Wax Cell Cups

Beeswax cell cup strips are made by arranging artificial queen cells (cell cups) formed from pure beeswax in a row on a bar, and are used in queen rearing and royal jelly production. Because they are a natural material, bees accept them readily; on the other hand, they have to be made afresh for every cycle and the wax must be clean and free of residues. This page explains how beeswax cups are made, how they are mounted on the bar, how they are used and how they differ from plastic ones.

What is a beeswax cell cup strip?

When preparing to rear a queen, bees build small, bowl-shaped wax cups at the edges of the comb, facing downwards. These natural queen cell bases are called queen cups or cell cups. A beeswax cell cup is the beekeeper's imitation of this structure in pure wax.

Individually made wax cups are fixed to the underside of a cell bar with a drop of molten wax each, forming an evenly spaced row; this is called a beeswax cell cup strip. The bars are fitted to a collection or grafting frame and given to the colony. The method is based on the classic Doolittle method, which has been used in queen rearing for more than a hundred years.

Beeswax or plastic?

Many producers work with plastic but turn to beeswax cups when they have acceptance problems or when starting out. Some combine the advantages of both by coating the bottom of plastic cups with a thin layer of wax.

Which wax should be used for beeswax cups?

The cup is where the larva will spend its first days. Any residue in the wax sits right next to the larva and the jelly. That is why the choice of wax is the most important step in making cups.

• Prefer cappings wax: The cappings wax cut off during honey harvest has never had brood reared in it and is usually the cleanest wax.
• Avoid old dark comb: Wax rendered from combs in which brood has been reared for years is dark and dirty; residues of some varroa treatments used in the hive can build up in wax.
• Avoid wax of unknown origin: Wax mixed with paraffin or other substances can cause cups to soften or crack and lead to acceptance problems.
• Filtered and clear: Use wax that has been melted and strained through fine cloth, with no dirt or propolis particles in it.

How do you make beeswax cell cups? Step by step

The classic method uses a wooden dipping stick (former) with a rounded end. The end of the stick should be close to the diameter of a natural queen cell base and neatly rounded. There are also holders that carry several sticks side by side for making many cups at once.

1. Melt the wax: Melt the wax in a bain-marie, i.e. in a second container set inside a pot of hot water. Beeswax melts at about 62–64 °C; if overheated it darkens and its smell changes. Never melt wax over a direct flame; it ignites easily.
2. Soak the sticks: Leave the dipping sticks in cold water for a while. Wax does not stick to a wet surface, so the cup comes off easily.
3. Dip: Shake off excess water, then dip the end of the stick into the molten wax and lift it out. Repeat three or four times, dipping a little less deeply each time. This forms a bowl with a thick base and a thin rim.
4. Cool: Harden the wax-coated end by plunging it into cold water.
5. Remove: Twist the cup gently off the stick. Discard cups that are cracked, holed or have a thin base.

The formers and devices used for this are described in detail on the Queen Cell Cup Making Tools page.

How are cups mounted on the bar?

1. Prepare the bar: Spread a thin layer of molten wax on the underside of a clean, dry wooden cell bar.
2. Mark the spacing: Leave enough space between cups for bees to work on them without the cups being joined together.
3. Fix them: Dip the base of each cup in a drop of molten wax and press it onto the bar, or set it into a drop of wax on the bar. The cup should stand straight and firm.
4. Check: Turn the bar upside down and shake it gently; refix any cup that moves.

In set-ups where cups are fitted via holders, the wax cup is first fixed to the holder, and the holder is then fitted to the bar. This makes it easier to remove a ripe queen cell without crushing it.

What should you watch out for when working with beeswax cups?

• Letting the bees clean them: Giving the frame to the colony for a few hours or a day before grafting lets the cups take on the colony's scent and be tidied up by the bees.
• Heat: Wax cups soften and lose their shape in the sun or in a hot vehicle. Keep prepared bars in a cool, shaded place.
• Drying out: Whatever the cup material, a larva can dry out within a few minutes in the open; work quickly and cover waiting bars with a damp cloth.
• Royal jelly harvest: When cutting off the wax extension added by the bees with a sharp knife, take care that no wax crumbs fall into the jelly. Jelly with crumbs has to be strained separately and its quality drops.

How are beeswax cups stored?

• In a closed box: Keep them in a lidded container to protect them from dust, insects and odours.
• Cool and dark: They soften and stick together in the heat; wax left in the light for a long time can change colour.
• Protected from wax moth: Wax moth larvae can also damage wax cups; check the storage place.
• Away from chemicals: Wax absorbs odours easily; do not keep it with medicines, fuel or paint.

Common mistakes

• Dirty or adulterated wax: Lowers the acceptance rate and increases the risk of residues.
• Overheating the wax: It darkens and its smell changes; there is a risk of fire.
• Thin-based cups: They get pierced or break off the bar in transport.
• Mounting cups too close together: The bees join neighbouring cups, and they are damaged when separated.
• Dipping with a dry stick: The cup will not come off the former and tears.