[imthegrumpyone]

Hived new package two days ago, they've been out flying, watching them come back and forth. Peeked this morning, they're bearded on queen cage (didn't poke hole in candy) and it does not appear they're feeding. I have two jars to the right of follower board. Is there anything to worry about or just leave them alone ? :kn:

 

[cwood6_10]

Leave them alone. Try not to open to early. If they want to feed they will feed. I would only make sure the queen is out. The more you open them the higher chances of them to abscond. Like it said, make sure the queen was released and they will begin to boom is the next few days

 

[JClark]

If they are not feeding then they don't need it (plenty of flowers w/ nectar available). After my first year I stopped trying to feed new packages as they never took anything. If you hived the package and you then had multiple days in a row where they could not fly, then they would need it.

 

[imthegrumpyone]

Thanks, just look at entrance, and they were starting to clean out dead bees, I'll wait till just before dusk and check to see if queen's been released, if not I think I will, as I said earlier they're all bearded on cage. Anyone has anymore ideas I would sure take. It's amazing how much you read and think you know or remember until the day comes to do it. I lucked out the other day hiving without suiting up, smoke, or sugar spray but won't do that again. By the way they have been flying sense install, have watched for pollen coming back but haven't seen any.

 

[JClark]

Won't see much pollen for a few days (they are bringing in nectar to fuel comb building). Once they have a little comb they will bring in pollen. I've always released my queen 3 days after a package install if she was not already released (all of my packages spent a day or two in the mail before I recieved them too).

 

[imthegrumpyone]

Will make sure she's released before dark. Thanks .

 

[imthegrumpyone]

Update*** It's done. Went out just before 7:00, gave a few bars a shake to drop them in the bottom, took out the cage, sugar all most gone, she's running back and forth in cage, looks like she really wants out. I took the cage, opening the sugar left in it and held it in the hive, all she did was run back and forth. So I brought her out, covered the candy hole and sense she seemed to be interested in the cork end I took out the cork and put my arm back down in the hive watching her, after what seemed like forever she went out. O.K. I took my arm out of the hive only to have her on the side of the cage. Well she landed on the other top bars, I nudge her on my finger and this time made sure she was in !!! I know your suppose to be calm and collective, but the shortness in my breath and the racing of my heart, there was no way. To make a long story short, they're all doing fine, and I did see some comb building where they were bearded on the queen cage. Life is great.

 

[imthegrumpyone]

O.K. it's been 10 days, looks like the girls are doing there thing. I haven't opened the hive but have peeked in the window. They took almost no nothing from 2 feeder jars. there has been plenty of nectar for them sense the first day of install. They are still all bearded in the front of the hive and peeking through the window looks like 3 maybe 4 combs being made. They're coming and going from early morning to almost dusk. I have a few things in the yard for them including 4 African Blue Basils that are nearing bloom stage. I just think I'll leave them do there thing for awhile unless some thing out of the ordinary happens. I think there smart enough to keep doing what they're suppose to do. I'm temped to take the feeders out, any suggestions ?

 

[JClark]

Fun, isn't it. You can go ahead and take the feeders off. If they are not taking it then no reason to put it there. By now, they have enough nectar in the combs they have drawn that they can go a day w/out foraging on a bad weather day.

 

[Pete O]

My new package bees have shown no interest in a top feeder and only slight interest in an entrance feeder; what they do like is a remote feeder forty feet from the hive. They are being served a 1:1 sugar water syrup with the recommended amount of Honey-B- Healthy in a Chinese take-away dish with lots of cut-up sheet packing pieces to prevent drowning.