The cell bar carries the cups into the colony. It looks like a detail but determines how quickly and how carefully you can work.

Construction

A wooden or plastic bar with cups mounted on it, usually three bars per rearing frame. The bar fits in the frame and can be removed separately.

Why detachable matters

At harvest or transfer the whole bar is lifted out and taken straight to the workspace, rather than working cup by cup at the hive.

That saves more than time. With royal jelly the product is exposed to air and warmth at harvest; speed is a quality factor there.

And with ripe cells it means less shaking — a cell that tips or vibrates yields a damaged queen.

Rotating holders

Some systems let the cups tilt. For grafting they face towards you so the light reaches the base; in the colony they face down like a natural queen cell.

That solves the problem of otherwise looking into a shadow.

Placement in the colony

The rearing frame belongs between brood frames, in the warm zone with plenty of young bees. At the edge it cools and acceptance drops.

Number of cups per bar

More cups does not mean more cells. A colony can only feed a certain number properly; beyond that the quality of every cell falls.

Match the number to the strength of the cell builder, not to the capacity of the frame.

Hygiene and maintenance

• Remove wax and propolis after each round; chilling makes propolis brittle
• Plastic takes up smells; store clean and separately
• Leave no detergent residue
• Replace bars with damaged fixings — a bar that comes loose at harvest costs the whole round