Try *sliding* the next layer over the hive body instead of setting it down. Do it slowly, and the girls will have time to get out of the way. You'll probably still squish a few, but the biggest part of them with move.
Pollen Patties, Releasing Queens, Squished Bees....NewBeek's Fourth Day
Hello all,
I'm a new Beek from Upstate NY. I've really enjoyed reading this forum and want to thank everybody for sharing information.
I started two hives this past Saturday. One package was installed by dumping the bees on top of the frames and the other was installed by placing an empty hive body underneath the frames and allowing the bees to come out on their own. Everything appears to be going well.
Today I went to put in a couple pollen patties that a friend gave me to jumpstart the packages. I figure I'll give them every chance possible and after all, the pollen patties are only going to cost me a couple home brewed beers. The pollen patties were difficult to squish down and I still have a little bit of a space between the hivebody and the hive top feeder. I plan on going out later today after things calm down and hopefully a little downward pressure will squish the patty into the frames and all will be forgiven.
I've pulled the corks out of the queen cages but I think both of the queens have been released (one from each hive). There were bees still in the queen cage so I left the cages minus the corks in between the frames just in case I was wrong.
Because the center frames have a space that is larger then what they should have (due to the queen cage), the bees started forming comb on the bottom of the hive top feeder. I wish I had thought of this possibility because I set the feeder down and squished a good amount of bees. I then scraped off the comb and placed it outside the hive (I sampled a small corner...WOW that's good).
During this whole event, I received my initiation sting and had more than one bee who kept slamming into my helmet. The install was almost too easy but now I realize why I should use smoke or sugar syrup.
One last thing. I can't seem to keep the bees off the edge of the hive body when I'm setting the feeder back on. I probably killed another 10-15 bees per hive just trying to put the feeder back on. Is this collateral damage or is there a better way?
Please feel free to critique anything I've done and thank you for letting me share my experiences.
I'm a new Beek from Upstate NY. I've really enjoyed reading this forum and want to thank everybody for sharing information.
I started two hives this past Saturday. One package was installed by dumping the bees on top of the frames and the other was installed by placing an empty hive body underneath the frames and allowing the bees to come out on their own. Everything appears to be going well.
Today I went to put in a couple pollen patties that a friend gave me to jumpstart the packages. I figure I'll give them every chance possible and after all, the pollen patties are only going to cost me a couple home brewed beers. The pollen patties were difficult to squish down and I still have a little bit of a space between the hivebody and the hive top feeder. I plan on going out later today after things calm down and hopefully a little downward pressure will squish the patty into the frames and all will be forgiven.
I've pulled the corks out of the queen cages but I think both of the queens have been released (one from each hive). There were bees still in the queen cage so I left the cages minus the corks in between the frames just in case I was wrong.
Because the center frames have a space that is larger then what they should have (due to the queen cage), the bees started forming comb on the bottom of the hive top feeder. I wish I had thought of this possibility because I set the feeder down and squished a good amount of bees. I then scraped off the comb and placed it outside the hive (I sampled a small corner...WOW that's good).
During this whole event, I received my initiation sting and had more than one bee who kept slamming into my helmet. The install was almost too easy but now I realize why I should use smoke or sugar syrup.
One last thing. I can't seem to keep the bees off the edge of the hive body when I'm setting the feeder back on. I probably killed another 10-15 bees per hive just trying to put the feeder back on. Is this collateral damage or is there a better way?
Please feel free to critique anything I've done and thank you for letting me share my experiences.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
:doh:
thank you for the tip, I probably would have been doing this for years before I figured that out.
thank you for the tip, I probably would have been doing this for years before I figured that out.
Also if you use smoke you will find that a few little puffs will send most of the girls scurrying down into the frames when you are about to put the hive box back on top...you'll squish way fewer.
But yes- get a short side or corner of box on, and s-l-o-w-l-y slide it into place instead of just setting it on top.
((Just thinking about setting a box on top gets me imagining that awful crunching sound!))
But yes- get a short side or corner of box on, and s-l-o-w-l-y slide it into place instead of just setting it on top.
((Just thinking about setting a box on top gets me imagining that awful crunching sound!))
+1 for slowly.
In my 8 months or so of inconveniencing bees, one thing I've learned is 9 out of 10 actions in the hive are best done slowly.
In my 8 months or so of inconveniencing bees, one thing I've learned is 9 out of 10 actions in the hive are best done slowly.
I like that! :thumbsup:In my 8 months or so of inconveniencing bees....
Bhowe007,
Welcome to the forum and welcome to the world of beekeeping. Stay encouraged. Keep reading.
I second all the posts. Smoke and sliding the boxes will help alot. It's amazing how the girls will wiggle out of the way if given a chance.
You sound like you are on the right track. You will adjust as the situation warrants.
Stay encouraged...chin up.
Welcome to the forum and welcome to the world of beekeeping. Stay encouraged. Keep reading.
I second all the posts. Smoke and sliding the boxes will help alot. It's amazing how the girls will wiggle out of the way if given a chance.
You sound like you are on the right track. You will adjust as the situation warrants.
Stay encouraged...chin up.
I despise DEEP supers ! It is really hard to get a honeybound deep ( 60 or more lbs ) back on the hive without just squashing all the bees on the edge of the super below. I use three medium depth supers for my brood nest. It works GREAT ! They are heavy enough. Those deep frames are a bit much too. It is easy to squash bees if you don't lift the frame straight out of the super.Every frame I have is interchangible ! I wouldn't have a deep super ( or a shallow for that matter ).
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
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