# California Mini Queen Cages, alternate use for



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

Here is a frame of California Mini Cages used for queen cell emergence and subsequent Q.A. inspection of the newly emerged virgin queens ->







Thank you Dr. Russell for sharing this idea and some C.M.C.'s to try it out with.


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## jeff123fish (Jul 3, 2007)

Joe are these the cages you built?


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

No, these are the ones gifted to me by Dr. Russell. I did draw up some plans for making my own, slightly modified from these. I have made a few prototypes, but have not yet finished the jig I plan to use in safely making them, myself.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

This "prototype" California Mini Cage - medium depth cell emerging bar, holds twenty cages. I recently had the opportunity to use it for the first time - I installed ten cells into cages, then one week later most had emerged into their cages. One had poorly formed wings (a discard), two crawled back into their cells, head-first (I helped them back out and they are doing fine). One had the first two segments of her right foreleg stuck together - after about ten minutes it unstuck and was fine (had me worried, though). I was then able to install these newly emerged virgins into mating nucs that were made queenless the day before - I directly released the virgins onto a comb face and the resident bees paid no attention to them (good or bad), which I take as a good sign.


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## Broke-T (Jul 9, 2008)

Joseph, did you have to enlarge the entrance hole to accept the cells? How did you set up the nursery hive?

Johnny


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I was able to insert the cells through the existing holes in the cages, some were a tight fit, but most fit in completely and easily.

I simply made room for the frame in my usual cell-builder colony.

After observing how this works I am also rethinking the dimensions I planned to use when I make my own cages. I was going to make them a little deeper than commercial California Mini Cages, but after seeing the clearance in action I think I'll just make them a little bit longer, but not deeper.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Directly releasing the virgin? I thought you shouldn't do that . . .


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I am a fairly impatient and also lazy guy -- I almost always try the direct release, first, being ready to scoop the queen back into the cage if the bees seem hostile towards her. If they are hostile, I give her a day or two in the cage, then try it again. I definitely like to witness the acceptance ceremony.

Every virgin I released was readily accepted. I think it worked well because these virgins had just emerged and hadn't acquired or developed any particular identifying scent (I believe it takes three days before a virgin queen develops the scent/pheromones of a queen).

Of course, if any queen, even these virgins were poorly received I would immediately re-cage them and try again later.


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