From: ddhess@bellsouth.net
Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 01:05:05 -0000
To: BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com
Subject: First packages

Thanks everyone for helping out my wife. The bee supplier really
threw me for a loop -- the bees weren't even supposed to be _shipped_
until Monday, much less arrive this soon; and the post office was
supposed to page me so I could have one of the members of the
beekeeping group pick them up (since I would presumably still be at
work). But you can see where things went instead. I managed to get
to come home early and did some blitzkrieg painting of my hives (had
planned to do all this tomorrow when I would be completely off), they
seem to have come out pretty much ok. Tomorrow I'll hopefully finish
preparing my top-bars and scrounge up some flooring material so I can
get the packages hived tomorrow evening.

One of the packages seems to have been heavily hit by the mailing
process - looked like about half the bees were dead. I informed the
supplier, but since I didn't notice this until I arrived on the scene
(well after they had left the post office of course), I may or may
not get anything back. I tried the thing with taking off the
fiberboard lid to inspect the can and queen, and discovered that the
can did not fit at all snugly and since the staples remained in the
wood the cover wouldn't fit tightly over and I soon had a dozen
confused bees buzzing around my garage (hope my cats don't take too
much interest). I went ahead and checked the queen since I had it
open (2 dead attendants but queen seemed to be doing fine, nice
big "russian" stamped on the queen cage) but didn't want to open the
others until I had them in a better location... apistan shipping
strips came out promptly and easily though.

Now I have to figure what to do with the weakened package (I'm glad I
bought 3# packages instead of 2#). If one of the other queens is
dead (bees were all nicely clustered so I don't think that's
particularly likely) I'll just use the queen from the weakened
package with the bees from one of the stronger, and either release
the weakened bees to let them sort themselves out (is this
reasonable?), or try to rig up a screen or newspaper dividing board
for combining with one of the others. I'll put one of the strong
ones in my Langstroth on 4.9 and the others in my top-bar hives.
That way, once my stronger top bar hive starts laying some good
brood, I can transfer a bar to the weaker one; might also transfer
unlaid comb as well since there'll be fewer bees to build comb.

TBH specs: 33 bars long (about 46"), 19 3/4" wide, about 15" deep (no
swarming for lack of space in these); 3/4" thick exterior gd plywood
walls and corner brackets and 2x4 upper "frame" (stability, carrying
handles, and bar rests for working the hive) - very sturdy; cork-
sized entry holes 7 in front and 3 in back (only one will be open in
front to start with); slot in the back base for inserting solid vs
mesh floor (bits of wood nailed to the sides of the base to support
floor and dowels for additional support); window about 6" high and
length about 2/3 the length of the hive - will probably want to find
some cardboard or something to put in there to help keep it dark;
painted beige with the highest quality mismixed acrylic paint Porter
had in the pile. :) I'll probably use a sheet of cardboard for the
starting floor (solid to help keep it dark while the bees are getting
settled), and don't know about the roof - maybe tin, maybe rippled
fiberglass.. *shrug*

Well, off to work on top bars - brought some supplies to work with me
since there's actually some down-time in this type of call. Fingers
crossed. Don't have other specific questions at present, but I'll
always listen to any advice anyone cares to throw my way. :)

-Don