[simplyflow]

Well, received my two packages yesterday and by the time I got home, realized that one of the packages had a hole in it and about a hundred of the bees had escaped in the van with me. That situation did not bother me too much, except I had to install that package sooner than I wanted to in the day. Got them installed around 1 and the other a few hours later.

Here are the problems...

1. The queens in each package looked great. I could not however remove the cork that closed the cage, so I pushed it in assuming the queen could get around it. Bad idea? How long should I leave the bees to figure it out on their own?

2. On the advice of the guy who gave the bee class 101, I bought those feeder plugs from Betterbee.com to make top feeder buckets. They both seem to be leaking, one much worse than the other. The hive that has the leakiest bucket seems to have mostly moved in with the first package. Meaning both hives have a queen. The hive with the least leaky feeder bucket has almost all of the workers from both packages. The hive with the leakiest bucket has a few hundred bees that are clustered around the queen cage. I removed this bucket and put a chicken feeder with syrup at the entrance and rocks in the rim to prevent drowning.

Don't know if this matters but...I ordered one package of Italians and one package of Carniolans. For some reason the package of Corniolans did not come in, but Carniolan queens did. So, my bee guy put in a Carniolan queen in with my Italian bees a mere 6 hours before the installation. This is also the hive with only a few hundred bees with the queen.

So, what should I do? I want more workers with the Carniolan queen to ensure her and the colony's survival. Can I shake some bees from one hive to another? Is a constant syrup drip going to mess things up more than they are? Also, in a day or so the temps are supposed to drop to 40's by day and 20's by night.

 

[Sundance]

1. Is there only one plug?? No candy? Had they accepted her already? By accepted were they feeding her or biting at the cage screen.

2. Where is the leak?? If it is through the feeder plug it should quit after a vacumn is established.

I would get rid of any type of entrance feeder as it can, and often does, lead to robbing.

Switch the boxes positions, this may help equilize them.

[ April 22, 2006, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: Sundance ]

 

[simplyflow]

Yes, only one plug, no candy. When I pulled the Carn. queen there were many bees still clinging to her cage as I checked her out.

I actually think the leak was the rim of the bucket seeping. I just made another bucket feeder hopefully with a better rim seal.

I'll get rid of the entrance feeder and definitely try switching the boxes.

 

[Michael Bush]

>1. The queens in each package looked great. I could not however remove the cork that closed the cage, so I pushed it in assuming the queen could get around it. Bad idea?

Bad idean.

> How long should I leave the bees to figure it out on their own?

I'd go fix it as soon as you can. Pull the staple on the screen and peel back the screen while aiming it down at the hive so if she flys she'll land on the top bars.

This is a typical queen cage from California. No candy and only one cork. Next time forget the cork and peel back the screen. Or get a pair of needle nosed pliers and pull the cork.

>2. On the advice of the guy who gave the bee class 101, I bought those feeder plugs from Betterbee.com to make top feeder buckets. They both seem to be leaking, one much worse than the other. The hive that has the leakiest bucket seems to have mostly moved in with the first package. Meaning both hives have a queen. The hive with the least leaky feeder bucket has almost all of the workers from both packages. The hive with the leakiest bucket has a few hundred bees that are clustered around the queen cage. I removed this bucket and put a chicken feeder with syrup at the entrance and rocks in the rim to prevent drowning.

The other bees in the one with the leaky one probably drowned. I've lost a lot of bees from feeders of most every kind.

>Don't know if this matters but...I ordered one package of Italians and one package of Carniolans. For some reason the package of Corniolans did not come in, but Carniolan queens did. So, my bee guy put in a Carniolan queen in with my Italian bees a mere 6 hours before the installation. This is also the hive with only a few hundred bees with the queen.

They probably haven't accepted her yet. They might have drifted to the hive that smells like their queen.

>So, what should I do? I want more workers with the Carniolan queen to ensure her and the colony's survival. Can I shake some bees from one hive to another?

It's probably easier to swap locations. Put the carni queen hive where the Italian is now and let them go to the wrong hive and repopulate it.

 

[simplyflow]

Update...Carni queen seems to have gotten out on her own. Released Italian queen by opening her screen, she had a bunch of bees in with her. Put the qu. cage back in the hive...Relatively few bees drowned in the hive with the leaky feeder, which has been replaced with hopefully a less leaky feeder. I am positive that most bees from both packages are in one hive. I am going to switch hive locations and my question is this; Should I wait until a sunny time when the bees are flying? It is pretty cool and cloudy today with a chance for a peak of the sun and mid 50's in a couple of hours.

Any other advice re: the bees is most welcome...

 

[Michael Bush]

>Should I wait until a sunny time when the bees are flying?

Always listen to the bees. They will respond the best if you do it when they are happy and busy.

 

[simplyflow]

Thanks...Waited until the sun was out and the bees were buzzy about. No stings or angry bees and the switch was done. Afterward there was lots of action at both hives. I'll let them do their thing for a week and check back. Feel much much better...