Bee Brothers Apiary
Silver Bay, New York
How do I hive a package of bees?
1. Packaged bees can be installed at any time of the day and in any weather. However, late in the afternoon on a non-windy day is preferable.
2. Spray the bees or brush on some sugar water on the cage screen before installation. This is not absolutely necessary, but helps to calm the bees down and inhibits flight until they locate on their new home. It is perhaps more crucial if the wind is blowing and there is a chance the bees that take flight will be blown to another hive or too far away from the new hive to find it.
3. Setup your hive with four frames removed from the middle of the hive.
4. Remove the plywood from the top of the package.
5. Knock the bees to the bottom of the cage and remove the queen cage. Check to see that the queen is alive in the queen cage. If she is dead, put the queen cage back in the hive and call for a replacement. Keep the package in a cool place and feed them everyday until you get the new queen.
6. Replace the plywood on top of the package while you are working on installing the queen cage.
7. Hang the queen cage between frames No. 2 and No. 3, making sure the candy end is accessible to the bees. Have a hammer and small tack available in case you have to re-attach the disk to the queen cage.
8. You are now ready to dump the bees in the hive.
9. Once again, knock the bees to the bottom of the cage. Using one finger and your hive tool, remove the sugar syrup can. If the bees start emerging from the queen cage opening before you get the can out, knock them down again until you get the can out.
10. Once the can is out, rotate the cage and move it back and forth to get as many bees out as possible. Immediately put down the cage, and put in the missing frames and close the hive. Do not worry about crushing bees with the frames; they will get out of the way.
11. Lean the empty cage up against the front entrance of the hive. Make sure your entrance reducer is installed. On polystyrene hives, stuff a little grass in about 90% of the entrance. This confines the bees for a short time and allows them to become accustomed to their new home before they take flight.
12. Feed the bees, but it is important not to disturb the bees unless necessary. Check after 4-7 days. If the bees have not released the queen, you release her by removing the cork.
13. Remove the queen cage and push the frames together. If any extra comb has been built underneath the queen cage, remove it.
1. Packaged bees can be installed at any time of the day and in any weather. However, late in the afternoon on a non-windy day is preferable.
2. Spray the bees or brush on some sugar water on the cage screen before installation. This is not absolutely necessary, but helps to calm the bees down and inhibits flight until they locate on their new home. It is perhaps more crucial if the wind is blowing and there is a chance the bees that take flight will be blown to another hive or too far away from the new hive to find it.
3. Setup your hive with four frames removed from the middle of the hive.
4. Remove the plywood from the top of the package.
5. Knock the bees to the bottom of the cage and remove the queen cage. Check to see that the queen is alive in the queen cage. If she is dead, put the queen cage back in the hive and call for a replacement. Keep the package in a cool place and feed them everyday until you get the new queen.
6. Replace the plywood on top of the package while you are working on installing the queen cage.
7. Hang the queen cage between frames No. 2 and No. 3, making sure the candy end is accessible to the bees. Have a hammer and small tack available in case you have to re-attach the disk to the queen cage.
8. You are now ready to dump the bees in the hive.
9. Once again, knock the bees to the bottom of the cage. Using one finger and your hive tool, remove the sugar syrup can. If the bees start emerging from the queen cage opening before you get the can out, knock them down again until you get the can out.
10. Once the can is out, rotate the cage and move it back and forth to get as many bees out as possible. Immediately put down the cage, and put in the missing frames and close the hive. Do not worry about crushing bees with the frames; they will get out of the way.
11. Lean the empty cage up against the front entrance of the hive. Make sure your entrance reducer is installed. On polystyrene hives, stuff a little grass in about 90% of the entrance. This confines the bees for a short time and allows them to become accustomed to their new home before they take flight.
12. Feed the bees, but it is important not to disturb the bees unless necessary. Check after 4-7 days. If the bees have not released the queen, you release her by removing the cork.
13. Remove the queen cage and push the frames together. If any extra comb has been built underneath the queen cage, remove it.
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