First Package, nervous

[JayBee]

Installed my first package ever today. Is it normal for the bees to be reluctant to leave the package after the queen is put in the hive? It seems like there are a lot of bees still in the box and swarming on the outside of the box and it is getting dark. Should I do anything, its going to be in the 40s tonight and 50s tomorrow?

[Michael Bush]

I just keep banging the box to jar them to the bottom and shaking them out until there are only 5 or 10 bees left. If it gets too cold they will die outside in the box. You could put the box inside another bee box on top of the one you dumped them in and then remove the box tommorow, but then the cluster may be up in the top and all over the box too, but more likely they will cluster where the queen cage is.

[JayBee]

Thank you Michael, I went out and set the package into the hive with an empty deep. I also removed the queen cage, I had set it between the frames but since there was no candy I just removed the cork. The beekeeper I purchased the package from had installed the queens directly and suggested the same for me. The frames are not evenly spaced right now, if I go in tomorrow to remove the pagkage and empty deep should I correct the frames or wait?

[This message has been edited by JayBee (edited May 02, 2004).]

[CherGarr]

Just thought it was worth mentioning that you don't want to be using an entrance feeder! That's what I had and when the temp dropped into the fifties for 4 days the bees clustered at the top and ALL DIED! I have more coming on May 12th but that was a hard lesson learned ...

[JayBee]

I purchased a hive top feeder. When I went to add the empty deep and package it was so full I don't see how the bees could move in or out.

[Michael Bush]

>Thank you Michael, I went out and set the package into the hive with an empty deep. I also removed the queen cage, I had set it between the frames but since there was no candy I just removed the cork. The beekeeper I purchased the package from had installed the queens directly and suggested the same for me.

Then it's likely they will be clustered and hanging from the inner cover (or cover if there is no inner cover) tommorow. If so, you will have to hit deal with that. You may prefer to have some help so you can lift it gently to remove the box, then knock them off into the box. Easier if you remove three or four frames from the middle.

>The frames are not evenly spaced right now, if I go in tomorrow to remove the pagkage and empty deep should I correct the frames or wait?

Yes, correct them. Push them all to the middle, tight with the excess space on the ends. You have 10 frames right?

>Just thought it was worth mentioning that you don't want to be using an entrance feeder! That's what I had and when the temp dropped into the fifties for 4 days the bees clustered at the top and ALL DIED!

I don't like entrance feeders all the way around. They tend to set off robbing and they aren't used when it's cold.

But if all you have is bees and no frames and it gets too cold for too long, they will starve. But they can still feed at moderately cold temps with the feeder on top. Just put that same jar that came with the entrance feeder over the hole in the inner cover and an empty box to make room for the jar.

>I purchased a hive top feeder. When I went to add the empty deep and package it was so full I don't see how the bees could move in or out.

I don't understand what you mean. The hive top feeder was full? Full of syrup? Full of bees? You mean you don't see how the bees could move in or out because it was so full of bees? Does it have a screened in area that keeps the bees at one end or is it open with floats? I have had bees move into a feeder and build their brood nest there when it was all open.

[JayBee]

I meant the bees were in using the hive top feeder. I have the styrofoam type with the plexiglass cover over the bee access portion. The bees were so packed in there.

[Michael Bush]

So there is a large access portion? That's the kind I had them move into.