I think this has been asked and answered recently but I can't find it.
Tomorrow (Thursday) I pick up 2 packages of bees that will have been driven here (NC) overnight from Georgia on a flatbed truck with 500 other packages. I believe they will have been packaged today (Wednesday) - so the normal 2-4 day ship time in isolation will be bypassed. 1 package will go in a top bar hive, the other in a foundationless lang, side by side.
I understand about not hanging the queen cage as it can cause erratic first-comb building and that direct release is therefore preferred for both hive types.
But will these bees have been with the queen long enough in the package to "know the scent of their" queen and accept her on direct release, or should I store the packages for a day or 2 or 3 (how long?) to ensure a more successful acceptance?