Bee queen cells are special cells that are rebuilt or completed and used to grow a queen bee. There are two types of such cells, which have certain differences. Most of them are associated with the peculiarities of the formation of queen cells. The larva develops in them in stages. Excess queen cells are used in different ways.
What is a queen cell?
Mothers are the largest cells that bees build up. It is in them that the queens are grown.
The difference between mother cells and other cells lies in the fact that insects raise them not to the active phase of life, but during certain events. This could be the preparation of the family for swarming or the need to obtain a new queen. In the latter case, the reason for the change of the queen may be the death of the old uterus, her illness or inability to lay eggs. Their appearance also depends on the reason for the construction of mother cells.
Bees also store food supplies in bee and drone cells. The mother liquors are never used for this.
Types of mother liquors, their differences
There are two types of queen cells: swarm and fistulous. The first option is built by the bees when they are preparing for swarming, the second - when the queen is lost or her liquidity is not. In the case of a fistulous mother liquor, its construction is an emergency measure. With the death of the queen or her inability to lay eggs, there is a threat of extinction of the bee colony.
The differences between the two types of mother liquors lie in a number of other factors:
- the form of the mother liquor;
- sizes
- Colour;
- location in the nest;
- members of the bee family who are involved in the construction;
- laying of eggs: swarming queen cells are filled with eggs after adjustment, and fistulous ones are built on cells with already fertilized eggs;
- the value and productivity of hatched queens - these qualities are higher with swarming queens.
Construction by bees of a queen cell
Features of the construction of mother liquors depend on their types. The material used is the same - wax.
Fistulous queen cells
For the formation of fistulous queen cells, bees use ready-made cells, only completing them. Neighboring cells are used for expansion. Construction bees are doing the necessary work. Their wax glands are developed. The use of fresh wax determines the light color of the fistulous mother liquor - it is close to snow-white.
The bees do not rebuild fistula queen cells at once. First, a structure sufficient for one larva is formed. As it develops and grows, the size of the mother liquor also increases. In shape, it is an elongated projection on the cell.
Swarm queen cells
Swarming queen cells are completely rebuilt. To do this, insects choose the edges of the combs or the edges of its holes. Construction is carried out by bees that are more than 25 days old. At this age, the wax glands function worse, so the insects take wax from the used combs. This feature determines the rich brown color of the swarms.
The basis for the swarm mother liquor is a special bowl with a round bottom. In exceptional cases, bees use a waxy ledge of the cell to attach it. At the same time, the swarm mother cell is built on the plane of the honeycomb.
The outer part of the swarm mother liquor is represented by lumpy hexagons - such a structure resembles a honeycomb. The inner walls are smooth and shiny.
Sizes of the mother liquor depend on several factors and can be 750-1400 cubic meters. mm. The size of the swarm queen cells is larger. In shape, they are compared with elongated acorns hanging singly from a honeycomb. Less often you can find paired queen cells, and some southern breeds even build them in groups.
Stages of development of the larva in the mother liquor
The larva in the mother liquor develops in stages:
- An egg is laid.
- On the third day, transformation occurs - the egg becomes a larva. At this stage, she is abundantly fed with royal jelly. This feed is very valuable and high in protein. It is he who allows you to transform an ordinary fertilized insect larva so that it becomes a full-fledged queen bee.
- On the eighth day (maybe a day later), the mother liquor is sealed. For this, a special plug is used. To make it, bees use wax and bee bread.
- The sealed queen cell remains in this form for a week (possibly up to 9 days). During this period, gradual pupation of the larva occurs.
- The transformation into an adult is carried out on the 15-17th day. At the end of the process, the upper part of the mother liquor is printed.
Cutting out the mother liquor
In the apiary, constant monitoring is important. Timely identification of the construction of a queen's house allows the beekeeper to prevent swarming or to give an orphaned bee colony a new queen. In both cases, the formed queen cell must be cut out.
Excision of the mother liquor should be carried out at a certain stage of larval development. The appropriate time for this manipulation depends on how you plan to use the mother liquor. If it needs to be transplanted into a new colony, then it is necessary to wait until the queen is sufficiently mature. With the right timing, the probability of survival increases.
The required phase for a mother liquor transplant is determined when highlighting the mother liquor - its walls are transparent, so the contents can be seen. With a clear tracing of the thick oblong dark body, you can start cutting. If it also moves, then you can't hesitate - the insect is about to come out.
When the mother liquor is highlighted, it may appear empty. This may indicate both the initial stage of development and the death of the larva. The situation will finally clear up in a few days.
It is necessary to cut out the mother liquor correctly. The following conditions must be met:
- Use only a sharp knife. The wax walls of the mother liquor are rather thin, so they can be damaged by a blunt instrument.
- Before work, be sure to wash your hands with a neutral, fragrance-free product. Even the smell of sweat, which remains on the transplanted queen cell, can cause it to be rejected by the bee colony.
- To reduce the risk of damaging the mother liquor, cut should be done in a circle, keeping a radius of 10 mm. If neighboring cells are filled with bee brood, it is better to cut out part of it, but keep the queen.
- Before cutting the mother liquors, they must be carefully examined. Such cells can be located in pairs, connecting with each other. They must be transplanted exactly in this form. It is possible to cut out one queen cell only if there are more than three of them grouped in one place. You should get rid of the central segment.
- If the wall of the mother liquor is damaged, wax should be used. It must be slightly warmed up and applied with a knife to the affected area. The layer should be thin. The bees may not accept such a queen cell, but there is still a chance of success.
- The cut mother cell must be translucent without changing its original position. It is necessary to refrain from overturning and strong inclinations.
- An important condition for cutting out the mother liquor is temperature control. If for some reason the process has been delayed, then the already cut mother cell must be placed back in the native hive. The bees will warm the chrysalis.
Cutting out the mother liquor should be done as quickly as possible. Delaying the procedure increases the risk of damaging the larva. It is necessary to prepare and sharpen the instrument in advance; in advance, you should also prepare the wax in case of damage to the mother liquor wall. Anything you might need while cutting should be at hand.
In the next video, an experienced beekeeper will tell you what to do if the bees have laid a queen bee, how to stop swarming and organize the nest:
Using extra cells
Excess queen cells are used in different ways. They can be cut out for discarding, but it is advisable to find other uses for them:
- Stock of quality queen bees. This measure is especially important in large apiaries, where there are many bee colonies. For every 10 of them, you should have 5 spare queens. In case of death, illness, loss, lack of productivity, the old queen can be quickly replaced. As a result, the bee colony quickly recovers with minimal loss of productivity.
- Planting into a new layer. This measure allows you to form a full-fledged bee family.
- Sale. This option is advisable when breeding demanded breeds. The offspring of prolific parents are worth a lot, and the extra income hasn't hurt anyone yet.
Bookmark a queen cell in a new bee family
If you plan to lay the cut out queen cell in the bee family, then you should prepare for possible difficulties. It is better to use not the cut cell, but the entire honeycomb on which it is located. For transplantation, you should choose the most mature larva, since it has a better chance of being well received by strangers.
When shifting and fixing the mother liquor in a new place, one must not forget about caution and accuracy. Cell exposure to the sun, shaking, cooling is not allowed.
Features of laying a queen cell in a new bee colony depend on its strength, season, weather conditions:
- on cold days, the laying of the queen cell should be done as close as possible to the brood that is already in the bee colony - this area is characterized by increased activity of bees, which is accompanied by a higher temperature;
- with sufficiently warm weather and great strength of the bee colony, the queen cell can be placed in a skid or on the bottom of the hive.
The queen bee laid in the new colony must be positioned strictly in the same position in which it was in the old nest.
You can transplant the mother plant in different ways:
- Cut it off partially with honeycombs. Place a part of the honeycomb in a wooden stick split along the length, fix its edges with a thread. Install this structure next to the nest.
- Gently push the mother liquor between two honeycombs and fix.
- When laying in a hive with Dadant frames, plant the mother plant on the wall of the honeycomb. To do this, you need to push through a depression of the appropriate size with your finger, insert the cell with the uterus and fix it with wax (preheat it).
- Use a special cap. For its manufacture, a light metal sieve is used. The cap must be sunk into the honeycomb edges. The uterus under such a shelter will get stronger, while its feeding will not be disturbed.
After laying the mother liquor, it is imperative monitor results... If on the second day the mother plant is fixed on a skid and is not damaged, this is a success. If there is a hole at the end of the mother liquor, then the uterus is out. The presence of a hole in the wall indicates that the wax was gnawed, and the uterus was killed. In this case, you can repeat the bookmark, but when another uterus is destroyed, it is better to resort to the introduction of a ready-made individual.
It is important for a beekeeper to timely identify the formation of a mother liquor and determine its type. There are several options for using queen cells - you need to choose the right one, focusing on the needs of the apiary and your own preferences.