Well they come tomorrow just quadruple checking my set up.
I have in order.
Hive stand.
Bottom Board.
Deep hive body.
Frames with foundation.
Top Feeder (no inner cover due to top feeder)
Outer cover.
Check after week or so for activity.
When 7 or 8 frames are full add 2nd deep hive body.
When 7 or 8 frames on that are full add super.
This about right?
It is just a little summery.
Kind of nervous.
Brian
Way to go, Brian -- will be hard to sleep tonite. :)
And, yes, you've on track. Lots to learn. Keep reading and trying -- will take a few years to really get your brain around things and build good habits/opinions.
i see you have the feeder, do you have the syrup and maybe a spray bottle
Camera
Nice closeups are fun to show people.
Have 3 spray bottles and will make syrup in the morning plus have 4 smokers fuel and 3 bee suits plus 2 children. Tried to get some of those epi pens but they would not sell them to me, no prescription.
BTW the post office is NOT happy about getting bees there and they told me so hehe
Haa! When I picked up my two packages this past May at the Post Office, they had them on the floor close to an exit door! I have to brag on my packages and both were well secured and no more than 10 dead bee's in each. Not sure if I'm allowed to name the company, if so I'll let you know. I was impressed with the overall health of them.
Now I am as new and wet behind the ears as can bee, but when I installed both packages, here's what I did:
Prepared each box by making sure everything was level. I brought the bee's home and placed them in my basement overnight. The next morning, I removed 3 of the 10 frames (from Center) from each new home. Took me a bit of time to "Man-up" but I finally sprayed the bees with a 1:1 mix (lightly and not drenching them) and then I popped off the cover, removed the syrup can Making dang sure to hang on to the Queen cage! I then removed the queen cage and set her aside and them gently shook the ladies into the hive. I rocked the cage back and forth a few times to get as many as I could in there. I then set the cage at the entrance of the hive. Then, I took the queen cage and removed the plug. I rubber banded it to one of the frames I had pulled and set aside. Once I did that, I returned the other two frames and then the last to go in was the one with the cage! I made sure to place the cage in a manner as to leave the exit NOT FACING DOWN. I was told/read that if one of her attendants died and blocked her exit, it could be a disaster! Wrong or right, I just dunno.
Anyways, I did the same thing to the other package and then covered both with the Top and placed a brick on each top and all is well! I did all of this without a bee suit or a veil! I was soooooooooo proud of myself!! No stings at all, and was actually kind of fun :-D
I did go into each hive about 3 days later to make sure the Queens were released and to remove the cages. Both were a-ok! I even had a good amount of Burr Comb built down on the Queen cage in one frame.
I'm still on 1:1 sugar water, what, some 5-6 weeks later. I've got plenty of stuff going on in there but not quite ready for a second deep...yet :roll: :-D
I'm sure there are those who would critique my installation method, but it seemed to work out fine for me. When I'm able to post Links, I'll post my Flickr Link for the Hive Shots during my inspections!
Best of luck tomorrow! Please take pictures!!
Jim
Jim,
Sounds like you did a GREAT job!
beerman - good luck tomorrow with your bees - you will never forget your first hiving!
Quote from: beerman on June 24, 2010, 10:12:09 PM
Tried to get some of those epi pens but they would not sell them to me, no prescription.
untill you find a source for the epi have some liquid Benadryl on hand with dosage for adult and child attached so you don't need to figure it out when needed. pretty cool that you're bringing the kids along for the ride. X:X
A video of it all would be best but pic's will do :-D
You'll do great beerman. I got stung once hiving my first two packages. It was my own fault tho I should have shaved first and one of the girls was in my goatee and I pinched her by accident. oops. I won't do that again.
Well??? How did it go?? :bee:
Jim
well almost all the bees were dead but I managed to get another queen and I hope the hive lives.
that didnt sound very good, PM me where you got your bees