Queen Cages Questions

[DayValleyDahlias]

Hi All,

What is a "push in cage"?

The packages I have coming have plastic  queen cages...I have seen mostly only small wooden/wire in the videos...

Will you please educate me on the various types?  Many thanks,

Shar

[Understudy]

A push in cage is a cage you push into a brood frame. There are four small posts on the push in cage which secure it in the comb.

Since the cage is raised you can put the queen in the cage and the brood that hatches will accept her. When all is good you can remove the button on the front of the queen cage or just remove the cage.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

>What is a "push in cage"?

Try looking it up here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm

[johnnybigfish]

I just have one thing to say about me and queen cages....
I kept my first 2(ok,...3) queen cages(also, the package cages too) as mementos(souvenirs!).I dont know exactly WHERE I'm gonna display them, but I know I'm GOING TO!..These were a very important thing in my life and when I look at the queen cages and package cages I want to kinda "Reminesce"(spelling?'..you know, remember?)

your friend,
john

[tillie]

Keith Fielder, an extension agent in Georgia, gave a talk last month at our bee club.  He uses only push-in cages when he introduces a queen.  You make it yourself of #8 hardware cloth - it's about a 4" X 4" square.  You fold sides down to allow the cage to be about 1/2 " tall and use the cut wires on the folded edges to push the cage into the comb.  He dumps the queen out of the cage in which she arrived onto the screened wire and pushes it into the comb, caging her in the now enlarged space for her to begin in the hive.  The queen then has an area in which to start laying and she is protected by the push-in cage while the hive gets used to her.

That was my understanding from his talk.  Hope that makes sense.

Here's a good description:  http://members.aol.com/queenb95/QnIntroInstr.html

And here is MBush's description of one:

"Push In Cage

This is the most reliable release for a laying queen. The concept of this is to give the queen some newly emerged attendants, who will accept her since they have never had any other queen, some food and a place to lay. Once she is a laying queen with attendants the hive will usually accept her without protest.

Making a Push In Cage

Most people make these about 4 inches square (10 cm). I prefer to make them bigger. The larger they are the easier it is to get some honey (so she doesn't starve) some open cells (so she has a place to lay) and some emerging brood (so she has attendants). I like mine about 5 by 10 inches (12.5cm by 25cm). Cut some #8 hardware cloth (8 wires to an inch or 1/8" wire cloth) 6 1/2" by 11 1/2" (about 16cm by 29cm). Pull off the first three wires all the way around leaving 3/8" wires sticking out with no cross wires. This is to push into the comb so that the bees can't get under easily. Now come in 3/4" from the corners (three more wires) and make a cut 3/4" in (3 more wires) on all four corners. It really doesn't matter from which direction, but you're going to fold it around the corner. Fold the 3/4" edge over. A board or the sharp edge of a table is helpful in doing this. Fold the 3/4" corners over. You now have a box with no bottom that is 3/4 inch tall and 5 by 10 inches.

Using a Push in Cage

Find a comb with emerging brood. This comb is bees who are fuzzy and struggling to get out of a cell they have just chewed open. A bee with its head sticking out of a cell is emerging brood. A bee with it's behind sticking out of a cell is a nurse bee feeding a larvae or a house bee cleaning a cell. Shake (if the comb is strong enough) or brush all of the bees off of the comb. Release the queen on one side of the comb where there is emerging brood and some open honey. Put the cage over her so that it has both honey and emerging brood in it. Some open cells are nice too. Push the cage into the comb. It should stick up about 3/8" above the comb to make room for the queen to move around. Make room in the hive for this frame plus the 3/8". Some will have enough space and some will have to have a frame removed, but you need to have the frame with the push in cage and then 3/8" space between the cage and the comb on the next frame so that bees have access to the cage to meet the queen and feed them if they like. Come back in four days and release the queen by removing the cage."


Linda T in Atlanta

[DayValleyDahlias]

Thanks  much for that excellent information.  The queens that are coming along with my packages are going to be in plastic cages.  hhhmmm

[annette]

I just introduced a queen yesterday to my queenless hive. It came in a plastic cage. Not sure if you are getting the same thing, but I just hung it between 2 frames and that is all. When the queen is released, I will take a picture and post it for you.

Annette

[Michael Bush]

Thanks Linda.  I knew I wrote that, but I couldn't find it.  :)  But I found it now:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#pushincage

[tillie]

When a queen comes in her plastic or whatever kind of cage, you simply remove the cork and dump her onto the push-in cage.  The way Keith Fielder described it, you push in one side of the cage into the comb with the emerging brood and honey; then dump the queen out of her cage into the push in cage area.  Then quickly push the rest of the sides of the push-in cage into the comb and there are you are - the queen shortly will have attendants to take care of her, there's food and the bees in the hive can get used to her while she can begin her egg laying duties immediately.

I like the idea of Michael's larger 5" X 10" cage in that you have more possible attendants, more room for the queen to function and more food for her.

Linda T in Atlanta

[Robo]

I advise staying away from the plastic push-in cages like this one.


The plastic doesn't hold in the comb very well and it only has points on the 4 corners.   The bees easily chew the wax from under the edges.   I tried it once and threw it out after the bees easily got to the queen.

Make a wire one if your going to use one.

[DayValleyDahlias]

Here is how it is going down...

I am driving around 3 hours to Vacaville onApril 12, picking up 2 four pound packages each with it's own queen...the queen will be in her cage, it will be plastic.  I am going to suspend the cage between the frames...thats about the size of it...Oh I will probably scrape a bit of candy out as well...

Tah dah...no push in this time around...

[annette]

I placed this post in my other post about my queenless hive, Sorry!!

[JP]

Please respond quickly if possible. I already have my queen in the plastic cage hanging between 2 frames with a couple of attendants. She was placed in there on Tuesday. Because it doesn't look like she is being accepted yet, I have not opened up the cover on the candy end as I do not want her to be killed. I want to transfer her to the push in wire cage which I made last night according to MB website plans.

My problem is how do I get her out of the plastic cage quickly since this cage she is in has a candy plug that hasn't been eaten yet because I kept the cover on. I left the cover on because it doesn't look like they are accepting her and I do not want her killed. If I poke a hole through the candy I still doubt that I can just shake her out of the cage. I do not think there will be enough room for her to get out quickly. MB suggested I place her in the push in cage and there might be a better chance of her being accepted if she has emerging brood with her.

Any responses appreciated
Thank you
Annette

Annette, there should be a hinge between the plug end and the body of the cage. The plug end should open at the hinge where you can open and release her into your hand. Hope this makes sense.


...JP