# How can I place cages around queen cell?



## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

You could just take some #8 mesh and make it into a square then cut the corners so it could be bent down.

Not sure I would do it that way but if you don't have enough bees to put them in the nucs it might work.


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## sistone (Feb 20, 2007)

*Queen cell protectors*

Dadant has Queen cell protectors that fit over the cells to keep Queens from emerging.

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=620

Here is the link to the web page.

Suzanne


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## CWBees (May 11, 2006)

Sunday I put together a nuc by by placing some brood frames with bees in it. I also took 4 cut out queen cells and placed them in Nicot cell cups mounted on a frame. I placed cages around 3 of them. I did not place a cage around the fourth since it was cracked open a bit and I wanted to see if the bees would repair it. I placed this frame in the center of the nuc. I also placed a brood frame with a sealed queen cell and several unsealed queen cells in the nuc. I checked the nuc today and it lookes like the bees sealed up the damaged queen cell. What bothers me about this nuc is I think I should have transfered more bees to it to keep the brood warm. It was in the 40's last night so at this point I think it is too late to add bees.


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## CWBees (May 11, 2006)

One of my caged queens hatched today. I could not get a good look at her since she turned around in her cell up to something. I placed her into a 3 frame baby nuc that I shook bees into today. 

How long should I wait before I let her out of the cage?

How long should I keep the entrance to the baby nuc closed?


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

CWBees said:


> One of my caged queens hatched today. I could not get a good look at her since she turned around in her cell up to something. I placed her into a 3 frame baby nuc that I shook bees into today.
> 
> How long should I wait before I let her out of the cage?
> 
> How long should I keep the entrance to the baby nuc closed?


How did you build your queen cages?

I would keep the nuc closed at least 3 days, make sure they have food and water.

Virgin queens are treated differently than mated queens....it seems the workers barely pay any attention to them at all until they are mature enough to mate, I would wait a few days, but not too long as I am not sure if the workers will feed her during her confinement. It might be a good idea to put her into a pushin introduction cage over some unsealed nector . 
MB would be better able to answer this question... .


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## CWBees (May 11, 2006)

peggjam said:


> How did you build your queen cages?


I placed the cut out queen cells in my Nicot Queen Breeding cell cups and used the cages from this system.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

Well, that doesn't help .


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## Riki (Jan 31, 2007)

"she turned around in her cell up to something."

They enter the cell to feed on the remaining royal jelly, sometimes they die in the cell (seems that they are not able to leave...).


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