Installing queen cages a 'non-traditional' way - will it be ok?

[OzBuzz]

So a person came to me a few weeks ago and said "hey, I've got some boxes - can you put some colonies in them for me" I say "sure". Fast forward to today - I'm re-queening the colonies and the boxes are too right to allow space between the frames to put in the timber queen cages. Although not ideal I laid a square of non-scented toilet paper (single ply) on top of the frames dead centre of the hive over the brood nest and laid the cage, mesh down, on that. Will that still work ok? The hives had been queenless for 8hrs prior to installation of the cages.

[BlueBee]

This is how I release all my queens, minus the toilet paper.  Actually I lay mine on the top bars with the screen up when I have queens in those wood cages.  Never had a problem.  Much quicker and simplier than sticking the cage between frames IMO.

[OzBuzz]

Phew-glad im not completely off the planet... I figured the paper would give them more time to recognise their old queen is dead and accept the new one without stinging her or biting off her feet through the mesh... Only reason I put the mesh face down is because I figured that once they've ripped away the paper it would give the new queen greater exposure to the cluster. Is 7-8hrs long enough for a hive to be queenless? I despatched with the old queen and laid her on the top bar before closing the lid for the 7-8hrs

[Finski]

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That is a good test to look hive's opinion.

If bees make a  cluster over the cage and they bite the mesh with jaws, they surely will kill the queen.'

If bees ventilate peacefully around the cage and offer food to queen, it is Ok.

If bees are like nothing has happened, it is really OK.

*******

This is splended set up cage. Queen starts to lay eggs there with 5-10 workers. It will be accepted much better than in cage between frames.  But if some bees keep mesh with their jaws, they have not accepted her yet.

Cage is better if the mesh is more rigid.
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[OzBuzz]

Thanks Guys for your feedback... they should eat through that tissue pretty quickly yeah?

[BjornBee]

I have never used the "traditional" way of introducing queen cages. Laying the queen cages on the frames works great.

I also like the little plastic shipper cages. They fit nicely in the inner cover slot. So I can makes splits, or pull queens one day, and the next day just lift the top, place the queen in the inner cover slot, and check later to see if she is out, without ever needing to open the hive or disturb them by placing a cage between the frames.

I have never liked the whole "traditional" way of placing cages between frames, then coming back later to rip comb apart in removing the cage.

But, I'm a nonconforming, unconventional guy, who thinks maintaining practices cause it was written in a book from some long ago dead guy, is absurd.  :roll: