Using Abelo queen introduction cage

[Linda G]

I am expecting a queen on Friday, which I ordered 6 weeks ago for a queenless colony, which has now miraculously requeened itself in the meantime! I have not had much luck with bought queens in the past, so I am determined to get it right this time. I want to introduce the queen to a small nuc, then unite it when it is larger with another colony.
Does the following plan sound right to you experienced beekeepers? I intend to use an Abelo whole frame queen introduction cage in a 3 frame nuc. I will find a frame of emerging brood, from a calm colony, with some space for the queen to lay and remove all bees from it before placing it and the queen inside. I will put it in the nuc with a frame of food (maybe?) and another frame. I am not sure if that frame should be emerging brood also, or if I should shake in any extra bees? Also, in this case, as no bees can get in or out of the cage, should I include the queen's attendants because she could be in the cage for a while and will need feeding, etc? Last time I introduced a queen in a nuc, using the cage it arrived in, I gave syrup, but it was invaded by robber bees, even though it was far away from the other hives, so I won't do that again! Any advice, which could save me from wasting £50+ would be appreciated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

placing the queen on a frame of brood in a nuc with no other bees is not going to work - regardless of what fancy cage you use. If you are set on using that cage - it needs to go in to a hive or nuc full of bees and brood. It's safe enough to leave her with the attendants she came with.
I would just introduce her to a nuc in the cage she came in. no need to put a feeder in as there is a flow on

 

[Linda G]

Thank you JBM for your advice. I will not put a feeder on the nuc as advised, but I am still determined to use the fancy cage, because I tried using the cage she came in twice, and both times she was killed/disappeared. It could have been because the bees were defensive, which was why I was trying to re queen or because they had been queenless for too long. I might have implied I was not going to put bees in the nuc, but I was just wondering how many I should shake in, as well as the nurse bees on the other 2 frames. I'll let you know if it works out this time!

 

[markjadams]

how long are you leaving the queen cage in the nuc before opening the flap? I would recommend 5 days if your having issues.


Are you sure you don't have a virgin queen in the nuc?

 

[markjadams]

Thank you JBM for your advice. I will not put a feeder on the nuc as advised, but I am still determined to use the fancy cage, because I tried using the cage she came in twice, and both times she was killed/disappeared. It could have been because the bees were defensive, which was why I was trying to re queen or because they had been queenless for too long. I might have implied I was not going to put bees in the nuc, but I was just wondering how many I should shake in, as well as the nurse bees on the other 2 frames. I'll let you know if it works out this time!

I own one of the abelo cages and they are good but I only use it for expensive breeder queens, for normal F1 queens the mailer cages are fine and if left 5 days for acceptance with no queen in the hive they work perfectly.

 

[Rory Fields]

I tried introducing the first two bought in queens I ever got using that Abelo queen introduction frame, only to twice discover they'd killed the queen. I fear now that they overcomplicate something when an introduction cage is fine. If I'm being especially cautious, I make sure I'm introducing to a muc and I also move that nuc so that the older, more aggressive foragers have to beg their way into the neighbouring hive.

 

[Michael Palmer]

All this fiddling and stress...I make 300 nucs each summer. We move them to their apiary and give a caged queen
with cork off candy end. No days of waiting. No waiting at all. The bees know they're queenless in an hour or less. No problems. Every year...4 or 5 of the queens aren't accepted. Cut out the emergency cells and give another queen. Problem fixed.