[AndrewJ]

Hello there. Previously, I always ordered nucs or split. I installed a new package yesterday and when I inspected the queen cage, it's not what I expected. There is one hole on one end with a cork, and there appears to be NO candy under the cork. I am afraid to pull out the cork in case the bees are not adjusted to her. What do I do?

 

[GLOCK]

You could stuff the hole with marshmallow after you pull the cork. Works as a candy plug.
good luck.

 

[AndrewJ]

Thank you for the advice. Another thought occurred to me. I put them in a full frame box, but I have a medium frame box filled mostly with honey from a dead-out. Should I put the medium on top or is that too much space for a package? We are still having cold nights, and am concerned that too much space equates to too much area to keep warm.

 

[Tenbears]

Depending on where the bees came from, (If you picked them up in Wilkes Berry yesterday) the queen has been with the bees for several days. it they have not been indoctrinated to her by now they never will. Just open the queen cage and release her. It is how I do it 99% of the time. Never a problem.

 

[AndrewJ]

Thanks TenBears. What a great guess, yes I did pick them up at Wilkes-Barre! So yesterday my plan was to remove the cork and stuff I marshmallow in the hole. Well as soon as I removed the cork the queen flew out! I mean not even a half-second later. She landed in the grass and I had no choice but to pick her up and place on the top of the frames--I wasn't going even to try to put her back in the cage. The bees didn't seem to be trying to attack her, so I had to hope for the best. I put the honey medium on top too. They certainly seem to like this new home--very active and flying around the front of the hive in circles.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I installed a new package yesterday and when I inspected the queen cage, it's not what I expected. There is one hole on one end with a cork, and there appears to be NO candy under the cork.

That's what every cage with a package that I've seen in the last decade and a half looked like... it's a California cage rather than a Benton 3 hole cage.

> I am afraid to pull out the cork in case the bees are not adjusted to her.

Of course they are. They are homeless and otherwise queenless and totally confused and they have been with her several days. If they wanted to kill her she would already be dead.