How long does it take for the bees to eat out the candy?

[Chef Isaac]

Hello all!

I put two new queens in two hives the other day on Tuesday and I checked the hive for the first time, and they still havent eaten out all the candy to release the queen.

How long does it take to eat out the candy so the queen and be free.

Thanks

[newbee 101]

I waited 7 days before checking, and she was released.. Bee patient!! http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif

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"To bee or not to bee, that is the question"

[Michael Bush]

If the bees are feeding her through the cage and caring for her and not trying to bite at the cage, then I'd just release her. Sometimes they eat the candy in a day or less sometimes a week or more.

[The Honey House]

Chef Isaac's Queens survived! http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif

Just like to add to what MB said about releasing the queen. When I find one accepted but not out of the cage, I open up the candy end big enough for the queen to get out. I place the cage over the top bars and then put the top cover over the hive for about ten minutes.

The reason is because, on several occasions, I pulled the screen wire off the cage, only to see the queen fly away. Sometimes she comes back, sometimes your $$ fly away.
I perfer to let her walk out on her own.

[This message has been edited by The Honey House (edited September 18, 2004).]