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Cell Punch Frame devised by Roger Patterson

A specially prepared frame that can accept a whole row of Stanley cell punches, that was devised by Roger Patterson. The original photos used on this page were provided by Roger.

The Stanley punch comprises a brass tube that is sharpened at one end, a plastic collar and a friction fit dowel that both acts as a piston to expel the open end of the cell and is inserted into a larger, usually tapered bung that can sit in a large hole id required. Details on this link The image at right shows a punch with collar or 'nose piece' and a dowel.

The Stanley punch comprises a brass tube that is sharpened at one end, a plastic collar and a friction fit dowel that both acts as a piston to expel the open end of the cell and is inserted into a larger, usually tapered bung that can sit in a large hole id required. Details on this link

The image at right shows a punch with collar or 'nose piece' and a dowel.

First select the cell that contains a suitable larva and push the sharpened end into the comb so that the tube encircles the cell, as shown at far right.

Then isolate the cell by pushing the cutting edge right through the comb with a twisting or turning motion.

Our isolated cell looks like the image at far right, the cell itself is inside the tube, what you can see protruding is the fragment of three cells from the reverse side of our comb.

Use the dowel as a piston to push the cell back along the tube

Using the dowel as a plunger the contents of the tube are pushed back until the desired cell is again exposed slightly beyond the mouth of the plastic nose piece.

Our selected cell is shown here protruding from the mouth of the cell punch.

The 'Terry' tool clip is shown at right, they are available in various sizes and should be selected to give a reasonable grip to the brass tube of the punch

The frame is prepared with a wooden lath to accept the row of 'Terry' tool clips, the frame is shown empty for clarity. If larger frames than the British ones are used it may be possible to incorporate two rows of clips. Roger has one BS frame with 2 rows of clips, but considers that most amateur beekeepers with small colony numbers would only use one.

The frame is prepared with a wooden lath to accept the row of 'Terry' tool clips, the frame is shown empty for clarity.

If larger frames than the British ones are used it may be possible to incorporate two rows of clips. Roger has one BS frame with 2 rows of clips, but considers that most amateur beekeepers with small colony numbers would only use one.

A frame fitted with a full compliment of cell punches, will look something like the image below, the grey background has been included to render the punches themselves to be more visible. Do not be too concerned about the cleanliness of the punches, providing that they have been cleaned up by the bees and have not had any mould growth on them, the bees will accept them better than fresh or 'cleaned up' ones.

Populated Terry clip frame

The bees will start to work on the cells as soon as the frame is inserted back in the colony. After a little time has elapsed the cells will be seen to be fully provisioned with royal jelly as the one at near right shows. If the cells have been accepted they will look like the image at far right after about 24hours, any larva that have not been accepted can have the punches removed, which can be used again to cut out suitable larvae. A drawing pin (thumbtack) can be added to the dowel to indicate that the cell is not as old as the others in the row.

Cell that has been accepted and provisioned with royal jelly The bees will start to work on the cells as soon as the frame is inserted back in the colony. After a little time has elapsed the cells will be seen to be fully provisioned with royal jelly as the one at near right shows.

If the cells have been accepted they will look like the image at far right after about 24hours, any larva that have not been accepted can have the punches removed, which can be used again to cut out suitable larvae. A drawing pin (thumbtack) can be added to the dowel to indicate that the cell is not as old as the others in the row.

Our objective in all of these operations is to produce sealed queen cells that look like the example at far right. This fine quality queen cell can be candled to establish if the queen is alive and then placed in a nucleus for emergence. We might wish to protect the cell from damage by the nucleus colony, this can be achieved by any of the means mentioned on the cell protectors page. The sealed cells can be placed in nucs for emergence, the large diameter wooden plugs can be simply pressed into the face of the comb to secure the cell sufficiently (the bees will soon fix it). This image also indicates what the cell looks like after the virgin queen has emerged.

press wooden plug into comb face for cell to emerge Our objective in all of these operations is to produce sealed queen cells that look like the example at far right. This fine quality queen cell can be candled to establish if the queen is alive and then placed in a nucleus for emergence. We might wish to protect the cell from damage by the nucleus colony, this can be achieved by any of the means mentioned on the cell protectors page.

The sealed cells can be placed in nucs for emergence, the large diameter wooden plugs can be simply pressed into the face of the comb to secure the cell sufficiently (the bees will soon fix it).

This image also indicates what the cell looks like after the virgin queen has emerged.

Written... 28 February & 01 March 2007, Amended... 04 March 2007, Revised... 18 June 2007,