package and shook bees production

**swarm_trapper** · 02-12-2009, 10:30 AM

just playing with the idea of shaking some packages and bulk bees this spring. do many of you guys do it? Any special things or tricks to know about it?
Nick

**Michael Bush** · 02-15-2009, 12:31 PM

I think it helps to be South of the Mason Dixon line. It's just too cold for too long here (and there) and people want their packages in April...

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-15-2009, 01:16 PM

Michael is correct that it is easier further south, BUT, if you bring big bees back from down south, packages can be shook, weather permitting. We have shook packages for the past few years, sometimes having them ready before the shipped in packages were here.
As for tricks? Well, don't shake too many from any one colony. Our bees also come back full of brood and they will lose that brood if too many bees are taken away. It still can get pretty cold at night early April, even days can be cold.
Watch the weather forecast. We like to leave the queen with the newly shook package for three days prior to installation to assure acceptance. Shake them three/four days ahead of nice enough weather to install, you don't want to have them sit for a week with a blizzard blowing outside.
Keep them the right temp in storage, in a dark room. Keep them on the cool side but not cold. If they are running on the cage they are too hot.
Besides the syrup can we lightly spray the cage sides with syrup twice a day so they get plenty of feed.
Good luck,
Sheri

**swarm_trapper** · 02-16-2009, 06:04 AM

the bees will be coming back from FL so that is not a problem one question. where you you get the syrup can for packages?

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-16-2009, 06:50 AM

We bought the large cans for the California cages from Koehnen. Haven't found a source for the small cans, if you find them please let me know we could use a few too.
Anyone?
Sheri

**BEES4U** · 02-16-2009, 02:37 PM

Can sources.
Are you looking for the 2 & 1/2 size can that is commonly used in grocery stores?
Ernie

**BEES4U** · 02-16-2009, 02:43 PM

I know that the question that I asked is going to have variable answers.
But, I need to make up a budget.
I read of reference that said that you could shake three pounds in April and another three pounds in May.
Comments are welcomed.
Ernie

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-16-2009, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by BEES4U

Can sources.
Are you looking for the 2 & 1/2 size can that is commonly used in grocery stores?
Ernie

Both sizes are commonly used in grocery stores, the ones I need (not sure if these are the ones swarm trapper needs) measure 4 1/2" tall by 3 3/8" across the top. We are looking for sealed cans with the hole punched in the top.

Originally Posted by BEES4U

.
I read of reference that said that you could shake three pounds in April and another three pounds in May.
Ernie

We don't shake a lot of packages just try to relieve the pressure of all those bees coming back from almonds too big too early for Wisconsin, and we only shake once in early April. By May they better have supers on them. Those that shake packages as a major part of their income might shake 3# a couple times but we want ours knocked back only a little, we want them producing honey a month later.
Sheri

**BEES4U** · 02-16-2009, 06:09 PM

There is a canning company in northern California that will fill and seal the package bee cans. But, you have to get an order in early.
Most of the can piercing is done as needed by a home made puncher that places 5 holes at a time in the can. Well, sometimes . Last year I had 23 cans that were not punched. They were only dented. I bought a punch at a local hardware store. If we had not shook out all of the packages in one day the bees would have died.
I liked the old cans that had a small circle cut out that you could place a nylon fabric and an O ring to hold it together.
Ernie

**paul mattox** · 02-16-2009, 09:42 PM

I get mine from rossmans. Cages and can's.

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-16-2009, 09:50 PM

Rossmans only have the large cans, we called them.
We are specifically looking for the cans with the larger hole (5/8" maybe 3/4"?) and plastic ring that holds the cloth in. Got plenty of big cans for our large cages but need the smaller ones for the 2# package cages.
We can fill them ourselves, it would cost a fortune to ship filled ones.
Sheri

**swarm_trapper** · 02-17-2009, 08:19 PM

so sheri do you get your cans shipped from koehnen's filled with syrup? yea the bigger cans will work for me maybe i should put a call into rossman and get the price. regards Nick

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-17-2009, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by swarm_trapper

so sheri do you get your cans shipped from koehnen's filled with syrup?

No we picked up empty cans on a pallet when we were out there in January. We will fill the cans here ourselves. They have a large (3/4"?) hole in the top already, couldn't ship with syrup in even if it wouldn't be WAY too expensive to do so. Rossmans sells the ones that have this large hole in also I think. You need to fill them yourself. The empty cans are light in weight and would ship cheaply.
Sheri

**Tom G. Laury** · 02-17-2009, 09:42 PM

One Consideration:

When feeder cans are filled in California; at less than say 1000' el., then transported over Rockies, what happens?

**JohnK and Sheri** · 02-17-2009, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tom G. Laury

One Consideration:
When feeder cans are filled in California; at less than say 1000' el., then transported over Rockies, what happens?

Good question. When that semi pulls up with the packages I don't know which is worse, to have all the cans empty or all the cans full. Either way, better get out the syrup sprayer.
Sheri