Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
They should be ok Kate. The bees often build brace comb around the cells in the cell bar. I cut away as much as I can then push the roller carefully over the cell. The cells look rough but the queen usually emerges in the normal way.
Jon you were right ... they're fine! (Jon was answering my query re cells surrounded in brace comb ... would they be okay?)

Yesterday some of these cells went into mating nucs with lots of dark pigment showing through the thin parts of the cell covering (the cells were apparently embedded in comb before they were fully covered with wax so it was patchy).

I didn't have access to sufficient bees to make up enough mating nucs for them all. So made up some more nucs this morning and the last 3 queens walked gracefully down into Apideas through the cover holes. They'd emerged overnight (day 16).

Hoping the glorious weather of today and yesterday will not vanish for weeks after tomorrow's rain.

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