ccommercial way for installing packages

**Nick Noyes** · 03-31-2012, 08:40 PM

We shake ours in a building and leave them set in the dark for a couple of days to minimize drifting. We don't direct release the queens but use gumdrops or candy to let them out. Pull the cans give them a spray of light syrup and shake them into box.
Dunking a package of bees in a 5 gal. bucket of water is easier said than done. Don't ask me how I know but I have heard of that route before.

**EastSideBuzz** · 03-31-2012, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

If you are new to installing packages, the primary thing that can cost you a few failures is drifting. The bees get dumped out of the package, and have no idea where they are supposed to go. One of the hives get sorted and start fanning out scent pheremone, and nearby bees all drift to that hive.

Couple years ago I did 20 hives and had a huge drift issue. http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...t=eastsidebuzz now smaller entrances and later in the day helps.

**Oldtimer** · 03-31-2012, 10:42 PM

Ha Ha that was a great thread EastSideBuzz!

I think some of those comments were correct, with the hives laid out the way they were it would be a virtual impossibility not to get major drift problems following a package install. Anyhow that thread should be required reading for any nubee about to install packages LOL!

One easy thing a small beekeeper can do if you end up with one of those "megahives", rather than troll through it for the queen so you can remove bees, is swap it with the weakest hive in the yard. A few days later if it's still too many bees swap it with the next weakest hive in the yard.

**EastSideBuzz** · 04-01-2012, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Oldtimer

Ha Ha that was a great thread EastSideBuzz!

I think some of those comments were correct, with the hives laid out the way they were it would be a virtual impossibility not to get major drift problems following a package install. Anyhow that thread should be required reading for any nubee about to install packages LOL!

Yea that was an expensive package. We balanced them back out as best we could but, it never worked as we wanted. Probably going to do 100 this season. Did 50 last year and it it worked fine. I keep them farther apart nowadays. I also use 4 way pallets now and some vibrant colors on each one so they can tell which home is theirs later but, when you first shake them it is still a free for all for the fliers. Also shake later in the evening smaller entrances etc.

**The Honey Householder** · 04-01-2012, 04:23 PM

Finished shaking 800+ packages in two days. Temps was just right at 42-49 F. Glad that job is done now.

**Roland** · 04-01-2012, 08:37 PM

Attaboy Householder. Keep busy, got those mouths to feed. Lucky you on the temperature. Did you beat the dandelions?

Crazy ROland

**monrovi** · 04-01-2012, 08:56 PM

That's a lot of packages. I can't imagine being reasponsible for that many hives. I worry about the half dozen I'm getting and getting those to produce for me

**The Honey Householder** · 04-04-2012, 04:24 PM

Roland just made it. dandelion are in bloom now. Had a make few splits this week from the hives that made it this winter.

**Fuzzy** · 04-05-2012, 09:43 PM

For folks in California, direct release method could be problematic. FREQUENTLY, the packages we get are only ONE day old. I've had some that were less than 6hrs old.

If you know that your package is 4 days old already, then fine... go ahead with direct release.

**honeyshack** · 04-06-2012, 07:32 AM

Commercial way to hive packages...
...one package at a time

Sorry could not resist being cheeky

**bigbill** · 04-07-2012, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by honeyshack

Commercial way to hive packages...
...one package at a time

Sorry could not resist being cheeky

always one in the bunch

**bigbill** · 04-07-2012, 11:04 PM

we had every thing setup ,took 100 extra boxes set on top comb pulled 1 frame put queen in comb dumped some bees on her. layed cage on side opening toward her it didn't take very long per box .put feeders on. had all openings sealed or reduced. preplanning was the only way to go with your input i had a clue what to expect.

i would like to thank you all for your input i appreciated each way you described i took parts and advise from several we direct released some ,put queen cage down below on some .well see which way works beter for us. i'll get some pictures up in a day or two thanks bill

**doc25** · 04-09-2012, 08:16 PM

Would have liked to see that video before I received tube bees. I read up on releasing packages out of the box to make sure I knew how to do it and then they give me bees in a tube. I removed the corks and wow there was no candy behind the corks. They became direct release and the queens survived.

**conifer** · 04-12-2012, 08:21 AM

Here's a summary of our experience pouring packages for various commercial beekeepers last season - http://thehoneybeat.com/2011/04/shaking-all-over/

The key point is to have everything prepared in advance of the bees arrival, and have a plan b (& c) ready to go in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Like doc25, we were going to slow release the queens on a pallet of packages we were pouring this year, but we changed that to direct release once we saw that none of the queen cages had candy in them.