Welcome, Guest
Login or Register
Home
« previous next »
Pages: 1 [2]  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Putting Package bees into a hive  (Read 5202 times)

Offline Dabbler

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 132
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #20 on: March 10, 2017, 03:29:14 pm »
Quote from: GSF on March 10, 2017, 02:28:20 pm
The only thing that two out of three beekeepers agree on is.., the third one is wrong.

That not right ! . . . . .. . :happy: Just kidding!
Logged
Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the tests first, the lessons afterwards .
-Vernon Sanders Law

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8112
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #21 on: March 10, 2017, 08:50:33 pm »
Quote from: iddee on March 10, 2017, 10:10:48 am
The guy that doesn't feed probably catches swarms, buys nucs, or makes splits. Then feeding is not mandatory. With packages, it is.

It kinda depends on where you are and timing.  No matter where you are beekeeping depends on timing.  If you can learn the timing it gets easy and you will be successful.  You can only be an expert in your area no matter how long you have been keeping bees.  Bees are adaptive.  To say what bees will do in FL is not the same as saying what bees will do in NY.  Ask questions but don't be stupid about what is happening in your apiary.
Logged
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline iddee

  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 10853
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #22 on: March 10, 2017, 08:58:02 pm »
Successful swarms and splits only happen when flows are on. Nucs have food. As I stated it, it applies to all areas. No question is stupid except one asked after you have acted. Smart questions are asked before you act. Again, that goes for all locations.
Logged
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8112
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #23 on: March 10, 2017, 09:00:20 pm »
Well I can't argue with that.
Logged
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline Oldbeavo

  • Queen Bee
  • ****
  • Posts: 1014
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #24 on: March 11, 2017, 07:07:17 am »
Watched the video, all pretty straight forward.
The only comment I would make is on the queen handling.
Once we remove the cork we normally use a nail to pierce the candy plug the give the bees a track to chew into and out of to release the queen.
Also he hung the cage vertical with the candy plug at the bottom, we would normally put the cage horizontal between the top bars so if on of the attendant bees with the queen dies it wont block the hole for the queen to get out.
These bees in the pack know this queen, they have been smelling her for days in transit and so a quick exit by poking a hole in the candy will not make any difference.
Like some one said " not an exact science but based on common sense".
Logged

Offline herbhome

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 725
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #25 on: March 11, 2017, 07:32:58 am »
Installing your first bees is a lot of fun! Have fun, stay in your zen place. Remember these are homeless bees looking for a home, they are not likely to get aggressive at  all. I poured my first packages but I have recently seen a technique where the shipping package is inverted with the hole right over the queen, an empty box place over it and the hive closed up. Few hours later almost all the bees are out with the queen. Then just set the box leaning against the entrance the stragglers will crawl on in.

I make sure I install the queen cage with the candy side up and the screen facing front or back of hive. If one or more of the attendants has died they won't block the queen's exit. If the screen is facing foundation it will limit face time with the workers. I punch a small hole in the candy but many do not.
Check back in three days and she should be released.

Feeding a package light syrup (1-1) will help them draw out the comb they will need.

Have a blast with your bees. :smile:
Logged
Neill

Offline Simondsrach

  • New Bee
  • *
  • Posts: 34
  • Gender: Female
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #26 on: March 15, 2017, 12:25:44 pm »
Logged

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13526
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #27 on: March 15, 2017, 12:37:29 pm »
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline herbhome

  • Field Bee
  • ***
  • Posts: 725
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #28 on: March 15, 2017, 03:21:25 pm »
Remember they are not going to leave the queen. Wherever you place her they will gravitate toward.
Logged
Neill

Offline cao

  • Super Bee
  • *****
  • Posts: 1692
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #29 on: March 15, 2017, 10:45:20 pm »
I agree with sawdstmakr.  I could easily find something else to spend that money on.
Logged

Offline CrazyTalk

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 62
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #30 on: March 23, 2017, 07:07:55 pm »
Quote from: cao on March 10, 2017, 11:09:07 am

Ask 10 beekeepers the same question.  Get 11 answers.  9 of which are correct(there's always that one oddball). 

Do what you are the most comfortable with.  The bees will do the rest.

Yeah, this.

My first hive was a long lang. I opened a spot about 5 frames wide, put the box there, put the queen (in cage) between two frames a couple over from the box, and they started slowly coming out of the top of the box. Came back the next day and removed the box and queen cage. Easy peasy.

Whatever you do will probably be fine. Or not.
Logged

Offline Acebird

  • Galactic Bee
  • ******
  • Posts: 8112
  • Gender: Male
  • Just do it
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #31 on: March 23, 2017, 08:21:12 pm »
Quote from: cao on March 15, 2017, 10:45:20 pm
I could easily find something else to spend that money on.
What, you going to save that money to buy a car?  Maybe it is a great idea for under 12 bucks.  What do you think would happen if you released a queen in an empty box of drawn comb and then allowed the package to join her?
Logged
Brian Cardinal
Just do it

Offline erbs honey

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 97
  • Gender: Female
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #32 on: May 04, 2017, 01:21:50 am »
Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 08, 2017, 05:28:33 pm
That is they way it has been taught for a long time.
Try putting it in the hive and see what happens. Do not leave it in more than a day or so.
They may start building wax in it.
Jim
He's serious about this!
Logged
When you come to a fork in the road.....take it.

Offline BeeMaster2

  • Administrator
  • Universal Bee
  • *******
  • Posts: 13526
  • Gender: Male
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #33 on: May 06, 2017, 06:58:12 pm »
Yes for those that are afraid to shake the bees out.
I just shake out my bee vac box (same as a package of bees) onto the top of the frames. Then I place the box next to the hive so that the stranglers can walk into the hive.
I have seen people put the box in the hive between the frames for a day.
Jim
Logged
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin

Offline Blacksheep

  • House Bee
  • **
  • Posts: 164
  • Gender: Male
  • william e smith
Re: Putting Package bees into a hive
« Reply #34 on: May 07, 2017, 09:52:56 am »
I usually spray my packages with sugar water and dump them in the hive and place queen between two frames and close them up return 3 days later to see if she is released and if not release her then.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]  All   Go Up
« previous next »