Rain

[EastSideBuzz]

Wow, I lost quite a few bees over the last few days in the rain. We had some really hard rains and many of the bees that did not make it into the hive died. I felt bad because I know they tried to get back in. They were hiding under all sorts of things.

When I installed the new bee's I placed the box infront of the hive with the ones I could not shake out and they seemed to stay there and apparently drowned.

Now I know that a little water will drown the little guys. :cry:

[Ravenseye]

Doesn't take much water to knock a bee down. Be patient...things will improve. A number of years ago, I hived a package as the skies clouded up. The rain came an hour later and we had nearly three weeks of it. The river in town topped over and all the property was muck. I think it was actually good for the bees. When the weather finally broke they went out like crazy and built up fast. Thankfully, I had feed on them before the skies opened up.

[EastSideBuzz]

So how much 1+1 liquid should they guzzling in the rain days. We even had snow here last night. Seattle weather is really weird nowadays. :lookout:

Also how many bee's are there per pound wondering how many I lost in the rain.?

[Scott J.]

Its still pretty cool in the Seattle area, so the bees won't be using a lot of feed. You also might have maples giving nector also if the bees are flying.

There are roughly 3500 bees to the pound if I remember corectly.

I have installed packages in the past years when its been raining. To get all the bees in I will add an empty box over an inner cover and put the cage over the inner cover hole to let the rest of the bees get out.

For some reason even in good weather you can have a fist size clump of bees that will not leave the cage when left in front of the hive.

[EastSideBuzz]

I did that extra box thing all day. Then took it off expecting them to fly/crawl out into the real hive. The stragglers drowned. I think I lost a good size fist full in each cage.

Thank you for the help. I feel much better now. I have 4 more packs coming this weekend so I should get better at installing them as the day goes on.

So is it bad to leave empty western on top "heat wise" while I am feeding them from a top feeder.? They all would not go down into the frames when I started and now I don't want to squish any of them. I would rather just leave them alone.

[daknoodle]

Did you try simply pulling the screen off of one side and dumping them in that way? Just need to pry the wood frame from around the screen and then it slides off very easily. You get nearly all of them out that way.

Just add the queen after you dump.

Doug

[EastSideBuzz]

No I did not. Not sure if they get upset if you ruin there cage. I can try that though.

[daknoodle]

It goes in the trash, I don't think they'll care. :) Here is a great youtube video of a guy doing it this way http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4a-Tw-qFI

Makes a whole lot of sense and makes things easier.

[EastSideBuzz]

WOW. Very cool video. Wish I had seen it before I started. Could have saved several thousand souls.

Thank you for the link. Maybe the 4 I am doing this weekend will go smoother now.

Very cool. I am not that confidant without the sleeves and Vail. I still get the willies when they land on my face.

[honeyman46408]

If folks would just take out 5 frames and put the package inside the hive and let the bees crawl out to the queen you could get the deposit back for the cage and not kill so many bees

[daknoodle]

Deposit? What deposit? Mine get shipped, I see no point in shipping the cage back. Just more money to pay and as far as I know, they don't offer a "deposit refund" for the cage. I like the method from the video.

[honeyman46408]

We always pick up - last year 80 packages @ 3bux a cage uuummmmm

[Reid]

If folks would just take out 5 frames and put the package inside the hive and let the bees crawl out to the queen you could get the deposit back for the cage and not kill so many bees

Interesting. A while back I found a site where the guy just took out the queen, upended the package on top of all 10 frames, and put an extra box on top so he didn't have to fish the package out between frames. Both variations seem a lot less stressful on the bees and overall less effort, but could you be more specific with your method? How long do they take to exit the package when you use this method? At what point do you feel that it's worth disturbing them again and fishing the package out? And have you ever had any problems doing it this way?
I've seen the method removing the screen off the side of the package. It's significantly better then shaking the heck out ~15,000 bees to get them out a 3 inch hole. I was going to try that installation on the two packages I'm going to get this year, but if you can convince me otherwise . . .
-Reid

[EastSideBuzz]

It's significantly better then shaking the heck out ~15,000 bees to get them out a 3 inch hole. I was going to try that installation on the two packages I'm going to get this year, but if you can convince me otherwise . . .
-Reid

I must have pissed them off by shaking the heck out of them. I feel bad now that I know a less stressful way to do it.

I have a 5 buck deposit on the cages. But with gas it would cost me 5 bucks each way to return them.

The next batch is through our club and I don/t want to damage them. So I will do the shake a few out, put in the queen and then let them climb out of the box that I put in the empty super. That seems less stressful.

And BTW thank you all for your helpful info. Made fatherhood so much easier.

:gh:

[honeyman46408]

Well there are different varations of "how to" install a package of bees, some will say the methiod I use takes to much time for a comerical person but most questions posted here are from new beekeepers (or about to bee) so my thoughts (thought to me by a man with 65 years of beekeeping) are to cause the least amount of stress on the bees that are already stressed from being shook out of a hive who knows where and trucked across the country.


but could you be more specific with your method? How long do they take to exit the package when you use this method? At what point do you feel that it's worth disturbing them again and fishing the package out? And have you ever had any problems doing it this way?


OK set up your new hive remove 5 frames and set them aside then put the package of bees in the hive remove the "juice" can carefuly covering the hole (I have a special board made up for that) then carefuly remove the queen cage trying to keep as many bees inside as you can check her out and if she is ok then remove the cork or cap from the candy depending on the style of queen cage hang the cage between the first two frames then push the package close as you can to the frames have the top ready and remove the cover from the hole and put the top on now the bees will crawl out of the package to their queen ( lot less stress than banging dumping ) now when the bees go out the front of the hove they know where to come back to.
Next day go back and remove the package and put 4 of the 5 frames back inside 99% of the time 99% of the bees will bee out of the package then after 4 or 5 days you can check to see if the queen is out and put the 10th frame back.


I have a 5 buck deposit on the cages. But with gas it would cost me 5 bucks each way to return them.



We (our club) buy our bees from Lapps in Wi. so we drive there once a year and pickup bees and other supplies at that time we return the package cages from the year before and every one pitches in a little gas money.

[beedeetee]

I haven't installed a package in 8-10 years probably, but I did it the Honeyman46408 way with one modification. I do pour some bees over the queen because our nights get cold and I want to make sure she stays warm.

So I turn the package over the queen and gently pour (or set the package on the frames with the hole over her for a couple of minutes to let bees get out) a few cups of bees over the queen and then set the package in the box where the 5 missing frames would go.

I picked up my packages also and had a 3 dollar deposit, but could bring the package back anytime (even years later) for my 3 dollars.

[EastSideBuzz]

Sounds to me like your methods are better. How long is there memory.? I bet many of them dont like me anymore. Yes I bet we lost quite a few due to disorientation and leaving the hive thorough the entrance would help them find there way home.

I will definitely try the leaving the box in the hive this time and let them crawl out. This time.

[bigbore]

that is the way I install also, but I also spray mine down good with 1:1 syrup. pour out what will come out easy over the queen. I give them a day and a half but not more than 2 and a half. before I remove the box.