[Skinny bee man]

Going to add a queen tomorrow to a split I made today.

Question is: Candy up on the queen cage or Candy down? Suggestions please.

Thanks.

 

[Hoot Owl Lane Bees]

Candy up for sure if she has attendants in with her.:thumbsup:

 

[Bees In Miami]

Candy up, or side to side works, too. It may be obvious to you, but make sure you put the screen side of the cage out, too.

 

[Jackam]

I didn't give it a thought this year and put my packages with the candy down. All worked out just fine.

Rather than tell the OP which way it should go, maybe it should be explained WHY it should go that way.

I believe that the reason that people suggest that the candy goes up is that if an attendant dies in the queen cage, she could plug the opening with her body and this might stop the queen from being released.

Any other reasons why up is the way to go?

 

[squarepeg]

with the candy up and if the candy wasn't mixed properly or it gets too hot in the hive it's possible for the candy to melt and kill the queen.

i like to put the cage in sideways with the screen down. i replace the cork with a miniature marshmallow to make the release go a little faster and use four pushpins (two on each side) of the cage to help it to 'stick' to the comb.

 

[crazylocha]

+1 Squarepeg
Candy downwards always.
Seen more than one queen candified. Depending on type of queen cage, careful of honey squishing through sides on her too.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

I use JZsBZs plastic cages. The candy is in the tube, which I position with the candy tube horizontal and at the bottom, then push it between two frames in the brood nest area.

If the queen producer sends them in California mini cages, I like those too, and use them in similar fashion to the JZsBZs cages. If they arrive in the three hole wooden cages, I just move them to a JZsBZs cage.

 

[Colobee]

Down or sideways has always worked for me. I'm in the "never-up" camp as I always check after 3 days, and if the hole has been plugged by a dead attendant, it's time for me to do my job and release her. Sideways, right under the (deep side) inner cover hole works well. Set the cage so you can see it through the IC hole, when you lift the outer cover. Even if the weather is really bad, you can pop the other cork without prying apart frames. In and out fast if need be.