# Shipping queen cells? How long will they survive?



## Matt903 (Apr 8, 2013)

I want to bring some new genetics into my apiariy. I want queen cells because I want them to mate with my local drones. Does anyone have a good line on 100 or so cells? I know there are a lot of folks in California who sell queen cells, but do cells ship that well from CA to Tennessee? Let me know if you have any good experience with folks shipping cells. Sorry Barry if this is the wrong forum for this question.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Read through this short thread, as shipping cells has already been discussed, several times here on the forum...

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?239186-Shipping-Queen-Cells


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

_*Well fed*_ Virgin queens, if handled correctly, ship very well.


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

Miksa Honey Farms out of Florida


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

Does anyone have pictures of exactly how Miksa ships the cells?


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## BjornH (Nov 8, 2013)

www.wicwas.com › articles › ABJ2009-05


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## camero7 (Sep 21, 2009)

JSL said:


> Miksa Honey Farms out of Florida


 :thumbsup:


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>www.wicwas.com › articles › ABJ2009-05

Found it: http://www.wicwas.com/sites/default/files/articles/American_Bee_Journal/ABJ2009-05.pdf

I'm still not clear on the DETAILS of how they are shipped. The article stops before that...


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## JSL (Sep 22, 2007)

David and Linda place ripe cells in cell protectors that snap into the JZBZ bars, the one's used for cages too. The bars are then secured in a battery box and covered to prevent them from "bouncing" out and the box is filled with bees and shipped overnight UPS. David and Linda have pioneered the process and ship coast to coast. They are great beekeepers and usually booked!


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

I heard Dave Miksa give a talk on it a few years ago. I don't recall all the details but it requires overnight shipping with late afternoon delivery to their local UPS facility. I believe they are using a "battery" box with live bees to maintain the proper temp. I guess the results are pretty good but as someone who handles even mature queen cells with a lot of care I can't help but believe there still has to be some cell damage from time to time depending on how much care the shipper is using.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

I know a commercial operation that orders them because they can obtain them early. The success rate, while good, is less than non-shipped cels.


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## BjornH (Nov 8, 2013)

There is a 2nd part of the ABJ article with the sending of cells. Lots of reading.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

http://www.rweaver.com/product_info.php?products_id=128


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## KevinR (Apr 30, 2010)

Matt903 said:


> I want to bring some new genetics into my apiariy. I want queen cells because I want them to mate with my local drones. Does anyone have a good line on 100 or so cells? I know there are a lot of folks in California who sell queen cells, but do cells ship that well from CA to Tennessee? Let me know if you have any good experience with folks shipping cells. Sorry Barry if this is the wrong forum for this question.


As stated before Miksa will ship cells. I think you can get ~280 in a box and over night shipping was around 80 bucks.

The cells emerge the same day you arrive.. If I remember correctly. So you need to be ready to go. You could order fewer cells but the shipping starts to hurt the value.

I haven't gotten current numbers, but I think they were around $4.5 a cell...

**Take those numbers with a grain of salt, haven't talked to him in a couple years..**


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