Queens by post..

[Codford]

How long can you reasonably keep them before introducing them to the hive? They were posted yesterday - arrived noon today.

 

[Beefriendly]

Add a few drops of water and weeks if required...but perhaps better start introduction sooner rather than later if possible.

 

[Angularity]

I can't see why you wouldn't want to get them in ASAP. I'm told they can a last a week, if you spray them with water regularly, but I think I would put them in even if it was after I got home from work and drove an hour to the apiary, all the bees were home and they were my angriest most aggressive colony.

Be cautious about getting the sugar plug wet, because the attendant bees, or God forbid HM herself, can get stuck, die and block the hole. Ask me how I know...

Just make sure to take the tape off the sugar plug. It's always the details that let me down.

 

[Codford]

Thanks both - they are going in tomorrow.

 

[Beefriendly]

Just make sure to take the tape off the sugar plug. It's always the details that let me down.

Hmmmm. I usually allow newly introduced queens 2-3 days in their cage inside their new hive before removing tape/plastic spacer to allow bees access the fondant plug to free queen.
You seem to lose less queens that way

 

[Hivemaker.]

Be okay for a few days, just smear a tiny bit of water on the cage mesh with your finger, don't regularly spray them with water...can result in killing them.

 

[Angularity]

Hmmmm. I usually allow newly introduced queens 2-3 days in their cage inside their new hive before removing tape/plastic spacer to allow bees access the fondant plug to free queen.
You seem to lose less queens that way

Oh, I quite agree. Just don't leave it on for 10 days when you think you've taken it off and have left them to get on with life. Anyway, she was alright.

 

[simonforeman]

I had 3 Peter stofen queens posted last Tuesday, they arrived on Saturday and introduced within a couple of hours. Checked yesterday all released and laying.
So were 4-5 days in transit.

I did even for that 2 hours before giving i smeared water on cage.