaller queens, just bigger. Now if you
make those queens too big you will have a hard time getting them in that
small hole in the queen cage (the wooden ones) and will have to make some
adjustments. (NO ONE IS DOING THIS as far as I know.<G>)
 
ttul, the OLd Drone
 
>Brett D. Bannon
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