How long the package bee can be kept if they are not immediately install after arriving? I am planning to import a few hundred hives soon so afraid of losses if installation is delay. Should I spray water to the bees while waiting?
QuoteHow long the package bee can be kept if they are not immediately install after arriving? I am planning to import a few hundred hives soon so afraid of losses if installation is delay.
Keep them in a cool place. They should be ok for a couple days if they have food. Packages have a can of syrup so that should be sufficient until you can hive them. I've waited two days after arrival already (they were penned up for 5 days total including travel time with the USPS).
QuoteShould I spray water to the bees while waiting?
Yes. I'm not sure of the frequency though. Maybe twice a day. I think that's what I did. I don't remember. It was 3 years ago. Others will chime in.
I hope you have lots of help :-D
Quote from: limyw on March 02, 2008, 03:42:53 AM
How long the package bee can be kept if they are not immediately install after arriving? I am planning to import a few hundred hives soon so afraid of losses if installation is delay. Should I spray water to the bees while waiting?
>How long the package bee can be kept if they are not immediately install after arriving?
If you keep them fed and in a cool dark place you can keep them quite a while. It's a point of diminishing returns. Bees keep dying the longer you keep them confined. You might still have enough bees to start a colony after two weeks. But they will keep building comb in the package.
Thanks all.
I save the cans from previous years and fill them with syrup. Then I swap the full can for the empty one.