I bought 2 new queens which showed up yesterday just before dark. I was fortunate enough to find the 2 old queen and pinched them (a dirty business for sure). The queen cage did not have a strap so I layed them on top of the frames with the cork in place. The cages did not come with the candy cork installed but did come with them to be installed.
It rained all last night and got down into the 40’s. it is to be in the low 40’s tonight and the high 30’s Saturday and Sunday night.
If it was warmer, I was going to wait and put the candy in on Saturday and by Monday they should be out, hoping for plenty of time for the workers to accept them. Since it is so cold at tonight, I am concered they will not keep them warm enough being in the cage and maybe not accepted yet. Should I direct release in only 1 day tonight before it gets down to low 40’s? Wait until Saturday and direct release before it gets down to the low 30’s with only a 2 day intro? Or put the candy cork in and let them caged until they are released Sunday or Monday?
My concern is with the cold but I also need them to be accepted?
Hi Joe, I would let the bees eat through the candy. I normally make a gap on the bottom bar of the middle frame on the end close to the rear of the hive. Then I place the queen cage on that bottom bar with the cork end up against the side bar so that the bees have good access to the candy end. On the middle frame at the rear of the hive insures that the queen is kept warm until her release.
Regardless of the weather definitely wait to full days. Also look at this video you can tell if the bees still think they have a queen or not and whether or not this queen will be killed https://youtu.be/vCpbDMKWKs8
When I pulled the cork and put the candy plug in yesterday after having her in the hive for 24 hours, the hive was not trying to ball her cage. They were interested in her but not balling. So if they get her out tonight, it will have been 48 hours since removing the old queen.
Yeah well, Joe already stated that he found the 2 old queens & pinched them. My advice was in relation to his questions about the candy & keeping the new queens warm enough.
Queens have been released by the bees. It was too cold today to pull frames to make sure they are alive. The hives seemed calm so I suspect they are alive. I will have to check next week.