[wltwine]

Hello fellow Bk's my question is a simple one I think, when installing a package of bees in a top bar hive do you still place the queen cage between the top bars hanging down like you do in a standard hive, or can you place the queen cage on the floor of the hive since there's no comb made yet. Any advice on hiving a package of bees in a top bar hive would be appreciated.

 

[concrete-bees]

yeah - you will hang her in between the bars just as you would a lang

what this does is keep her from being smothered

keeps the bees up at the top so they can start drawing comb down

and makes it easy to check on her release after 3 days

then as for the bees just dump in and place bars and find a lawn chair and lt the FUN begin !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Beethinking]

I've hung the cage as well as simply left the cage on the floor of the hive and both have worked fine. In fact, I find it easier just to leave her on the floor, that way I don't have to remove the cage from the comb in which she'll inevitably be entombed if hung.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm

I would not hang the queen cage. The bees will be misled into building comb over the cage and your combs will be messed up from then on...