# Push-in/topbar cell protectors: how to use?



## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

I'm interested in learning more about those push-in or top bar queen cell protectors; how do they work exactly? Does one take a swarm/supercedure/emergency cell and cut it out carefully, thread it down through the protector so the cap pokes through, and put it in place? Here's what I'm talking about: http://www.mannlakeltd.com/search_r...xtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

Yes. If you can take a queen cell and insert it into the cell protector. The top bar cell protectors are designed to hang between the top bars in a mating nuc or could be used for requeening a colony with a queen cell instead of a mated queen and are more commonly used with grafted queen cells. It has two ears, each ear hangs on opposing top bars. The plastic helps to prevent the side from being torn out workers. It also helps to protect the queen from a clumsy beekeper (makes it more difficult to squaush when handling the cell). The quen will emerge and come through the bottom of the cell protector.
The push in type is more commonly used with natural queen cells (swarm, supesedure, or emergency). They are pushed over and around a cell before cutting the cell free from the comb. This allows for easier handling of the cell for its' end purpose. The push in type has a handle for easier manipulation of the protector unit.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Is there any problem with different sizes of queen cells? Or ones of different length? 

I see that they are sold in quantity- I'd probably only need a few for my hives. Would anyone be willing to sell about 5-8 of them?

Thanks!
Tanya


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Does *anyone* use these queen holders? Or is this one of those useless hive tools or helps?

Tanya


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Does anyone use these queen holders? 

I have a bunch. I seldom use them. I have used them occasionally when I thought the odds of acceptance of a queen cell were low, such as introducing a cell to a hive that MIGHT have a queen etc.


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

I would agree, they're not quite useless, and in some cases it's nice to have them around. But I've run into many cells being somewhat large to fit comfortably.


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## Sr. Tanya (Feb 9, 2007)

Brandy wrote--"But I've run into many cells being somewhat large to fit comfortably."

Michael Bush wrote- "I have used them occasionally... "

That's one of the things I was wondering about. Since we've gotten such a low response to this tool, my thought is that few if any use it and just go the regular route of attaching the queen cell between bars or on the surface of the comb.

Thanks!


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