After reading what follows the reader will understand why I advised letting queenless bees work on cell-cups from twelve to twenty-four hours.
In the course of twelve hours after bees have worked on the queen cells, remove the queen from one of the strongest colonies in the yard. Twelve hours later remove one of the side combs from the hive and three or four other combs laterally so as to leave space in the centre of the brood-nest for one of the frames on which the queen-cells are started. Now cover up with a super or in any way to suit the convenience of the apiarist. Not later than five days remove the frame of completed queen-cells to a queenless colony, replace the combs in the hive just as they were at the start and reintroduce the queen and never mind about looking the combs over for queen-cells, as the old queen will be well received and will soon destroy all queen-cells that may have been started.
Of course if there are cell-cups enough started by the queenless bees, say 40 or 60, not less than three strong colonies should be prepared as per above, as 20 queen-cells are as many as the largest stock of bees should complete.
The above operation does not so disturb the bees that they will desert the sections. In all this work it is better to be quiet and do the work as quickly as possible. Also do as much of it at about sunset as that late hour will permit.
NECESSITY OF QUEENLESS BEES
Right here will be found the necessity of queenless bees in the apiary. Such colonies must care for the completed queen-cells when removed from the colony that built them until such a time as the cells can be transferred to nuclei or the nursery.
One doing a large queen-rearing business will need several queenless colonies at all times. Not only must queenless bees be used in caring for queen-cells, but for queens confined in the queen nursery.
When the bees are removed from a hive for the purpose of starting more cell-cups, the bees that have just completed a batch of cells may be put on the combs and a queen given them at once, and in a short time, say two weeks, such a colony will be in as good condition as any in the yard.
This thing can go all through the queen-rearing season. Only a few colonies need be made queenless in the beginning, and then no colony will of necessity need be queenless.
I would not advise using one colony for cell-building but once in four weeks. It requires a lot of colonies to rear queens in the above way, but the results are so satisfactory it will be found much the cheapest in the end.