Cell Bars and Holders

Queen cell bars and cup holders are the parts that carry grafted cups in the hive mouth down, upright and evenly spaced: the cell bar is a wooden or metal strip fitted horizontally inside the grafting frame; the holder is a small plastic base in which the cup sits and which fits onto the bar. A good bar-and-holder set-up speeds up grafting, lets you remove a ripe cell without crushing it and helps the cell sit firmly in the comb when it is distributed.

What is a cell bar and what is it for?

A cell bar (cell cup bar) is the horizontal strip on which cups are arranged in queen rearing or royal jelly production. The bars sit in slots in the side bars of a grafting frame the size of a hive frame. A frame usually has two or three bars.

The bar's job is to carry the cups to where the bees are densest, mouth down and upright like natural queen cells. During grafting, the bar is taken out of the frame or rotated on its own axis so that the cup mouths face up and the larva can be placed easily.

Types of cell bar

What is a cup holder (cell base)?

A holder (cell base, cup carrier) is a small plastic part in which the cup sits. The holder fits onto the bar; the cup slots into the holder. The great advantage of this arrangement is that a ripe cell can be taken off the bar and placed in the comb by holding its holder, without touching the wax part of the cell at all.

• Holders fixed with nails or screws: Permanently attached to a wooden bar; the cup is pressed into the holder.
• Slide-on (rail) holders: Slid onto a metal or plastic bar of a particular profile, and moved along the bar to adjust spacing.
• Bases fixed with wax: The base is attached to the bar with a drop of molten wax; it breaks away easily together with the ripe cell.
• Graftless system bases: The cell bases in which the queen lays are fitted into the system's own holders and mounted on the bar.

What should you watch for when choosing bars and holders?

• Compatibility: The holder must fit the bar, the cup must fit the holder, and the cell protector must fit the cell. Parts from different systems often do not fit together.
• Firmness: The holder must not wobble on the bar, and the cup must not drop out of the holder by itself; if a ripe cell falls, the queen inside can die.
• Spacing: Leave enough space between cups so that ripe cells do not stick together and bees can work around them.
• Material: Odourless, food-grade plastic; unpainted, unvarnished wood; stainless metal.
• Spares: Holders break and get lost; have spares at the start of the season.

How are ripe cells taken off the bar and distributed?

1. Timing: Ripe cells are taken on day 10 after grafting, one or two days before the queen emerges.
2. Remove the bees: The rearing frame is not shaken; the bees are removed with a brush or a little smoke.
3. Hold by the holder: Each cell is gripped by its holder and detached from the bar by twisting or pulling gently. Do not press on the tip or the wax wall of the cell.
4. Carry upright: The cells are carried mouth down and upright in a warm carrying container.
5. Place: The holder is wedged between two frames in the mating nuc or fixed by pressing it gently into the comb surface.

Cell protectors and holders

If distribution will be delayed by a day or two, cell protectors are fitted over the ripe cells. The protector fits over or around the holder and stops a queen that emerges early from reaching the other cells. It must suit your holder type, must not squeeze the cell, and must have gaps through which workers can feed the emerged queen. Protectors are fitted on day 9–10, when the cells are ripe.

Cleaning, maintenance and storage

• Holders: After each batch, scrape off wax and propolis and wash in lukewarm water. Do not use scented detergent, or rinse very thoroughly.
• Wooden bars: Scrape and dry completely; replace a bar that cracks or warps.
• Metal bars: Wipe and dry; do not use if signs of rust appear.
• Storage: In a closed box, in a dry, cool place away from chemicals.
• Disease: Set aside bars and holders used in a colony showing signs of disease.

Common mistakes

• Loose holders: A cell that falls in transit leads to the queen's death.
• Crowded spacing: Ripe cells fuse together and tear when separated.
• Holding the cell by its wax: The wall is crushed and the pupa is damaged.
• Mixing different systems: Cell protectors or holders do not fit, causing problems on distribution day.