# Queen cage placement....



## TIMER (Apr 17, 2011)

I suppose that depends on what floor your referring to.


----------



## Honeycomb (Jan 15, 2010)

The floor of the top bar hive. It has a screened bottom, but it is totally closed up. I will be installing a package.


----------



## TIMER (Apr 17, 2011)

I direct released six queens yesterday, just popped the cork and set the cage right on top.
The bees had already been in the package 5 days though so they should have been used to her.


----------



## Honeycomb (Jan 15, 2010)

I was considering direct releasing, but if it doesn't work out I won't be able to get another queen so I decided against it. I want to put the cage on the floor - the coldest it gets at night here is upper 40's. Will it be ok if I put her on the floor?


----------



## TIMER (Apr 17, 2011)

Why not rubber band her cage to the underside of one of your top bars?


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If the night time temps won't fall below 50F she will be fine. If they do fall below 50F she may die when the bees cluster.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Why not rubber band her cage to the underside of one of your top bars? 

When I get time I think I'll do one of these just so I can take pictures of the mess to show people. It would save me a lot of words...

The most important concept to grasp with any natural comb hive is that one good comb leads to another in the same way that one bad comb leads to another. You cannot afford to not be paying attention to how they start off. The most common cause of a mess of comb is leaving the queen cage in as they always start the first comb from that and then the mess begins. I can't believe how many people want to "play it safe" and hang the queen cage. They obviously can't grasp that it is almost a guarantee of failure to get the first comb started right, which without intervention is guaranteed to mean every comb in the hive will be messed up. Once you have a mess the most important thing is to make sure the LAST comb is straight as this is always the guide for the NEXT comb. You can't take a "hopeful" view that the bees will get back on track. They will not. You have to put them back on track.


----------



## dehavik (Jun 5, 2010)

Just hived two packages in new TBHs this evening. The queen cages I got had only one end with a cork in it and no candy plug. I poured the bees in, removed the cork from the queen cage and dropped her on top of the bees. The bees settled down very well. I fear crooked comb and I didn't want to leave the cage in there and have to disturb them to take it out in a couple days. I think with your nights above 40 degrees, you should be fine to direct-release. even if she's in the cage for a couple days while the candy is being eaten away, she'll still have attendants and bees attracted to her pheromones to keep her from freezing.


----------



## Buz Green (Jun 29, 2009)

Michael.
You sir, have the patience of a Saint.


----------

