Queen Introduction Shipping Cage - yellow

Queen Shipping and Introduction Cage – Plastic Type 2, Yellow

Reliable protection during transport and when introducing a new queen to the colony. Need to reduce the risk of damage or loss of a queen bee during shipping or when introducing her to a hive? This practical shipping and introduction cage in a highly visible yellow color (easy to spot in the dim interior of the hive) provides the queen with a safe space and gives the beekeeper peace of mind. The cage consists of two parts, with room inside for the queen and for a feed supply – most commonly candy (sugar-honey paste). Thanks to its slim design, it can be placed directly between the frames in the brood box, where the queen has contact with the bees through the mesh while maintaining stable temperature conditions. The cage protects the queen from initial aggression by the bees and promotes gradual and reliable acceptance.

Benefits for Beekeepers and Practical Design Features

Gradual queen release for higher acceptance rates: The cage features a candy release chamber. After breaking out the small door, fill it with candy (sugar-honey paste), which the bees gradually chew through (usually over approximately 2 days). During this time, the queen's pheromones spread throughout the colony, the bees become accustomed to her scent, and the chances of successful acceptance increase significantly. Durable material and reusable design: Sturdy 2 mm thick plastic ensures long service life. The circular opening is fitted with a plug – after breaking out the door, the opening can be easily re-sealed, allowing the cage to be used repeatedly. Versatile use: Thanks to the hanging tab, the cage can be quickly and securely attached to a frame. The queen can be released by the bees through the candy, or alternatively, after 2–3 days of adaptation, she can be released manually through the circular opening.

Guidelines for Successful Queen Introduction

Before requeening, the old queen must be removed and the colony must be confirmed to be truly queenless. Worker bees may initially perceive a foreign queen as an intruder and attempt to ball and kill her – especially if the original queen is still present in the hive, or if another queen (e.g., a newly emerged virgin queen) is present in the colony. The cage with the new queen should be inserted as soon as possible, ideally within 30 minutes of removing or killing the old queen. If the wait is longer, the bees often begin building emergency queen cells.

If the colony has been queenless for more than 2 days, all emergency queen cells must be carefully removed (especially sealed ones – a queen may have already emerged from them). The best results are achieved when introducing into a queenless colony without open brood (larger uncapped larvae may remain), with all queen cells reliably torn down. Only then should the introduction cage be placed between the frames in the brood box.

Preparing the Cage Step by Step

Gently press candy (sugar-honey paste) into the candy release chamber. Crystallized honey can also be used, but softer or more liquid honey may run and coat the queen, which can be fatal. Insert the queen into the cage by simply sliding open the top cover and then quickly but carefully closing it.

For shipping (e.g., by mail): Add approximately 5 attendant worker bees to the cage to care for the queen. In this mode, do not break out the candy door on the side.

For introduction into the hive (brood box): Release any attendant bees and leave the queen alone in the cage. Then break out the side candy door so that the house bees can eat through the candy and gradually release the queen safely.

Technical Specifications