Beekeeping: Fixing Mean Bees with Push In Queen Cages

I have had issues with queen acceptance this year. The hives in Ozark needed an attitude adjustment. @kamonreynolds hooked me up with some Michael Palmer queens and recommended I use push in queen cages for introduction. So I decided to give it a try. In this video I show you how I made the cages, installed the queens and released them. The results were definitely not perfect, but they could have certainly been worse.

#brucesbees #beekeeping #queenbee

@brucesbees is a beekeeping channel, a vlog of sorts. Here we discuss apis mellifera, aka the honeybee. We give people a look into our sideliner beekeeping operation. We share successes and failures. We show how we feed bees and treat bees for pests, such as varroa mites, small hive beetles and others. I am not a treatment free beekeeper though at one time I thought I wanted to be. We also discus things that are important to us that I think apply to beginning beekeepers and more seasoned beekeepers alike. We also show the beekeeping techniques we use to manage the bees and harvest our honey and sell our honey. We talk about beekeeping equipment and tools. At times we also catch swarms of bees and have even done a few cutouts, though I usually leave that for the professionals. This is not Beekeeping 101, though hopefully the information here is useful. As my good friend @Mike Barry says, this is not a necessarily a "how to" channel. It's a "how I do" channel. I hope you will continue to join us as we continue to perform hive inspections, discuss important matters in the beekeeping world, meet other beekeepers, perform splits, grow our operation and just continue down the path of this wonderful beekeeping adventure. Let's GO!!!

[CooperBees]

I appreciate how you put your videos together and share your whole process. Thanks Bruce!

[richardpraeger]

Great stuff Bruce. Push in cages can also be used to create a brood break to help control Varroa. Breaking that life cycle of the mite is an added weapon to your treatment protocol.

[Mike_squarebeefarms]

Wow this was a great video! Very interesting technique. Something I may try in the future. Thanks!

[johnvisco]

It's never easy and always a learning process. But that's why we do it.
Thanks for the video! keep'em comin.

[BrownAndDaughters]

I've been greatly anticipating this video. Great job!

[TennesseeTim]

Had a mentor that made cages smaller, but the same way. He would move a queen from a huge colony with her and a frame of capped brood, leave with the field force and let them draw out queen cells. As soon as they cap, it would get a cage. He would spit on a virgin and walk her into a small queenless split. The bees would lick her off and she walked in like she owned the place. Lots of cool tricks for queen rearing!!!! Great video Bruce!

[kennith.]

Thank you for sharing. That was interesting.

[AmandaSparkle]

I haven't used push-in cages, but Richard Noel uses them regularly and he says the key to push in cages is to push the cage in first to make the template in the comb that way when you're ready to push it in and leave it the spot is already made in the comb. You could also maybe try connect the cage to the queen cage and push them both into the frame at the same time, leaving them both in there. I don't know if that would work but it could be worth trying. That way you don't have to worry about the bees opening the door where you released the queen. I think you did great! Not everyone is willing to try new things, but it's always worth it! Thanks for sharing your experiences! Much love! 😊

[Lsmith-lycm]

Great video and they really do work well, thank you .

[Dan-qpel]

Ive never had bees. Im learning so much from you.

[jfelty]

Hi Bruce! Hive Beetles can indeed be a problem with push-in cages due to the limited number of bees under the cage and the brood that is killed by the cage. I have removed cages before with slime underneath, but queen still ok. Key is not to leave them in too long. Not saying I'm right, but I never add attendant to a push-in cage to antagonize the hive; I always release them from the queen cage first. Also, If you will block light from entering the cage the queen arrived in either by covering with your hand or or just turn in mesh side toward comb, she normally will walk straight into the push-in cage - i.e. into the light; no blowing or smoke required. This also works when you have a queen in a cupped hand that is trying to get away; just grab a cage and place above your thumb and create an opening in your hand by moving your "thumb gate"; she'll walk right in.

[jamescarter]

I have used push in cages many times with great success. If you use plastic foundation, try to push the cage down to the plastic because sometimes the bees will chew away the wax to get to the queen. I remove 1 frame and leave enough space so the bees can get to all sides, and the cage wont stick to the adjacent frame.

[Jeromy]

pretty cool interesting way to introduce queens

[southeasthomestead]

Never used push cages that way but have made smaller ones to use when I find multiple cells on a frame and had pretty good success with that.

[kathyhathaway]

Hello Bruce great job . I do not know that any of that was on you bees will be bees . They are tricky. I have been wanting to try the push in cages but I run all wax foundations an I am sure they will get out of that so I will have to stick to just using the queen cages . Keep your video’s coming. THANKS

[lynnhughes]

I know how you feel Bruce !!! I was bragging to my wife how I had this great virgin queen emerge on Monday then this morning I came to check on her and the whole Nuc I made had left ..my heart was broke !! …lol..good days and bad

[garyfreeman]

Great video! There is an old trick to stop the queen from flying away . . . . . . . . spray her with thick sugar water before you release her. It stops flying.

[camaranperez]

Disappointing. But I appreciate your willingness to experiment. It's what I love about your channel. "How I do it, not a how to" I got inspired to introduce queen cells to my nucs I split from my stronger hives. Brilliant. Keep pushing brother.

[joelgillespie]

I use a queen cage on all of my installs (with a mated queen). Occasionally, you will have a few get out early even with plastic foundation (they usually survive). I release usually after two full days. Have had excellent results.

[Mpsting]

Hey Bruce, I always use rubber bands to hold the cage in place and never had an issue with queens getting out or bees releasing her.