Play cups?

[kazmcc]

What are play cups? Another daft question

 

[Poly Hive]

Play cups are incipient queen cells and can be safely ignored even if there is an egg in it.

However please note that if there is a larvae in it, or for that matter royal jelly which hosts a too small to see larvae, it is a statement of intent.

Might I suggest investing in a good beekeeping book? I recommend a book to everyone.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

PH of course the larvae are not to small to see.......you have to be able to see them to graft them.

 

[Poly Hive]

That you do.

I used to graft at 12 hours as no doubt you do.

There was a thread on this last week was it and the poster was unable to see a larvae in the royal jelly which is which I mentioned it, as they seemed to think if they couldn't see a larvae in the jelly there was not one.

Which is a serious error.

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

If you cant see larvae then Hedgerow Pete could lend you that lens he has in his beeshed that he got off the Hubble telescope

 

[oliver90owner]

The one he uses to de-louse his bees individually of varroa?

Regards, RAB

 

[kazmcc]

I have two books, but one of them is at the hive entrance, and I am only a quarter way through it. The other one didn't mention play cups. I find if I ask on here, I get extra info, like on your post about them being a statement of intent...a book wouldn't explain that as well as you did, as you added that even if it has larva in, you can ignore it. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

 

[tonybloke]

I find if I ask on here, I get extra info, like on your post about them being a statement of intent...a book wouldn't explain that as well as you did, as you added that even if it has larva in, you can ignore it.

please read PH's post again.

If you can see a larvae or royal jelly in a play cup, you CANNOT ignore it!!

 

[Hombre]

Yes, it is an egg in a play cup that you can safely ignore. Once there is jelly in there, you have a grub, if you can see it or not and the clock has started ticking.

That slight misunderstanding could be a costly error to make.

 

[kazmcc]

Ahh, thanks for pointing that out....I hadn't read it properly. What does royal jelly look like? I suppose I will get shown all this in the course of the year. I'm off to google ( again ) to trawl through the images

Thanks guys.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

 

[oliver90owner]

What does royal jelly look like?

Unmistakable, in the context of the discussion. Bees do not store either honey or pollen in queen cells. If you see anything other than an egg or a larva in a queen cell (that is being developed) it will be royal jelly.

Regards, RAB

 

[kazmcc]

Thank you. Paul is not going to believe how much I have learned since the taster course on 1st July. I have wholeheartedly recommended this forum to the other project members, great advice, great support. Can't wait to put it all into practice ( with Paul floating over my shoulder of course in case I get it COMPLETELY wrong )

 

[The Riviera Kid]

Yes, it is an egg in a play cup that you can safely ignore. Once there is jelly in there, you have a grub, if you can see it or not and the clock has started ticking.

That slight misunderstanding could be a costly error to make.

too right about that last bit!!! that was how I ended up in a queenless mess!!

I would add that when you destroy queen cups or play cups that look like becoming queen cups make sure you do it thoroughly. my lot repaired the queen cups and then my resident queen swarmed!!

 

[MuswellMetro]

What are play cups? Another daft question

most Bees will make play cups, today one of my hive today had three, the others two..all empty but you still need to check them