# how long do queens last in cage?



## DJS (May 7, 2012)

I have had them for 4 days in cage with no problem. Did same thing drops of water. Kept in dark room tell put in hive.


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## Biene2013 (May 4, 2014)

Thanks for your quick reply.....I keep doing what I'm doing until I get to OK


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

I don't recall exactly but I'm sure I've had many queens last for many days. I used to have some hives almost 40 miles away, and also sometimes had to wait to install them. As long as the attendant bees are alive, they can feed the queen with sugar from the plug and the water you (must) provide at least a few times a day.


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## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

My Atlas does not show a Flower Mound in Oklahoma, are you sure that is a town in Oklahoma?


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## Biene2013 (May 4, 2014)

Thanks for your replay


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## Biene2013 (May 4, 2014)

No, Flower Mound is in Texas, I keep my bees in Broken Bow Oklahoma


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## liljake83 (Jul 2, 2013)

I have kept queens alive for 8 days just giving drops of water and keeping in a cool dark place


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## Biene2013 (May 4, 2014)

Thank you for your reply


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

1 drop of water every day. Keep in a dark quiet room temperature place. The queen will last as long as the attendants do and that is usually a week or two at least. Give her new attendants and you can go another week or two...


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## hilreal (Aug 16, 2005)

Will being penned up for that long a period affect egg laying once released?


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Based on the two week delay I had seen in some package queens, I suspected that. I banked some of my queens from early spring until fall one year and no matter how long they were banked they would start laying immediately if I introduced them to a nuc or a hive. I think it's banking them too SOON that is the cause of the problems with banking, not too long. Still I try to collect them on a Saturday bank them for only two days and ship them on Monday.


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