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Author Topic: queen cage candy  (Read 4264 times)

Offline drmwarden

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queen cage candy
« on: May 31, 2005, 01:38:34 pm »
I can't remember where I read this, but I know one book recommended poking a small hole all the way through the candy plug in the queen cage before placing it in the hive.  I think this is to let the workers release her more quickly.  I am getting ready to install a queen in a queenless hive (package originally installed the end of April).  I placed a couple of frames of brood in there last week.  When the queen arrives, should I poke a hole in the candy, or will these long'queenless workers be more likely to accept her if it takes longer to free her?

Offline lively Bee's

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queen cage candy
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2005, 02:02:34 pm »
I never do Most of the time they will have her out in 3 - 4 days.

Offline leominsterbeeman

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queen cage candy
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2005, 06:59:09 pm »
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should I poke a hole in the candy


Yes, you can do this.  Just be careful and do it slowly as to not kill or hurt any of the bees in the cage (especially the queen).  It will allow the bees to release her quicker.

If you don't do this, it's OK,  they will still work to release her and they will be able to feed her through the screen too.  

I always mean to poke a hole in the candy, especially when introducing a package queen to her hive, but sometimes I forget.  

I suppose that not doing it on a newly introducted queen will lengthen the time it takes to release her and she will have more time to take on the hive smell.
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Offline JP

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queen cage candy
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2005, 09:33:42 pm »
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should I poke a hole in the candy?


I just released queens in two hives & it was suggested that I poke a hole in the candy, by someone who's been raising bees for 55yrs, so I did it & it worked fine.
my only advice would be to make sure you secure the queen cages or they may fall to the bottom like mine did, & I had to right one of them, they still released her though.
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Offline L. Osborn

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queen cage candy
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2005, 12:12:30 am »
You state that you place brood in the hive last week.  First make sure there are no queen cells in the hive before you put in your new queen or they will kill her for sure.  I would not poke a hole the fondant since they can often release her in several days even without the hole.  If they have larvae available they will often kill your queen and try to raise their own.  If they don't have larvae from which to raise a queen they have to accept your queen and you can poke the hole without risk.

 

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