Queen Introduction Window

The introduction window, also called the “get acquainted window,” on the bottom of a JZ BZ queen cage. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Queen Introduction Window

JZs BZs, sometimes just called by the letters J Z - B Z, queen cages were designed to help introduce queens into new colonies. The JZ BZ cage was invented by Jim Paysen, owner of the JZs BZs Honey Company.

The queen cage has several features I never heard about before so I decided to research all of the cages features. This is about the about the “introduction window” on the bottom, also called the “get acquainted” window.

One of the challenges beekeepers have is successfully introducing new queens to an existing colony. This queen cage has several helpful features including the bottom opening where one can create the “introduction window.”

Here’s how to use the “window” as you introduce a new queen:

• 􏰀  For slow introductions, leave the plastic cap over the candy tube until you are ready to allow the bees to start eating out the candy. I know, most of these don’t have those caps.

• 􏰀  If there is no plastic cap for the candy tube, cover the candy tube opening with a small piece of duct tape. Double this to two layers of duct tape to be sure worker bees don’t eat through the candy quickly.

• 􏰀  When you are ready to start the introduction, remove the plastic cap or the duct tape from the candy tube opening and let the bees eat out the candy.

• 􏰀  At this time, open the Introduction Window by removing the breakout bar before inserting the new queen in the hive --- providing you want to use it and you are ready to allow workers to enter.

• When the break out bar is removed from the bottom of the JZ BZ queen cage the window still acts as a queen excluder, keeping the queen inside, but letting the worker bees, a few at a time, come and go from the cage. That helps to transfer the queen pheromone throughout the hive before the queen is released.

• 􏰀  Check back in about 3 days to make sure the queen is released. If not released, you can probably release her safely providing the bees aren’t attacking the cage and trying to ball her. A lot depends on the conditions and the nectar flow.

• 􏰀  Keep a few cages in your bee suit pocket whenever you go to check bees, You will be ready when you suddenly find emerging virgin queens in your hive or you need to move a queen safely.

I keep a supply handy to also collect queen cells and carefully moving them to an incubator.

Charlotte

Dead Bees on Frame

Beekeepers learn from live, as well as dead, bees. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Dead Bees On Frame

It’s the time of year many beekeepers both dread, and hope, will turn out well. It’s almost spring. Beekeepers at this stage start discovering whether their bees made it through winter.

The national statistics are that on average, 40% of honey bee colonies don’t make it through winter. Usually the average is lower for hobby beekeepers compared to commercial operations. Regardless, the death of one colony is upsetting to me, even if it’s something I can’t prevent.

In the case of this frame, the bees made a choice. Between getting food and keeping the baby bees or brood warm, they decided to keep the babies warm. And as the end of winter rolls around, there were less and less and less bees available to keep the colony warm. With less bees, the cluster of bees couldn’t reach both the brood of baby bees and reaching nearby honey. Honey needs to be warmed up first for the bees to access it.

Even though it is disturbing to find a dead colony, it’s a good time for beekeepers to learn more about their colonies and what it takes for them to survive winter.

Charlotte

New Uncapping Fork

The latest wax uncapping fork taken out for a test drive. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

New Uncapping Fork

If you haven’t been around beekeepers, one of the things they tend to like to do is try out new things. If they are not trying something new with their bees in the garden, they are usually making something in their woodworking shop. Every once in awhile a new gadget makes it to the market and catches their attention and this is one of them.

To extract honey, beekeepers have to first remove the wax cap the bees build over the honey ready for storage.

Traditionally the wax caps are removed by hand with this pick-like tool.

Not a hair comb, this is the old fashioned uncapping fork. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To use it, the scraper has to be carefully pulled across the top of the frame to remove the wax caps without gouging the frame of honey.

The new uncapping fork is designed to help guide the scraper so that it doesn’t dig too deeply into the frame of wax.

During a honey extracting demonstration in August, several of my beekeeping students took turns trying out both the traditional scraper and the new one.

One of our beekeeping students using the new uncapping fork. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The consensus was it takes a little practice to be able to glide the new uncapping fork across the wax frame.

With practice, most of the beekeeping students preferred the new uncapping fork even to a heated knife.

More students testing both the new and the old uncapping scraper. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So if you are looking for a beekeeping gift idea, this would be a good one to add to your list. It runs around $20 and would make a nice stocking stuffer!

Charlotte