This is the method that I use, 100% success rate this way compared to the travel cages which I have suffered quite a few losses; probably about 70% success rate. Often after initially using the travel cage I've had to revert to the push in cage to get acceptance. You're also only in the hive twice, once to install the queen and four to five days later remove the cage opposed to at least three for the travel. Make your own cages from varrora mesh, block of wood, hammer and something to cut the mesh, angle grinder speeds things up. The plastic ones look like they could easily get beneath. I don't dunk my queens instead I spray them with a garden sprayer bottle. Thornes also do a nice Quintrex cage which has a door and fondant tunnel.

@MinnesotaBeekeeper

3 жыл бұрын

Viewers might want to see Michael Palmer's take on simple metal push in cages. Richard Noel filmed Mr. Palmer showing an open hive demonstration. See "Requeening in Vermont".

Very well explained putting cage in water is particularly useful for you new beekeepers because it so easy to lose a flying young Queen especially if it's carniolan they are very flighty I use this method always work for me. I don't use introduction cages for releasing Queen's anymore too risky I put introduction cage in hive overnight and next morning I hand release Queen and watch bees if they are licking and cleaning ignoring her ok but if they are pulling her legs or trying to sting her I put back in the cage till next day and try again. Thumbs up

@BlackMountainHoney

4 жыл бұрын

I lost a few queens early on in my beekeeping career. Queen introduction is a very slow process and I'm not the most patient at the best of times!

well done! ill post it on Texas Friendly Beekeepers Facebook page....you are a great teacher!

@BlackMountainHoney

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Natserog. Glad you are enjoying the videos!

Thank you for this. I’m about to re-Queen 2 colonies and in the past had a miserable result so just ordered 2 of these. Fingers crossed.

Good tip about the water dip.👍

congratulations on passing the first subscriber milestone....or should I say kilometer stone I had a horrible time losing queens and trying to introduce new ones last year...I'm moving over to using this method now too. I think the only safer method is a queen cell in a queenless hive

Another excellent lesson thanks

Hi Laurence thanks for another great video. Would this work in a laying worker hive?

Hi Laurence, is it important that the attendants are removed? Could the cage the queen and attendants arrive in, with the tab removed, be placed under the large press in cage on the frame of capped brood? Or is the dunking and separating the queen from the attendants crucial?

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

I never remove attendants. I also don't use push in cages any more. Too many times they have burrowed under too early. I leave the attendants in, make sure they are hopelessly queenless before popping the tab and get successful introductions every time

@simoncollins917

2 жыл бұрын

Thx Laurence - so you don’t use the method you demonstrate in the video anymore?

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

@@simoncollins917 Nope. I've just filmed a new video on how to requeen a colony. Be out in the next couple of weeks

Is it always necessary to do a split prior to this method? I have a double brood and while it would probably be beneficial to split it, if I can just make them hopelessly queenless would it work the same? My current hive is quite feisty so would need to order two queens if the above is the case and would like to try and plan ahead a bit.

@BlackMountainHoney

3 жыл бұрын

No. Not always necessary. This belt and braces for acceptance. You can remove the queen, wait 10 days, knock down cells and then add the queen but it helps to bleed off the workers for acceptance

@chris5931

3 жыл бұрын

@@BlackMountainHoney great, thanks for replying! I guess the less angry workers the better huh?! I’ll split and return the split this season and hopefully the original colony will become a little more manageable....if not I’ll do the same. Thanks for all the videos, super helpful!

@chris5931

3 жыл бұрын

Tried this method today. Just have to wait and see now. The corners were all flat although one did rise a tiny bit. I'm hoping the frames will hold it down. Mainly workers in the colony as I made the split 8 days ago. Knocked down all queen cells and there's absolutely no brood left (except capped brood) to make a queen with. I've shaken all the frames to check them as well. They were already making a fuss of her once I put her in - using their proboscis through the bars. Didn't swarm over the cage or go crazy so fingers crossed. Considering they came from a grumpy queen right colony, when they were made in to a queenless colony they were actually quite calm. Thanks Lawrence!

Hello, what is the best method for a brood break? I was thinking about using a push cage and caging the queen to cause a varroa break in my hive. How long can you have a queen in a push cage? And will this hurt her in any way and or her laying ability? Thank you

@BlackMountainHoney

2 жыл бұрын

Richard Noel did a good video on this recently. They are fine for ages in the cages. I believe Richard has his for 24 days to allow all the brood to emerge before treating with OA

@bradgoliphant

2 жыл бұрын

@@BlackMountainHoney Thx, I'll look him up

I see the cage itself does not go all the way to the foundation. The bees WILL tear down the cells and go under the cage. I messed up ONCE and did not get a wire push in cage pushed all the way against the foundation and the bees tore down the cells and went under the cage.

I wonder why you separate the attendants?

Hi how long would should the queen be left in this cage before you introduce her to the rest of the colany

@BlackMountainHoney

3 жыл бұрын

I just play it by ear. You can judge how the colony responds to her

@hughharvey7027

3 жыл бұрын

will do, thanks

We’re can I buy one of those cage cover things ?

2 thoughts. Why not spray her with sugar water. Not a fan of dunking. And most of my bee friends only use the queen cage fo 4 days. We make the cages out of 1/8 steel wire cloth. That frame you pulled looked small to me. What kind of hive uses that? nuc?

@BlackMountainHoney

3 жыл бұрын

Sugar spray would work fine. Dunking is quick and less sticky. 4 days or 7 days doesnt make a massive difference as long as they are hopelessley queenless for a couple of days prior the final release. Its a 14 x 12 frame. They are pretty big! Not too different from a jumbo langstroth.

@campdavidsonfunctionaltrai8583

3 жыл бұрын

you know what they say here in the states right..."it depends" hahahaha. that the really cool thing about being a bee keeper. there is no wrong answer! peace!

@BlackMountainHoney

3 жыл бұрын

@@campdavidsonfunctionaltrai8583 Yep. So true. No right way or wrong way - just different ideas. Every day is a learning day. I like the idea of making the cages out of hardware cloth. Saves money if you are making a few!

@campdavidsonfunctionaltrai8583

3 жыл бұрын

I'm in North Carolina by the way. I want to move to the mountains (Ashevile) in 2 years and go from 50 to 500 hives. Ever hear of sour wood honey? This is my honeys youtube account...If you were closer I would invite you for a workout. She is bad %^#. :)

So with all that you never showed how you put the queen in the red cage ?