Push-in cage for queen introduction

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Amari

Amari

Queen Bee
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Location
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Via a recent thread I have only recently become acquainted with the concept of a push-in cage for queen introduction.

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=597515&postcount=10

I was further enlightened by a Utube video via another recent thread (but don't know how to attach that link without deleting the one above!). The cage seemed to be no more than a square of folded mesh.
Interestingly no such device features in Thorne's catalogue and I have suggested to them that they might replicate it.

Is this a device in common use? Where can you get one?
 
Amari said:
Via a recent thread I have only recently become acquainted with the concept of a push-in cage for queen introduction.

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=597515&postcount=10

I was further enlightened by a Utube video via another recent thread (but don't know how to attach that link without deleting the one above!). The cage seemed to be no more than a square of folded mesh.
Interestingly no such device features in Thorne's catalogue and I have suggested to them that they might replicate it.

Is this a device in common use? Where can you get one?
Click to expand...

I made my own from varroa mesh , wire cutters and pliers in 10 minutes.. Sewed the edges with soft garden wire. Made two, gave one away.. Worked .
 
Yep. As madadafish. Easy to make your own from varroa mesh. That way you can make it as big as you want. I'm sure Thorne do a plastic one. I know Bee-equipment do
 
Amari said:
Is this a device in common use? Where can you get one?
Click to expand...


Do it yourself. IT is Quick to do. They vanish gradually to lawn, and then do a new one..

Best is a little bit rigid aluminium mesh what you can cut with scissors..
.
 
Last edited:
Manley wrote about this at considerable length. Well worth a read.

PH
 
Very good for requeening if you have stroppy bees ,mine came from Beckys bees only around £2 .I've used it a few times now.
 
We use the white plastic Nicot ones.....discussed on another thread.........and sell them for a pound each to queen customers. You will gather from that they don't cost much in case quantities..........150 to the box, surely yet another thing an association should be doing.

Making our own...even if materials are free.....would cost several times more....but then I have to pay my staff instead of no charge for time.
 
Amari said:
Via a recent thread I have only recently become acquainted with the concept of a push-in cage for queen introduction.

https://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=597515&postcount=10

I was further enlightened by a Utube video via another recent thread (but don't know how to attach that link without deleting the one above!). The cage seemed to be no more than a square of folded mesh.
Interestingly no such device features in Thorne's catalogue and I have suggested to them that they might replicate it.

Is this a device in common use? Where can you get one?
Click to expand...
Hi
I made my own using #6 stainless steel mesh , wire is approx 0.7mm with 3.5mm aperture. 300x300m sheet about £6 delivered from flea bay. Cages are easy to make and with simple cuts at ends you can fold sides round. I soldered my folds but not really necessary. My cages are approx 1.5 cm deep and cover approx 1/3rd of standard brood frame. I select area with some capped brood, some stores and some space. I include a few workers with the queen. So far I have had 100% success rate. The queen starts laying within day or so and this I think aids acceptance. I take out the frame to attach and introduce. I leave the cage about a week before inspecting. Interestingly in the majority of cases the queen is out of the cage and it is hard to see how. I suspect the bees eat through the comb to release her majesty but sometimes it still looks sealed with a few workers inside. I push the cages in leaving about 1cm space, this I think also protects the queen from risk of attack during first day or so. Despite ensuring stores are within the cage area, I always press some candy into two of the corners, As much to encourage contact and spread scent as for food. I started using the press in cage after reading that laying queens can normally be walked into a queenless colony and the problem with many introductions is that the queen, having been in a small intro cage, sometimes through the post as well, has stopped laying. Getting the queen back onto comb is the quickest way to get her back laying and thus acceptance. I also, prefer giving a new queen and her attendants some space, they always appear agitated in the small intro cages. Before making my own I did buy a press in cage from supplier in uk, made of white plastic and was less than impressed, they are imho too shallow and use small pegs to keep the cage anchored. I found the pegs too short and ended up using cocktail sticks before abandoning in preference to homemade. The stainless steel means they can be cleaned thoroughly between use and will last a lifetime.
 
This is one of the smallest Job in beekeeping. No need to try perfect. Whole I seek old cage, I do a new.
 
I also make my own using the small pieces of varroa mesh which can be bought at the Bee sales. I then use a pair of tin snips and bend the corners over the workbench.
I find this to be a very good way to introduce a mated queen who is usually surrounded by newly hatched workers and in lay by the time she is either released or I release her after about five days.
I have just introduced eight using this method with 100% success rate so far.

I attach a couple of sections of bottom bar to the mesh to allow the hive workers room to feed the Queen through the mesh.
 
Last edited:
kighill said:
I also make my own using the small pieces of varroa mesh which can be bought at the Bee sales. I then use a pair of tin snips and bend the corners over the workbench.
I find this to be a very good way to introduce a mated queen who is usually surrounded by newly hatched workers and in lay by the time she is either released or I release her after about five days.
I have just introduced eight using this method with 100% success rate so far.

I attach a couple of sections of bottom bar to the mesh to allow the hive workers room to feed the Queen through the mesh.
Click to expand...


Thanks for that. Could you please explain the last paragraph a little more.
 
I have managed to add a photo in the album section titled home made push in Queen cage.
 
Update
I bought the sheet of stainless steel mesh but had difficulty cutting it (my neighbour with lots of tools was away). In a panic (the new queen had arrived) I bodged a cage from varroa mesh. It was heavy and clumsy-looking. I managed to place the new queen in the cage over a patch of brood. I opened the hive a week later, lifted the frame, and the cage fell off. No queen to be seen on the frame! I closed the hive. Ten days later: no eggs or larvae. Today (3 weeks on): Hurrah: eggs and minute larvae!
Thanks for everyone's advice
 
Hmmm...Are you sure that the queen is the one you placed under the cage? I leave her under for 4 days. Even then, some colonies start emergency cells. A week on? The cells would be sealed and some colonies will reject the new queen. There were no eggs in cells under they cage? Did she escape the cage? Did the bees release her? There should have been eggs under the cage and when you pulled the cage, you should have seen her. Then no new brood for too long to be your queen.
 
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