[cfdengine1]

NewBeek just installed four packages mid pm yesterday and all my hives show signs of activity on the landing board but one (no bees outside @ 0900). Other hives I can hear the bees and see that they are cleaning out the hive with the exception of this one. All the queens looked good at time of installation but now I'm fighting the urge to check this one. Temp is around 55 degrees and rain is moving in. Any thoughts beside I have a strong desire not to fail and I need to just relax.

 

[Oberlinmom]

Wait awhile. There really isn't much you can do anyway. They may just be deep inside. Give them another day, if you don't see anything and the weather is right I'd look.
I popped open my established hive the other day, the other two were a bevy of activity and this one I'd just moved. I thought they had drifted or absconded. It was fifties so I took the chance. The ladies were not nearly as happy to see me as I was to see them. In fact I'd say they were pretty darned PO'd

 

[Specialkayme]

Just give it time. There isn't anything wrong with poping open the top when the temps are good to make sure they are still there, though.

There is a failure rate to the installation of packages, so if you did four of them and never did it before, there is a possibility that one of them didn't make it. I've never had a failure with one though, even when I first started out, so it's very possible you have four hives but one is just quiet.

 

[Alf57]

I would check the inactive hive. Just lift the inner cover and quickly peak in. Sometimes when packages are installed, the bees may leave the hive where they were installed and join a more active colony. This will leave the caged queen all alone and she may die with out bees to take care of her. If there are alot of bees in the inactive hive, leave them alone a keep the feeder filled. Check in a week or so to see if the queen is released and laying.
Al

 

[cfdengine1]

I decided to take everyones advice and wait to check the 1 hive that I was worried about. However, I went to the hives around 4:30 to pick-up the boxes that had some stragglers left behind from yesterdays installs and all my hives were showing activity. It looked as though the colonies were removing their dead. All hives had 20-30 bees on the landing board and around the entrance reducer. I'm using top feeders so I'll check them in a week and hope for the best. Thanks to all who replied.