Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
If the behavior seems friendly, proceed to the next step. Lightly smoke the colony in
the area of the queen cage so the bees retreat. Remove the cage and remove the cork
from the candy end with the corner of your hive tool or a toothpick. Test the candy with
the toothpick to see if it's hard. If it's soft, your work here is done. If it's hard, very
gently poke the toothpick through the candy, making a small hole all the way through
it. Just be very careful not to jab the queen when you break through. (If you're appre-
hensive about this, remove the cage and situate yourself so you feel comfortable.)
When complete, replace the cage in the same place, making sure the screen isn't
covered by any new wax comb that may have been built up around the cage or frame
parts. In fact, you'll often find stray slabs of beeswax comb, so carefully remove them
with your fingers or hive tool first. Replace the box carefully, check the feeder, refill it
if necessary, and put everything back together.
The queen should be released by the bees in another three days, so plan on checking
again. If she's not, and if the behavior of the workers is still protective rather than ag-
gressive, pull back the screen and let her walk out, heading down between frames. Don't
let her fly away. Close up the colony.
After her release, the queen should begin laying eggs in a few days, at least within a
week. After that time, check for eggs. You'll find them in the center two or three frames,
probably near the tops of the frames in the bottom box. Look at all the frames that have
some comb built on them if you don't find eggs in the center. Recall that eggs are tiny,
standing straight up on end, and nearly the same color as the new wax—look carefully.
If you are using only foundation and your queen cage doesn't have a wire, metal strip, or
metal disk, use rubber bands to hold it to the frame. The candy end of the cage must be
up, and as much of the cage's screen is exposed between frames as possible so the bees
in the colony can reach, feed, and touch the queen in the cage.
Once the queen is laying eggs, you're over the first hurdle and don't need to inspect
the broodnest for another 10 to 12 days. Make certain the feeder stays full, however.
The bees will continue to use the sugar syrup for some time, especially when the weath-
er doesn't cooperate—a sure thing in the spring—and at night. For much of the first sea-
