Caged queen

[tedh]

Hi Everyone,
   This may belong in the "rasing queens" section, but since we're not raising her i thought it would be appropriate to post here.  As always, mods, move if you think otherwise.
   
  We've got a queen stuck in the mail, probably weather related but that's unimportant, she's stuck and that's the point.  Monday being a holiday the soonest we could get her would be Tuesday.  She was shipped last Wednesday or Thursday so she will have been in her cage for at least 6 days by the soonest time we could get her (Tuesday).  I understand the variables make a firm answer difficult, but how long can a queen be in a cage like that and still remain....viable?  If she's not dead when she arrives, whenever that is, should we try to install her?  Why not i suppose?  If she does survive the trip will she have lost anything pertaining to her queenly duties?  Thanks, Ted

[iddee]

If she and 1 or more attendants are still alive, she should be fine. Put her in a hive asap, whether queenless or queenright. The nurse bees will feed her even in a queen right hive.

Do not remove either cork until she is in a queenless hive for 2 days or more.

[tedh]

Thanks iddee!

[Jen]

Hi Ted, I just brought home 5 queens for splits, there were not very many attendance for 5 queens. The weather man lied and now there is three days of nasty windy rain. A well seasoned beek told me to remove the lid from a strong hive, put on a spacer, put the caged queens on top of the frames, netting up or cage can be on it's side, put the lid back on. I did. I was nervous. A couple hours later, I lifted the lid and to my delight the cages were covered with very busy happy nurse bees.

If I were in your shoes, and your queen is alive when she arrives, I would do that first, just set her cage right on top of the frames letting lots of nurse bees cover her up while in her cage, they would calm her down, more access for the bees to feeding her quickly. Then, after a couple of days insert her wooden cage between the frames as usual.

And PS... I would not let her out in 2 days, minimun 3 days. Last year I was having too many incidences of the queens being balled immediately upon release after 3 days. Now, I do 4-5 days with 100% luck.

Good luck and wishing for your queen to make it home alive and well ~

[tedh]

Thanks Jen!

[iddee]

Jen, I have never released a queen in any amount of days. I said don't remove the CORK for 2 or more days. If there is an unknown queen in a hive, they will feed her without releasing her. If she is still not out in 7 days. I go looking for the other queen.