What to feed a Bar of queens

**Kingfisher Apiaries** · 03-25-2011, 09:23 PM

I have a bar of JZBZ cages with queens and attendants...they are going though the candy fast..can I feed them a drop of honey each? Hope to get them all in hives this weekend but may or may not work out..and afraid they will starve. All have a lot of attendants in each cage.

mike

**Oldtimer** · 03-26-2011, 12:47 AM

Not a good idea to feed them honey they can end up sticky and suffer / die.

What is the candy made from does it include honey?

All you can really do for them while caged would be add more candy I am not familiar with your cage design so not sure if this can be accomplished. If no other way maybe lay the cage on some candy so they can get their tongues to it?

The other thing that bees that are caged for a while may appreciate is some water. To feed it you put the cages on a wet blotter so they can suck some water through the bars or wires, but do it so they will not get too wet. Water can be fed in this way but not safe to feed syrup or honey in this way.

**rrussell6870** · 03-26-2011, 01:06 AM

Mike... Oldtimer is right, any feeding can be bad... get them in the hives as soon as you can... if there is no other way, catch a queen from one hive, cage her and place the jzbz bar in the upper brood chamber (face down so the cage openings are pointed down).... the jzbz bar is nearly the perfect size to fit inside an empty frame... just staple a few pieces of wood above and below the end of the bar along the inside of the side bars... presto! Instant bank... only use for emergencies... and make sure the hive is strong...

Hope this helps!

**AmericasBeekeeper** · 03-26-2011, 03:13 AM

You can set a hive up like a cell finisher, with a super above the queen excluder - no queen above the excluder, the bees will take care of the queens.

**Kingfisher Apiaries** · 03-26-2011, 06:59 AM

I have a bank....but a batch of cells ended up getting put in it. I use Circus Peanuts for candy. They have been caged since Wednesday or Thursday. Really need to get them in hives.

Would a queenless nuc work?

mike

**sqkcrk** · 03-26-2011, 07:06 AM

Prioritize your life. Get those queens in hives asap. Not when convenient, but when you can.

That being said. Is there "food" in the box w/ the queens? Anytime I have received queens in JZBZs cages, there are bees loose in the box surrounding the queens. and w/ them, usually, there is a sponge, for a water source, and damp confectionery sugar, as a food source.

Were they in wooden cages, I would recommend a watering and feeding w/ honey every day. Dip your finger in a cup of water and dab it on the screen. Get some honey on your finger and dab that on the screen. I know guys who keep queens fed for a week that way. Removing dead attendants along the way.

**rrussell6870** · 03-26-2011, 09:17 AM

Peanuts??!! Did I miss something??!!

You can use a nuc, just set it upalmost as strong as you did your starter... runny honey (scratch the cappings) and a pollen frame, with plenty of bees.

These are queens that you caught to get out of the way for a new batch of cells right? Oh the memories. Lol. Don't worry, this is all part of this learning experience and you will only get better as you go.

I am about to start a thread to teach how to make proper queen candy that will carry a queen and attendants for a few weeks if need be. I'm still confused about the peanuts though. Lol.

**tommyt** · 03-26-2011, 10:26 AM

rrussell6870

The peanut he is talking of is a candy shaped like a peanut
I think they are like a Marshmallow

I would like to see your thread on keeping/feeding caged Q's for a week

Tommyt