Queen Cages

Description

The history of this cage goes back to about 1985 when we decided that we just didn’t like the burr comb which the bees would build in the cavity which existed when an old style three hole wood cage was inserted between the frames.

Also didn’t like the amount of work required to ready a wood cage for use.  Put the retaining cork in the hole, pack the candy in, position the plastic sheet, then the screen and finally the staples. Then fumbling for the cork when you were picking queens and you finally got her in the cage, now where is that cork?? And why pay to ship all that wood when postal rates are headed for the moon?
So we started on what is now the umteenth revision, with each revision making some improvement over the previous version, until our die wore out after making about 3,750,000 cages. From there until now a lot has been learned about how to keep that queen properly fed, happy and safe.

The Advantages of this cage are:

• Thinner, fits between the frames like a queen cage should
• Lighter, doesn’t cost as much to ship
• Minimum preparation time
• Large hiding area for the queen to hide in when the outside environment is hostile
• Inner Hour glass shape on the candy tube to better retain the candy
• Three colors: frosty clear, lite yellow and lite pink. Readily identify various strains of queens.
• No fumbling for the cork, the little lid is right there, when you need it.
• A breakout bar in the bottom which, when broken out leaves a queen excluder sized opening which the bees may enter but the queen can’t get out.
• Allows more gradual queen acquaintance. A pheromone is added to the material of this cage for the purpose of masking the queen odor for improved acceptance.

Now how about disadvantages? Takes time to pack that candy tube, but that can be minimized if you make about an inch thick pancake and then push the tube into the dough, like a cookie cutter !

BUT that objection is about to be eliminated by a revision which makes the candy tube a separate part which will be supplied to the user already loaded in a sealed plastic bag. All the user need to do is snap the filled candy tube in place and they are ready to go!!

Packed 1,000 to a box for $140.00.