This small wooden or plastic box holds a mated queen and a few attendant bees during shipping and hive introduction. One end is plugged with a soft sugar candy. As the worker bees in the receiving hive eat through the candy over several days, they grow accustomed to the new pheromones, preventing them from attacking her when she finally emerges.
Heard on the job
Make sure the candy plug on the queen-cage is exposed so the workers can chew her out.