Upside down queen cage?

**standman** · 04-16-2008, 09:12 AM

Hived my first package Monday. After removing cork plug and inspecting candy, installed queen cage. Only problem, I think I may have installed it upside down! I used the metal bracket on the cage to hang it between frames oriented the same as it was in the package--with the candy plug down. What to do? Will she make it out? Should I open it up and check on her now, or wait the suggested one week?

**Kieck** · 04-16-2008, 10:20 AM

I'd wait for the week. The reason they recommend installing the queen cage with the candy plug facing up is so if one or more of the attendants in the queen cage dies, the dead worker will be less likely to plug the opening with its body.

I think that would be unlikely, even with the candy plug facing down, and, in the event that you found the queen trapped in a week by just such a set of circumstances, you should be able to simply release her at that time.

**honeyman46408** · 04-16-2008, 11:05 AM

One of our club members brought a queen cage to the meeting and it was made "upsidedown" the strap was on the WRONG end if I have wax to put the bees on I just push the cage into the wax with the screen down.

**Bob Bee** · 04-16-2008, 02:46 PM

Hey Guys,

I helped a friend of mine install 3 packages yesterday (he's just getting into beekeeping)
All the queen cages were sent with the metal strip on top with the candy down, I pulled the cork plug out to expose the candy and hung it between the 2 middle frames. If you're suppose to have the candy up, why don't they put the metal strip on the other end when it's shipped.
Any reason.
Bobby

**sqkcrk** · 04-16-2008, 05:12 PM

standman, if there were no attendants in the cage you shouldn't have any worries. If there are attendants in the cage, and one or more dies before the queen gets out, they will block the entrance.

The packages we installed last week didn't have attendants in the cage w/ the queen. Is this the usual way they come? I would think that the queen wouldn't need any attendants, having three lbs of bees in the cage that her cage is in. Just a thought.

**standman** · 04-16-2008, 09:16 PM

There were definitely attendants in there with her, but they all looked healthy. I really wish now that I had looked them over better, but all bees in the cage were alive and well. Just hope this week will soon be over so I can check on them!

**standman** · 04-17-2008, 10:49 AM

Today (three days since installation) I saw multiple bees returning to hive with pollen! Does this mean the queen is out, or just alive, or none of the above? It at least looks like the bees are doing their thing. They sure have been taking a lot of syrup from the feeder. All opinions welcomed.

**John Gesner** · 04-17-2008, 12:49 PM

The workers/foragers won't wait until the queen is out and about before they start bringing in pollen or consuming feed. If you're concerned, check it out and make sure the queen is OK.

**NeilV** · 04-17-2008, 08:19 PM

I can remember worrying about killing my first two queens because I was not sure if I had done it right. My thoughts: (1) As some have stated, this won't kill your queen. Worst that happens is that she is delayed a little bit, but that might actually increase her acceptance; (2) if that doesn't cure what ails you, open it up and turn her over; and (3) believe me, you'll find some better ways to accidentally kill bees if you keep at this long enough.

Good luck and have fun,

ndvan

**standman** · 04-21-2008, 01:35 PM

Hello everyone. Thanks so much for your words of encouragement. I opened the hive today for the first time after waiting the suggested one week. The queen was out!

I never saw her, but the hive appeared happy and cohesive. Two frames were completely drawn on both sides, and three other frames were at least partially drawn out. I saw mostly pollen (lots of it) and a little syrup, probably from feeding. I did not see any eggs, but I tried to get in and out as quickly as possible.
I did have almost a frames worth of burr comb, built in the space created by the queen cage. It broke my heart to cut it out, but I did

. Can it be used somehow? Will the bees rob the pollen out of it if left near the hive? I examined it carefully for eggs--none that I could see. What would you do with it?