Queen Cages with pheromone 10 pcs

Queen Introduction Cage – Plastic

Do you need to safely transport a queen bee or gently introduce her to a colony? The plastic shipping and introduction cage is a proven tool that protects the queen during handling and transport while helping to reduce the risk of rejection. Thanks to its well-designed construction, it belongs to the equipment that significantly facilitates one of the most sensitive operations in beekeeping practice.

Safe Transport and Calm Acceptance of a New Queen

The cage is used for shipping and gradual introduction of queens to the colony. It reliably separates the queen from the workers, so she is protected from attack and the colony has time to gradually get used to her scent. Structurally, it consists of two parts: a compartment for the queen and a release space for candy (fondant). An advantage is also the presence of pheromone (or support of its distribution), which facilitates and accelerates the queen's acceptance. Thanks to its practical shape, the cage can be placed under the crown board cover – you have the acceptance process under control without unnecessary hive disassembly. The dimensions also allow comfortable placement between frames.

How to Properly Proceed with Queen Replacement

Queen replacement always begins with certain removal of the original queen and only then adding the new one. Workers may initially react aggressively because they perceive the new queen as foreign. Therefore, the colony must be truly queenless when introducing – any present queen (including a young virgin) significantly worsens acceptance. If the colony has been queenless for more than two days, all started queen cells must be removed. Check capped queen cells particularly carefully to ensure that a new queen has not already emerged from one of them. Only after 100% verification of queenlessness is it appropriate to proceed with inserting the introduction cage with the new queen.

Release Space and Simple Handling

The release space is designed as a flip-out cylinder. You can easily press candy (fondant) into the feed cylinder, or well-crystallized honey (poorly crystallized honey risks leaking and trapping the queen). After flipping out the cylinder, insert the queen into the cage and securely close it; the circular hole with plug can also be used. When shipping by mail, it is recommended to add approximately 5 escort workers. For bulk shipping (e.g., 20 pcs) in cooler periods, cages with filled cylinders can be placed in a plastic box with circular holders and escort bees poured from the outside – the bees warm the cages with queens. During the actual introduction into the brood chamber, the escort bees are released from the cage and the queen remains in the cage alone. The bees then usually safely release her through the candy within 2–3 days.

Technical Parameters