Workers balling the introduction cage hard — abort the install or push through?
Ontario, 2nd year. My overwintered colony went queenless (confirmed, no eggs 10 days, started a test frame). New mated queen arrived Tuesday, I hung the cage between brood frames with the candy tab still capped, planned to pull the tab after 2 days.
Went to do that yesterday and the cage is COVERED — a tight ball of workers gripping the mesh, and when I brushed them off they came straight back and I swear some were biting the wire and trying to sting through it. That's the rejection behavior, right? Attendants in the cage seem okay so far and the queen is moving fine. Do I pull her out and bank her? Wait longer with the candy capped? I've seen the push-in cage over emerging brood suggested as a rescue but I've never made one. Really don't want to lose a $60 June queen to impatience.
You read it correctly — gripping tightly, biting wire, stinging attempts at the mesh is hostility. Bees that have accepted her sit loosely and feed through the mesh, you can brush them off with a finger and they wander back calm. Do NOT open the candy yet. First: recheck for a rival — a virgin running around or overlooked queen cells causes exactly this, your test frame result may have started something. If truly nothing, leave her caged with candy capped 2-3 more days and test again. If still hostile, then the push-in cage: 8x12 cm of hardware cloth pressed over emerging brood and a little open honey, queen underneath alone. She walks on comb, newly emerged bees accept her instantly, release in 4-5 days. Saves most 'impossible' introductions.
AbejasCarla · Jun 25, 2026
AlpineCarnica's rival warning is the important part. Ten days queenless plus a test frame is exactly the window for them to have a cell going — bees balling a bought queen usually means they think they already have one. Shake every frame and look properly before you blame the colony's temperament.
MayaBees · Jun 25, 2026
One more vote for patience over abort. I've had cages look like angry velcro on day 2 and be totally calm on day 5. The candy tab timeline in the instructions assumes an easy colony. Yours gets the slow version.
BethsBees · Jun 27, 2026
You were all right to make me look again — capped queen cell on the test frame that I'd missed, tucked on the bottom bar. Removed it, left her caged 3 more days, and yesterday the bees on the mesh were feeding her through it, totally different body language. Opened the candy tab this morning. Fingers crossed, and thank you.