Direct Release vs. Dangle

[Adrian Quiney WI]

People, I really appreciate this forum. I have a question about package installation. I have read through the threads and seen both direct releasing of the Queen and dangling the Queen cage variants of installation. On the face of it direct release seems the easiest way, and appears less likely to cause weird comb. Are there any risks associated with this that I am not aware of? Any tricks to it, that can aid success? Thanks, Adrian

[dcross]

With direct release, make sure the packages have had a few days to "get to know" the queen. Then it's just the occasional one that flys off to worry about:)

When I leave her in the cage, I usually use a twist tie to attach the cage to the top bar of an empty wooden frame and then put it between two nice drawn frames. The bees will cluster in the empty space and draw a beautiful comb.

[Michael Bush]

>Are there any risks associated with this that I am not aware of?

Flying off is my biggest worry. A little light syrup sprayed on her can help, but mostly you want to open the cage where she has to crawl down into the cluster of bees and can't easily fly.

I always do direct release now.

[BEES4U]

California mini cages and JzBz cages fit between the frame top bars.
I use a drywall screw to thread into the cork and pull it out so that I can replace it with a candy plug.
Insert queen cage candy.
FYI the taffy part of an Aba Zaba cand bar works quite well to plug the hole.

Regards,
Ernie
Lucas Apiaries

[BEES4U]

For the newby:
Sometimes I pull the cork and place the cage with the opening between the frames and the queen can walk out of the cage without flying off the frame.
I believe that your best introduction of the queen is after the bees have settled down for at least 3-5 days.
They have orientated to their new location.
They have located floral sources and the syrup.
Regards,
Ernie

[mistergil]

Direct release every time unless the bees have not had access to the queen and have not acclimated to her pheromones, if less than 24 hours I prefer not to take a chance and let them eat the plug out. I spray them down well as Mr. Bush advises, queen cage as well and release her. Never had a fly off that I can remember but still possible I guess, smashed a queen once being too rough when tearing a screen open though.

[ScadsOBees]

I too prefer the "dangle", really more of a wedged release. You may get a little goofy comb, but that is so much easier to take care of than a queen that flies off or gets balled.

If you've got a lot of hives and queens, then you might want to use direct release more, but if only a couple...it isn't worth it.

Rick

[dcross]

I too prefer the "dangle", really more of a wedged release. You may get a little goofy comb, but that is so much easier to take care of than a queen that flies off or gets balled.

Rick

If you're willing to go foundationless on one frame, try wiring the cage right to the top bar.

[Beesilly]

With direct release, make sure the packages have had a few days to "get to know" the queen. Then it's just the occasional one that flys off to worry about:)

When I leave her in the cage, I usually use a twist tie to attach the cage to the top bar of an empty wooden frame and then put it between two nice drawn frames. The bees will cluster in the empty space and draw a beautiful comb.
How long is a few days? Betterbee says that "Our packaged bees are trucked in from Georgia in eighteen hours. (They go from their hive in Georgia to your hive in less than 2 days.) That means less stress; thus fewer stressed and dead bees than those you get through the post office."
So would that be enough time for the bees to get used to the queen? 18 hours? I think I would just use the candy-in-the-hole way, because its less risky and since I'm using TBHs, the bees can get a head start on comb building. I dont think that I'm comfortable to direct release the queen, since I'm a newbee, and I would proboly just kill the poor queen:rolleyes:.
Thanks
Beesilly

[Michael Bush]

Mine are trucked from California. I'm sure they're not together more than a couple of days. I've not seen any rejection of the queens. I direct release them all. By this point they all think they are a swarm and have focused on that queen.

Besides they are never marked and I want them marked, so I get them out of the cage to mark them and then it's easier to just direct release than to put them back in the cage. :) But in a top bar hive, or any foundationless, I think it's important to release them so you don't get funky comb that gets repeated all along the way.

[bigbearomaha]

Yes, this is an old thread, but I would like to see some elaboration on this topic.

my experience at installing was with langs, and candy cages.

I favor the idea of direct release, but I am looking at not having a cage from which to release them. most of the advice I see is regarding removing candy from cage and let her walk out, retrieving said cage soon.

for direct release, sans cage, what would you suggest?

Big Bear

[Michael Bush]

I usually point the cage down at the cluster, pop the cork and let her walk out onto the cluster and down into the hive. Then remember to take the cage with you or a lot will be clustered on the cage wherever you leave it...

[FindlayBee]

Some personal experience as a first time beekeeper and some advice from the more experienced in my beekeeper association.

I directly released a Queen into a top bar hive. This Queen was shipped separate from my package as I split a 4lb package with Queen into 2 hives. The extra Queen I ordered spent an hour or so in my pocket and only got to meet up with the package when I dumped them on her. I had not planned on a direct release. However, when I popped the cork in the Queen cage there was no candy plug and she was on her way out. It was past dark when I split the package and I put her directly into my tbh and dumped the 2nd 1/2 of the 4lb package of bees onto her. I did fear she was going to be killed, but the hive is doing well and has capped brood. I hived her on April 14th, 2010 at 9:30PM. I did not plan on installing my package so late, but I ran into some issues.

I installed packages into 3 other hives. 1 hive was the second part of the 4lb package with the package Queen. They released her about 3 days later. This hive had capped brood before the other 3 hives. Another 2 hives had 3lb packages of bee installed. Queen cages placed inside the hive and left for about 4 days. Queens had not been released yet. One hive I released her myself and that hive is doing great. I would say it is the second best as far as buildup goes. The 4th hive had not released the Queen and appear somewhat aggressive to her so I only poked a slightly larger hole into the candy plug. Sometime between doing this on Tuesday and coming back on Thursday they had released her and absconded. They had built comb, took some pollen substitute and used my sugar water from the baggie I had placed in the hive.

Now some information from the more experienced in my beekeeper association.

If the Queen takes off when you direct release her, wait 5 or so minutes as she will probably return within a few feet of where she took off from. Don't assume she has gone for good. Others at the meeting said they waited and she returned and landed about a foot from where she flew off from.

[BEES4U]

You may find out the hard way that "direct release" can make the queen acceptance rate, %, go down..
Direct release has another name. It's called a fly-away queen. LOL
Ernie

[Michael Bush]

The problem with the Dangle in a TBH is you REALLY need that first comb straight and in the center, not crooked and in the middle on a queen cage...

[dcross]

The problem with the Dangle in a TBH is you REALLY need that first comb straight and in the center, not crooked and in the middle on a queen cage...

Wire the cage to the center of the bar, they'll build the comb right from it. Think I've got a few with the cage still built in.

[dcross]

You may find out the hard way that "direct release" can make the queen acceptance rate, %, go down..
Direct release has another name. It's called a fly-away queen. LOL
Ernie

Batting 1.000 over the years with mostly direct release(spring packages). Counting the one that exercised her wings for a bit.