This will be year three of installing packages in my TBH. I had an idea the other day and don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Your thoughts please:
Do your thing with the queen (I suspend the cage from a bar, on a string, about seven bars in and about six inches down).
remove bars equal to the width of the package. remove the feeder, flip the cage over so the opening is now facing down and the only way the bees can go is down into the hive. The cage is longer than the hive is long so it will be supported. you may need to have some spacers to close any gap in case the fit isn't exact. They will crawl out and after several hours I should be able to remove the now almost empty cage.
Anyone see a problem with this? - Mike
Do your thing with the queen (I suspend the cage from a bar, on a string, about seven bars in and about six inches down).
remove bars equal to the width of the package. remove the feeder, flip the cage over so the opening is now facing down and the only way the bees can go is down into the hive. The cage is longer than the hive is long so it will be supported. you may need to have some spacers to close any gap in case the fit isn't exact. They will crawl out and after several hours I should be able to remove the now almost empty cage.
Anyone see a problem with this? - Mike