Signs of accepted caged queen?

[Bee’s Knees]

I killed a queen of a very hostile hive yesterday and placed a new bought queen in a cage on a frame of brood.

I had planned to break the tabs today but when I went into the hive as well as the bees being grumpy as normal, they were absolutely covering the cage. Even after I shook them off and placed it on top of the frames they seemed to frantically cover the cage again.

I checked a few brood frames for any emergency cells but couldn’t see any but as they we so grumpy with me I didn’t want to hang around and check every frame.

I have re-queened once before but that was with a split and the bees just seemed a lot calmer around the cage after 24 hours it they accepted her with no issue.

Does that frantic behaviour sound normal on a very busy hive or is this sign they would currently ball her? What should I be looking for to see that they have accepted her?

Should I wait a few more days before breaking the tabs?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

are they just covering the cage trying to 'rescue' the queen>
or are they literally attacking/biting the cage trying to destroy her?
From experience I seldom leave the candy protected for more than 24 hours

 

[Bee’s Knees]

Hmmm, the honest answer is I don’t know, there were so many bees around me it wasn’t easy to inspect that close to my eye.
They were definitely covering the cage though.

 

[ericbeaumont]

answer is I don’t know

Video, please.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hmmm, the honest answer is I don’t know, there were so many bees around me it wasn’t easy to inspect that close to my eye.
They were definitely covering the cage though.

Can you brush the bees off.?
Hostile bees cling on and you can’t just brush them off.

 

[Bee’s Knees]

Can you brush the bees off.?
Hostile bees cling on and you can’t just brush them off.

I shook them off.
I will take a video tomorrow, I take it there is no issue leaving her in the cage for another day or so until somebody gives me confidence to break the tabs?

 

[ericbeaumont]

no issue leaving her in the cage for another day or so

No.

 

[Bee’s Knees]

Video, please.

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[drex]

My vote is that they love her

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

no issue leaving her in the cage for another day or so

No.

apart from I've found that the longer you leave her in the cage, the harder it is for them to accept her

 

[Amari]

I've always marvelled that pundits on the forum can tell the difference between love or aggression towards a caged queen. Here I'll vote for aggression (having just tossed a coin).

 

[Malcolm B.]

They were definitely covering the cage though.

My understanding is - if they hate her they will ball the cage and suffocate her. Am I correct?

 

[markb2603]

I have very limited experience outside of a couple of introductions this season. They don’t appear to be acting overly aggressive. They aren’t trying to sting through the cage or arching their abdomens. They look to be easily moved as well. I would say it’ll be okay to pull the tab.

 

[Ian123]

They may not be trying to sting but they are running all over it……personally I’d say they don’t look happy

 

[Erichalfbee]

A good tip, I find:
Pick up the cage and see if bees are putting their proboscis in to feed her. That’s a good sign.
Biting the cage isn’t.

 

[Norton]

Not good at all, check again in 3 days, do not release until they accept the caged queen and after removal of security tabs do not open hive for a week. Of course check and cull cells.

 

[Bee’s Knees]

oh… well based on the first posts I went and opened the tabs.
I suppose I will find out in a week..

 

[hemo]

I don't use intro cages, as I have mentioned honey is your freind here esp for a like for like swap.

 

[Ian123]

I don't use intro cages, as I have mentioned honey is your freind here esp for a like for like swap.

But it’s not a like for like….. she’s a purchased queen and been in transit.
Personally I don’t think there’s a bigger waste of purchased queens than trying to introduce them to stroppy colonies!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I don’t think there’s a bigger waste of purchased queens than trying to introduce them to stroppy colonies!

I think one is going against the odds in a situation such as this, far better to hedge your bets by making up a nuc with the new queen then, once she is established, going for a paper unite