Queen Mailing Cage
Traditional wood-and-screen queen introduction cage. Classic design with candy plug end.
- Candy plug allows workers to release queen naturally over 2–4 days
- Wood and screen construction — allows air flow and feeding by attendant bees
- Standard USPS-approved queen mailing format
What it is
A wooden queen mailing cage — a small wooden box with screened sides and a candy plug, used to ship mated queens through the mail. The queen and 5–6 attendant workers travel in the cage; the candy plug keeps them fed during transit and provides a delayed-release introduction once the cage reaches the recipient colony.
How the candy plug works
When the cage is placed in a queenless colony, the workers eat through the candy over 3–5 days. By the time the plug is gone and the queen walks out, the colony has had time to accept her pheromone and won't kill her on emergence. The delayed-release reduces introduction failure rates substantially.
Usage notes
Place the cage candy-side down in the brood nest with the screen facing the inside of the cluster so the bees can feed the queen through the mesh. Check 3–4 days later to confirm she's out; if the candy is gone and the queen is out, she's usually accepted. If the candy is gone but the queen is still in the cage, release her manually — something blocked the exit.
Compatibility
Fits between frames in any standard deep hive body. Standard USPS-shippable size.
