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The new plastic queen cages do not have corks. We made hives from splits with plastic queen cages and one package bee hive. Of the 16 hives we made in class last year only one whole hive died and it was due to robbing. The recommendation is so the workers will get her scent. If they were nurse bees or queenless for a day or more in transit you should be good. It takes enough time to chew out the candy plug in either cage design. I think most of the losses can be attributed to a second queen still alive in the hive or laying workers. Requeening usually occurs because the old girl is worn out. She may not know they have already replaced her.