Installing Bee packages for the first time.

[Arpolis]

I have purchased Bee nucs, captured a bee swarm and re-hived a wild bee hive into my yard. Now this year I tried two bee packages. Here I am installing them. I made one too many noises befitting a middle school cheer leader than I would like to admit...

Link to facebook video

 

[SkeletorMob]

Awesome!!! I added you on facebook! I hope to keep bees someday soon!!! Need to learn more before I do though, I'll be attending every bee event or symposium I can until then!!

 

[Arpolis]

Awesome!!! I added you on facebook! I hope to keep bees someday soon!!! Need to learn more before I do though, I'll be attending every bee event or symposium I can until then!!

Cool, hope you get into it. Shoot me a PM any time if you have questions.

 

[WVMJ]

You are going backwards, usually people start with packages, get a nuc and then capture a swarm and finally do a cutout, you started with the more skilled end and went to the beginners level One of my packages this spring is going gangbusters, the other one superceeded their queen and I dont think its going to make it and giving them brood from another hive is going to be wasting resources we could use for a split anyway with a mated queen. WVMJ

 

[Arpolis]

You are going backwards, usually people start with packages, get a nuc and then capture a swarm and finally do a cutout, you started with the more skilled end and went to the beginners level One of my packages this spring is going gangbusters, the other one superceeded their queen and I dont think its going to make it and giving them brood from another hive is going to be wasting resources we could use for a split anyway with a mated queen. WVMJ

That's how I like to roll. Dive in head first and either drown or come out swimming. Just found out my neighbor has been on the swarm call list and has gained 8 swarm hives this year over the last month! This puts her at 12 hives now. I need to get me on that list!

 

[WVMJ]

Splits are in your future as well as whole hive meads
WVMJ

 

[Arpolis]

Splits are in your future as well as whole hive meads
WVMJ

Oh I want to start doing some splits. Get my hive numbers up. Just talked my In-law into letting me fill the back part of her property with hives. She wants some pretty hives though so thinking of making some long langstroths on tall legs so her dogs are not eye level with the bee entrants.

I do a cut comb and smash/strain method of extracting honey. I feel I have a pretty close whole hive mead thing going. I just need to throw a few bees in the mead to complete it.

 

[WVMJ]

Watched your video, your supposed to put the smoke on the bees, a hive tool is better than a paint scrapper and you did a very good job of demonstrating many peoples frustration with the new package boxes, I almost cut my thumb off trying to get the tabs open. We tried those foundationless and dam what a mess, if you can put a new frame between 2 that are already pulled you can get a decent frame but if they are empty and side by side the bees can pull on both frames at one, we have some honey comb like almost 3 inches wide but the ones on either side of that were were empty, had to dump the whole super out and pull the frames apart to get the honeycomb, very interesting way to get honey. Going to try again this year but first going to let the bees seal frames with foundation and then slip them in between those so they pull it straight. WVMJ

 

[Maylar]

I have purchased Bee nucs, captured a bee swarm and re-hived a wild bee hive into my yard. Now this year I tried two bee packages. Here I am installing them. I made one too many noises befitting a middle school cheer leader than I would like to admit...

Link to facebook video

You've got brass 'nads handling the ladies without protection. Thanks for the vid.

 

[Arpolis]

Watched your video, your supposed to put the smoke on the bees, a hive tool is better than a paint scrapper and you did a very good job of demonstrating many peoples frustration with the new package boxes, I almost cut my thumb off trying to get the tabs open. We tried those foundationless and dam what a mess, if you can put a new frame between 2 that are already pulled you can get a decent frame but if they are empty and side by side the bees can pull on both frames at one, we have some honey comb like almost 3 inches wide but the ones on either side of that were were empty, had to dump the whole super out and pull the frames apart to get the honeycomb, very interesting way to get honey. Going to try again this year but first going to let the bees seal frames with foundation and then slip them in between those so they pull it straight. WVMJ

I smoke the bees when I check my hives that are established but I figured loose bees that I am trying to get comfortable in a new home, may not want smoke stressing them out. I only have the comb next to eachother to sandwich the queen cage in between. I will try and manipulate to prevent fat comb but that will be later.

I had a really bad drifting problem yeasterday. All my bees were in one box! I think I corrected that. Will check again tonight.

 

[krackin]

Love bees , bears not so much.

 

[WVMJ]

So do you take from the strong hive to support the weak on and risk loosing both? Maybe swapping the position of the boxes will populate the hive the drifted. Check out this article in BeeCulture on making a super strong hive to then support others. WVMJ

http://www.beeculture.com/geezer-ridge-farm/

 

[Arpolis]

So do you take from the strong hive to support the weak on and risk loosing both? Maybe swapping the position of the boxes will populate the hive the drifted. Check out this article in BeeCulture on making a super strong hive to then support others. WVMJ

http://www.beeculture.com/geezer-ridge-farm/

I only took a small fraction of the bees from the strong hive. I am trying to get both bees wooing on comb building and foragers in the weak hive. Keep the decision of labor there. That's at least the theory. I only did this after consulting with some locals and backed up with other experiences online. Seems to have worked. As of this morning there is still good activity. Tomorrow is D day though and the queen should either be released or needs releasing by that point. This is all still a learning experience. This is my 4th summer season into this hobby and it seems I am always learning. So fun!

 

[Arpolis]

So do you take from the strong hive to support the weak on and risk loosing both? Maybe swapping the position of the boxes will populate the hive the drifted. Check out this article in BeeCulture on making a super strong hive to then support others. WVMJ

http://www.beeculture.com/geezer-ridge-farm/

Just read the article. Pretty cool stuff. I like the philosophy he has about having a bee engine for providing material for failing hives.