Officially a beekeeper, so far.

[brer]

I just got my first package of bees in the mail today.

I probably messed up a time or five, so I'll explain what I did that was contrary to all the popular opinion on this board.

I accidentally spilled one of Bjorns swarm lures at one end of the empty hive body, I was using it as a swarm lure. I did wipe it up as best as possible.

I lightly sprayed the bees and the empty frames with sugar water.  I did reduce the entrance, but I did not close it.

I did not use smoke as I figured that it would likely not calm the bees based on what I understand of their behavior.

I chickened out on the whole "just open the package and dump the bees" thing and cut a hole in the screen and let them enter the hive body through the hole in the inner cover.  I set the outer cover on top of the package to shield them from the light.  Actually this impressed my kid as I was pretty much engulfed by bees within seconds. 

My dad kept bees when I was a kid so I didn't panic.  Lucked out, no stings.  I figure a lot of that was typical bee behavior, no home, no stores, no brood, etc, to defend.

I checked the hive after a few hours. So far, quite a few of the workers have migrated to the hive body from the package.  I also found out how sickening the crunch you hear when you accidentally smoosh one of the little girls sounds like.  :(

So the big questions are,,,

Did I do a passable job of package installation.  Is there anything else I can do to help the package install itself in the hive body?  Are there any things I need to be on the lookout in the immediate future? Any major mistakes that I made that can be rectified?

[John Schwartz]

What did you do with the queen? The bees need to be either dumped into the hive asap or the box placed inside the hive asap. The queen needs to be released per standard procedure as well. At this point, from what I'm hearing, it's doubtfull the girls will make a good start (if they survive). They'll need to be fed as well.

[buzzbee]

Did you eventually put the outer cover on the hive?Did you put the queen cage in and remove the cork from the sugar end of the queen cage? If so everything should work out.Are you feeding them?
Leaving the entrance open to the small hole is acceptable. Bees like to fly in nice weather. Spraying is fine and not smoking a package install is also fine. You did alright,just make sure the youngsters at least have face protection when doing inspections.One pop in the face could discourage them for quite a while.

[brer]

cork? queen cage? this is one of the reasons I posted.

My bust, I did not realize package bee's queens were caged. This is why we ask questions.

The bee's were delivered today around 1700.  I started releasing them into the hive body around 1820 or so. I am going to make the assumption that this will likely wait till morning. 

[John Schwartz]

How cold is supposed to get this evening there? If below 50 or so, I'd get out there and shake 'em in and place the queen cage as directed. Assuming instructions came with your box of bees?

[brer]

As per NOAA, 38 F tonight for a low.  I was figuring that because the majority of the bees were still in the package I would be OK. Several of the bees that escaped were still trying to cluster around the top of the package so I assumed they were still being attracted to the queen/hive scent.

There is no open ventilation to the package.  Cover on top, hive body on bottom.

Let me find the flashlight,,,

In answer to your question. No directions.

[brer]

Ok, installed the whole bee package inside the hive body. I had to pull four frames to do it.

I left the queen inside her cage as it was getting very dark, and the huge ball of bee's around it seemed like it would keep her warm.

This was very, what is a good way of saying it, scary as all get out, I'll get over it. I removed a can full of liquid which I am going to assume was sugar syrup.

I reached into the package very slowly, lets not hurt any more of my girls than I have to, and removed the queen cage. 

I am going to figure the bee mass will keep her warm for the night.  I am also going to figure that if she is a new queen to the package, the way they are clustering around the cage means they have accepted her.

So, pretty much the situation is the same except for package and the queen are all inside the hive body.

Sorry for not taking advice directly.  Playing with the queen scares me at the moment,  I am pretty worried about injuring her by accident.   

Not really trying for humor, but,,,

When I removed the syrup can and actually saw how many bees were in the package. My first thoughts after I had reached my hand in there were "That's a whole lot of bees! :shock:"

If you guys think this is tenable for tonight, I'll release her come morning.

[John Schwartz]

Good work :) sounds like a plan.

[Kathyp]

i think you did ok.  glad you wrote so that you could find out about your queen  :-)

when you do this again, the box is designed so that you remove the can, remove the queen cage and place it into the hive, then shake the bees out on top of the queen cage in the hive.

 tomorrow, when you retrieve your queen, thumb tack or in some other way affix her cage to a frame so that the screen is facing out and not blocked by another frame/foundation.  you'll probably need to leave a frame out.  dump the rest of the bees out of the box and call it good.  you can place the (almost) empty box on the front porch of the hive so that the stragglers can make it inside the hive.

BEFORE you attach the queen, look at the ends of the queen cage.  if both ends are corked, remove one cork carefully (finger over hole) then replace cork with marshmallow.  if one end has candy and no cork,  just place in hive. 

leave the whole thing alone for a few days then check back to see if queen has been released.

[buzzbee]

Two methods of installing a package:
http://clinton.extension.psu.edu/Ag/Bees/Bee%20Packages.wmv

Beemaster's Installing honeybees Method

[brer]

Alright guys, fortified with morning coffee, got the instructional video, btw thanks buzzbee, and getting ready to go place and uncork the candy end of my queen cage.

and done.

No smoke, no stings, but still a bit panicky handling the bees, hey, I'm a newbee :).

 Are italians normally this docile, or is this because they likely think they are still in swarm mode?

[John Schwartz]

Way to go, Brer... I'm glad you persevered/stuck with it. Italians are typically docile. Package bees are usually pretty quiet.

[brer]

The need to feed was mentioned.  I set out a bowl of sugar syrup close to the hive, after the first ten dead bees I found in it, I removed it.

As I understand it, the area between the outer cover and the inner cover, provided that the holes are drilled in the inner cover, is designed so that the bees can warm up, and to allow them to be fed with straight sugar or nougat.

Would putting a cup or two of sugar off to the sides in the area between the outer and inner covers work?  The water requirements should be met, I have a farm pond less than a hundred yards away from the hive.

BTW, the bees are already hitting every patch of flowering plants in the immediate area, so does that mean they are already feeding themselves?

I really do not mean to be a bother, but y'all are extremely helpful, once the immediate crisis of learning is over, I promise to remain a lurker till the next crisis in a day or four. Thanks all

[Kathyp]

the best way to feed a swarm or package is with 1:1 syrup.  there are a number of ways to feed syrup.  an inverted glass jar with a few very small holes in the lid is the easiest, i think.  you can place the jar over the hole in the inner cover and if weather is an issue, place an empty box over that.  at this time of the year, i often use a poultry feeder and just set it in the yard.  a bit of screen over the hole keeps bees from climbing inside and dying and some rocks in the dish part keeps them from drowning in there. 

they may be finding enough in the neighborhood, but remember that the package needs to draw a lot of comb and they need a lot of nectar or syrup to do that.