Bees are coming

[Hambone]

I ordered a 3# package of All Stars from bweaver today. Expected to ship 4/9

Couple of installation questions.

When you put your bee's in. Do you shut off part of the hive, or just put the bars back on, put on the lid and check in about a week.

I don't fill comfortable on my first time to do a free queen release. Is the best other way to dangle or what.

And: Feeding. I saw reading old post M.B. poured syrup on the base and also saw where he did a baggie style on the top bars. What is the best way to feed i.y.o. at the start.

[Hambone]

I think I answered one question. Follower board. If you recommend this. about how many top bars would yoy put before the follower board.

[MIKI]

Go here http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=328 scroll down to #17.

[Michael Bush]

>When you put your bee's in. Do you shut off part of the hive, or just put the bars back on, put on the lid and check in about a week.

If you have a follower board, it's a nice idea to shut off part of the hive. I don't have one, and I don't. They would probably build up a little faster that first few weeks if I did.

>I don't fill comfortable on my first time to do a free queen release. Is the best other way to dangle or what.

There is an even better reason for doing a direct release on a top bar hive than a regular hive with foundation. The bees will build comb in line with the queen cage if you don't. I would do a direct release. If you insist on not doing that, then I would try to get the queen where she hangs directly below the center of one of the bars, which will probably be tricky at best.

>And: Feeding. I saw reading old post M.B. poured syrup on the base and also saw where he did a baggie style on the top bars. What is the best way to feed i.y.o. at the start.

Feeding is, IMO a pretty temporary thing. I'm just trying to get them going, so it doesn't have to be fancy. If you do the baggies, I'd put them on the bottom. You can make a gap in the top bars and put a jar on, but then you have to leave the cover off. I suppose one could get one of those hamster water jars and drill a hole in one of the bars for it. Dry sugar on the bottom works too. If you take feeding seriously, you can build a frame feeder that will fit.

[Tim Hall]

I built frame feeders for my hives. The entrances are on one side of the feeders so the feeders can be flipped around to double as a follower board.

[Hambone]

Im debating the two release methods. I am reading a bunch on both and will decide this week on what I will do.

If my package will fit in my TBH. I guess I will pull the can and set it in there. Should I put it in about the center.

I built a follower bar. After I set my package in and come back and pull the package. Do I just put the follower bar in about 8 bars back or so.

Just to get them started. I am going to put some sugar on the bottom and mist with some water. About how much sugar do you put on the bottom. A a couple of cups or a whole pound package.

Thanks,

Derek

[Hambone]

Also, what are the approx dimensions of a package box.

[Shapleigh's Bees]

Package installation in pictures: http://www.fourmagicacres.net/pages/apiary.htm

Package is like the size of a box of hiking boots or cowboy boots.

I know the guys who have handled tons of bees like the direct release method better, but I just don't think I'm quite up to it just yet. Bees have been chewing the Queen out of her cage for years and I won't have to worry about having her fly away. I know I could probably do it, but I'm just not that confident.

[Hambone]

Cool pics. Thats helps.

[Michael Bush]

The problem with NOT doing a direct release is they will build a comb on the queen cage. In a regular hive this is just one messed up comb as every sheet of foundation the bees start over on their spacing. With open space like a top bar hive, one bad comb is repeated over and over, so once they have messed up they repeat it. The frightens me more than a queen flying. If the queen flies, just stand still for about ten minutes and keep looking for her. Odds are she will return and you won't even see her, but she also may land on you or you may see her go back in.

[Hambone]

Well I think direct release it is. A few questions. On the whole install.

1st. I am going to do baggie feeding. I want to place the bees and leave them alone for a few days. I think. How long will a baggie feeder last on a 3# hive before I need to replace it. Would it be better to put 2 on the bottom? Or just one and go get your own? just want to get them started. Tips!

With a direct release I put the bees in the front half. Then release the Q. Most of the B's will be at the bottom. Do I pull the cork and hold the cage close to the bottom where the b's are and let her walk out. Or do I let her walk out between a gap of the bars. After I mist them w/ syurp of course.

[Michael Bush]

>1st. I am going to do baggie feeding. I want to place the bees and leave them alone for a few days. I think. How long will a baggie feeder last on a 3# hive before I need to replace it. Would it be better to put 2 on the bottom? Or just one and go get your own? just want to get them started. Tips!

One will keep them from starving for the few days you intend to leave them alone. Be sure you don't put the baggie in until AFTER you dump the bees in or the weight of the bees will spill all the syrup.

>With a direct release I put the bees in the front half. Then release the Q.

Basically. Yes.

>Most of the B's will be at the bottom.

Probably not. They will quickly climb up and cluster. You may as well wait for them to so you can get the baggie in after that and then release the queen and close up.

> Do I pull the cork and hold the cage close to the bottom where the b's are and let her walk out. Or do I let her walk out between a gap of the bars. After I mist them w/ syurp of course.

A gap will work. Put the bees in the hive and let them get clustered at the top and put the baggie in and all but one bar in and then release her. If it's a plastic cage, I pop the little "stopper" and plug it with my finger and then with the candy tube pointed down flip of the whole top with it as close to where I want her to go as possible. Preferably down inside the gap. If not then get to the gap as quickly as I can after opening. If it's a wire and wood cage, I pull all but one staple on the wire, while holding the wire down so it doesn't come off and hold the wire facing down and peel the wire back. But, if you are patient, you can wait for her to walk out while keeping your hand over the cage to block her wanting to fly off.

Keep the cage close to the bees and when you have one, keep your free hand above to keep her from thinking of flying. basically try to keep both of them cupped somewhat over the space where you're releasing her. If you have help, get them to do this.

[Shapleigh's Bees]

I'm gonna try the direct release method as well.

[Hambone]

Good stuff. I promise to post pics of my tbh and the install real soon. Bees should be here in one week. Few questions.

My tbh holds 16/18 Brood to Honey bars. If I use my follower board. How may boards should I put them in before my follower board. And about how long is it before I pull the follower board and give them full access.

I read a few older post today about bweaver All Stars being a little grumpy. This is whats on the way to me. I figure most if not all bees would be a little ticked when you go messing around their house. If they are a little more angry than a few other lines. Whats to be expected.

[Tim Hall]

I read a few older post today about bweaver All Stars being a little grumpy. This is whats on the way to me. I figure most if not all bees would be a little ticked when you go messing around their house. If they are a little more angry than a few other lines. Whats to be expected.

I have heard the same from a few here locally, and some have not been incredibly impressed with what BWeaver has been offering lately. But one of the beauties of using a TBH is you don't have to completely disassemble their home (as with a Lang) to work with them. Less intrusion means less grumpiness...or so I'm told. Just work patiently and calmly like you should with any bees.

It has been suggested (if not outright claimed) that those bees being bred south of here are starting to pick up a fair amount of the African genetics. Unfortunately I think africanization is something we are eventually going to have to find a way to live with in this part of the country. That is so long as we are going to have acclimatized open-bred bees.

[Hambone]

Hey Tim,

Since you will close to me. Where did you get your bees. And how have they been doing.

[Tim Hall]

I hope they are doing well...I don't have them just yet. I built nuc's and handed them off to a beekeeper, T'Lee Sollenberger, in Burleson. She's tending to them until she deems them fit to hand back to me. I believe she is filling them up with swarms, and requeening from her own stock. She says her queens are gentle.

It's a new experience for her too since she hasn't dealt with foundationless bars, much less TBH's. But she came highly recommended, and has been a good sport with my wacky top-bar hives. Also her nuc's are the same price if not less than package bees. If you'd like I can PM you (or contact you otherwise) and give you a few updates as events unfold.