[Raskolnikov2089]

And I feel like a kid at Christmas. Nervous, excited, happy, you name it.

I've read and re-read and watched youtube videos and etc, but I still can't shake this nagging doubt that I've missed something sooo

My step by step plans.

My 2 packages of Carniolans arrive tomorrow AM next day air. I plan on picking them up in the morning at the UPS facility.

From there, I drive the hour to the farm, I should arrive around 10-11 am or so.

Here's the first hurdle. It's going to be stormy tomorrow, though given that it's Texas, there will probably be some clear/non rainy times throughout the day.

Add to that, the apiary apparently ships dry so by the time the bees get to me, they won't have eaten for a day. The apiary suggests misting them with water and avoiding spraying them with sugar-syrup as it may gum up their wings. This seems the opposite of what I've been told elsewhere, so I was going to have a 1:1 sugar/water syrup ready and gently mist them with that, or maybe just wipe it on the mesh of the screen.

Following that, the plan is to put them in the hives, (top bar and langstroth) put on the entrance reducers, open the candy end of the queen cage, block the remaining entrance with grass, put in a 1:1 syrup feeder in an empty super on the langstroth, and in the TBH, shut it up and leave them.

Should I use the Honey B Healthy in their syrup right away?

Similarly, I'm not certain if I need to begining an IPM treatment right away. I have Apiguard but I'm not thinking my hive is big/strong enough to use it yet? I've also read up on powdered sugar and the other treatments, but should I start right away or only when I notice a high mite count?

Any other tips or things I'm forgetting?

 

[Konrad]

I can sense your excitement..I was there about 5 years ago.
I wouldn't spray them with sweets too much,...I never did.
I was told not to worry for Varroa the first year...they
were right, I treated them next year, but allays check. In spring I wouldn't
give them any additional treatment, pollen and nectar is coming in
and that's all they need.
Good luck and have fun!

Konrad

 

[Michael Bush]

If they were shipped dry, I'd give them something to eat first. You could do this with a jar feeder in the hole in the to (in other words remove the wood blocking the hole and put the feeder jar in the hole and stuff a rag or duct tape anwhere it leaks bees) or put some thick syrup on the screen on the side and let them suck it off until they lose interest. I've even poured honey right on the screen in small aounts with the package turned 45 degrees... Once they are not hungry they should be easy enough to handle. Hungry bees are not happy bees.

As for spraying I don't like spraying with syrup either. It makes a mess of the bees.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm