GARDNER APIARIES 3lb. Bee Package – March 28-29 Pick Up
 
3% Discount if paid by check using our printable form.
 
Packages on this delivery are from Gardner Apiaries. They raise genetically diversified Italian Hybrids which are Italian based bees crossed with Carniolan and Buckfast bees.
 
Pick up dates are March 28th after 12:00 noon  and March 29th 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.  (For later pickup dates please make arrangements with Mark.)
 
The packaged queen is delivered in a Benton queen cage along with several workers to feed her from the sugar plug. New queens can be difficult for bees to accept so queen acceptance cannot be guaranteed. The caged queen in a package has just been placed in the package with bees that are new to her. Because they are unrelated and foreign to each other the worker bees have not accepted her yet. For the greatest chance of queen acceptance when introducing a caged queen; after placing the queen cage in the hive with the honey bees allow her to remain in the cage for 5 days with both ends closed and the candy plug end corked or protected. Occasionally a rouge queen is accidently packaged along with the worker bees. After 5 days double check to make sure there is no other queen among the bees or eggs in the honey comb laid by a loose queen. If there is a loose queen the worker bees will never accept the caged queen and will kill her once they have access to her.
After double checking for a loose queen remove the cork or metal disk protecting the candy. Allow the workers to chew through the candy to release her. This gradual method of release produces a higher rate of queen acceptance. After 3 days check to make sure the queen is out of the cage. If so, remove the queenless cage. Workers will probably be in the cage so tuck the cage into the hive entrance with the opening facing in to allow them to escape.
If the candy has not been eaten through, check for a loose queen again. Finding none and no sign of one, gently poke a hole in the candy with a paper clip straightened at one end. Return the queen cage to the hive and check for her release in two more days.
If your new queen is dead in the cage return the unopened cage with the dead queen for a replacement queen. DO NOT open the cage or remove the dead queen. Replacement queens will not be provided for open queen cages with no queen.