can anyone tell me what is done with mail order bee's? ive only bought nucs before (queen, bee's, 2 brood frames, 3 honey frames) it costs about $150. i see the mail order bee's for $75. but is it just the bee's? do you have to take honey frames out of another hive for them? just wondering how it works.
:) NormallyThe mail order package bees & queen are placed in a hive with new foundation or drawn comb. You feed them syurp untill they don;t seem to take it any longer because of their forageing.
I was told last evening that package bee cost were on the rise.
:D Al
Are you talking about a package of bees? A package of bees is a smallish box with screen on the front and back and a smaller cage inside with the queen in it. The larger box has the bees in it, about 3 or 4 pounds ( depending whether you ordered a 3 or a 4 pound package ).
You can install a package of bees on to either drawn comb, or foundation. If you don't have frames of drawn comb don't worry, they will happily draw out foundation. It will just take them a bit longer.
There are very detailed instructions for installing a package in the Beekeeping for Dummies book, Beekeeping a Practical Guide by Richard Bonney, and many other publications maybe even one you already own!! I hope this helps you and good luck! :D
If you mean how are they shipped, they are in a shipping box. It has screens around a couple sides, the queen is in a cage, and a syrup can is hanging in also. When I transfer them to a hive, I use a divider to reduce the size of the hive, put a frame with some open brood for them to tend, and pour them in. Then suspend the queen cage between the frame of brood and another frame, and pull the plug. It takes a couple days for them to eat the candy and release the queen. The open brood is key and keeps them from absconding in most cases. I also put an extra super on and give them syrup as fast as they will take from above the inner cover. I try to do it in the evening. so they have no choice but to settle in.
right on, thanks for all the info. i wasnt sure if the would need honey/pollen frames right away. i do have lots of drawn comb, so thats a bonus. i guess i should start shoping around. the place i found for the packaged bee's is in b.c, they dont ship to ontario.
Here is my installation page http://www.beemaster.com/inst2004.html from my package bee installation in the Spring of 2004. I hope the images and process helps.
John, that is the first time I've ever seen you in gloves!! :lol: