"Cradle" Tube for Catching Queen Bees

"Cradle" Tube for Catching Queen Bees

In any apiary, from time to time, there is a need to move or temporarily isolate a queen bee. If you use homemade or poor-quality equipment, you run a serious risk of injuring the queen bee or even killing her. To prevent such situations, it is strongly recommended to use specialised equipment. There are many types of equipment designed for this purpose, such as plastic cages, wooden cages, etc. However, they have one major drawback: they restrict visibility while catching the queen bee. With one careless movement, you could crush the queen bee with the body of such a cage.

The "Cradle" tube has long been in demand among beekeepers around the world. Its design serves just one purpose: the temporary holding of a queen bee. At one end of the tube there is a wide opening which, to reduce the risk of injuring the queen bee, has specially finished smooth edges. The tube gradually narrows towards the other end, where there is a round opening closed with a rubber stopper. The cone-shaped form of the tube naturally encourages the queen bee to move towards the narrower end. Because the "Cradle" is made of glass, the queen bee remains visible to you throughout the isolation period. To release the queen bee, you simply remove the stopper and point the end of the tube in the desired direction.