Boy it was a blast with the one hive, I plan on putting in 2 more hives next year. My question is should I go with 2 three lbs. packages or 2, two lbs packages. Plus if you say 2, two lbs packages where can I find the info. on the best way to install them.
Sorry I wanted to say 1, 4 lb package instead of the 2, two lbs packages.
Thanks in advance Norm
I'm not sure I understand. All packages are installed the same regardless of size. Are you saying you want to buy a 4lb package and split it?
Same here. Four hives first year. Twenty the second. This is the best fun ever. :bee: :bee: :bee:
yes contact, I am not sure how you install a 4 lbs package and need information or should I just go with 2, Three lbs. packages
I wouldn't purchase a package with the intent of splitting it into two hives. Buy a package of bees to put in each hive you want to fill. Other than that they install the same regardless of size.
exactly. If you really did want to buy a 4lb package and split it, then you would need a second queen and I wouldn't start the 2 within a couple miles of each other just in case they had already started accepting the package queen.
Quote from: homer on December 31, 2009, 09:55:42 PM
I wouldn't purchase a package with the intent of splitting it into two hives. Buy a package of bees to put in each hive you want to fill. Other than that they install the same regardless of size.
vermmy, as mentioned go with 2 three lb packages. You don't ever want to split a package of bees & remember this, with packages you will have some drift (usually) when installing more than one at the same time. Don't fret if this happens. As long as each colony has adequate numbers and of course a queen/good resources they should do fine.
If the drifting is seriously lopsided, move each hive to where the other was & you can pick up numbers from returning bees to the less numbered hive.
Last yr one hive this yr three, next yr? You got the fever bad my friend! :-D
...JP
Yes JP, I do have it bad and btw my wife and me are already talking about having 6 hives next year. :-D That is when I will stop six is the limit. hmmmm Unless I buy some land and start my own business you know I really should put this accounting degree to work for me :evil: LOL
Quote from: vermmy35 on January 01, 2010, 11:18:02 AM
Yes JP, I do have it bad and btw my wife and me are already talking about having 6 hives next year. :-D That is when I will stop six is the limit. hmmmm Unless I buy some land and start my own business you know I really should put this accounting degree to work for me :evil: LOL
You start selling honey & the wife sees a little more cash flow comin' in & she just may tell you, "We need more hives!"
That's what my friend Bailey's wife told him!!! 8-)
...JP
Quote from: vermmy35 on December 31, 2009, 02:07:18 PM
Boy it was a blast with the one hive, I plan on putting in 2 more hives next year. My question is should I go with 2 three lbs. packages or 2, two lbs packages. Plus if you say 2, two lbs packages where can I find the info. on the best way to install them.
Sorry I wanted to say 1, 4 lb package instead of the 2, two lbs packages.
Thanks in advance Norm
Hello Norm. This is my favorite method of installing packages.
The Best Way to Set Up a Bee Hive (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVaYD3e9KOA#)
That's a great video. I never thought to do an installation like that. Piece of cake!
I'll probably never buy bees again. Whenever I want another hive I post "Got BEES?" on craigslist offering to remove bees for free or a nominal charge if demolition or a trap-out is involved. I built a bee-vac from free plans I got from beesource.com. I'm saving bees from being killed and sometimes get a little honey to boot. Can't beat it. I have more bees offered to me than I have hives for. The feral bees seem to be more resistant to SHB's as they have been around them before. I bought a box of bees from W.T. Kelley last spring, they didn't last--no SHB's in KY yet. I have learned lots doing it this way and I'm not as heartbroken when something goes wrong. I'm only out my time rather than money. There is tons of good info on trap-outs and cut outs on here. A well-rounded beek should know how to do this stuff, too. The pics from a cut out I did last week. It was a piece of cake. I sealed up the box, took it home and installed them at my convenience.
(http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5289/birdhousebees5.th.jpg)[/
[URL=http://img710.imageshack.us/i/birdhousebees1.jpg/](http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/8464/birdhousebees1.th.jpg) (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/birdhousebees5.jpg/)URL]
(http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6430/birdhousebees7q.th.jpg) (http://img5.imageshack.us/i/birdhousebees7q.jpg/)
Nice kedgel, I plan on trying that when I have a little more experience. Since this last summer was my first year of keeping bee's I plan on trying that in the summer of 2011, but I agree free bees are always better paying for them.
Although I'm not a proponent of package bees, I like a modified version of John's method to install. I say modified because if you wet them down good with sugar water, they roll right out.
Beemaster's Installing honeybees Method (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4a-Tw-qFI#)
Although the "put the box in the hive" method appears nice and easy, there are many gotchas that can happen, like them preferring to build comb inside the box verses drawing foundation or abandoning the caged queen if it get cool or if a mother queen was shook into the package which is not all that uncommon.
is it common for folks to use 8 frames in a 10 frame box? Wondering here in the north if that approach will help with over wintering and better air flow.....
Quote from: davedill on January 03, 2010, 08:24:36 AM
is it common for folks to use 8 frames in a 10 frame box? Wondering here in the north if that approach will help with over wintering and better air flow.....
I don't think 8 in 10 is common. I know some folks use 9 frames with follower boards.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,23432.0.html (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,23432.0.html)
QuoteI'll probably never buy bees again
I haven't had to buy a package in a few years. I just split my existing colonies and hopefully I won't have a major die off that will prohibit me from continuing this trend.
QuoteAlthough the "put the box in the hive" method appears nice and easy, there are many gotchas that can happen, like them preferring to build comb inside the box verses drawing foundation or abandoning the caged queen if it get cool or if a mother queen was shook into the package which is not all that uncommon.
I thought about that too. If I recall, he said leave them alone for a week after installing the package. I always waited 2 days, 3 days tops. The bees could draw comb around the queen cage if installed that way and could make for a pain in the butt to get out. But I've had that happen with it just hanging between the frames too. Sucks to have to destroy what the bees already started.
QuoteI don't think 8 in 10 is common. I know some folks use 9 frames with follower boards.
That is a good question and I never heard of anyone doing that with Langstroths. I rarely see those frames completely filled up though. I figure in the fall/winter months, I'd rather just replace the partially empty end frames with frames containing honey.
Quote from: bassman1977 on January 03, 2010, 10:17:48 AM
QuoteI'll probably never buy bees again
QuoteAlthough the "put the box in the hive" method appears nice and easy, there are many gotchas that can happen, like them preferring to build comb inside the box verses drawing foundation or abandoning the caged queen if it get cool or if a mother queen was shook into the package which is not all that uncommon.
I thought about that too. If I recall, he said leave them alone for a week after installing the package. I always waited 2 days, 3 days tops. The bees could draw comb around the queen cage if installed that way and could make for a pain in the butt to get out. But I've had that happen with it just hanging between the frames too. Sucks to have to destroy what the bees already started.
I never had the issues listed when installing the packages using the "put in the hive" method. Not that it could not have pitfalls if certain conditions were in place. That said, as also listed I always removed the package within a max. of 3 days after making a good starter hole through the candy of the queen cage. I can see where the 5 days as mentioned in the video can cause problems. Sometimes they start to build some comb, attached to the queen cage but not enough to be a problem to easily remove. The only time this method has been anything other than pure simplicity is when I removed the package to put the missing frames in, unprotected as usual and about two dozen or more bees were on the outside of the package screen. Instead of leaning it up against the bottom board I just had to take the brush out of my pocket and try to brush them into the hive. It angry them off and they left me know. :shock: I also spray them with sugar water to keep them busy when the syrup can is removed from package to minimize the airborn bees till finished buttoning up hive.
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