Hey all,
I am receiving a 3# package in a couple of weeks. The hive they will be going into will be a brand new one, no "bee smell", and one frame of drawn, b/c that's all I have. My question is would it be alright to put a queen includer on top of the bottom board to keep the hive from absconding for 2-3 weeks until there is brood in there?
Thanks,
James
Put the brood comb inside and close it up tight until your bees arrive. That should provide ample scent for bees to feel at home. You didn't say what size supers you were using but one deep or 2 mediums should be enough to hive a 3# package easily. Just give them the smallest possible entry for the for the first 2-3 weeks. With the brood comb queen should go right to work and abscounding shouldn't be an issue. Good luck.
She comes in her own "queen includer" with a package of bees...the queen cage. The whole system is kinda set up to let the bees get to know her and give her a few days to decide to like the place.
An excluder used as an includer also keeps the drones back and they need to fly (read cleanse)too so you don't want to leave it on more than a couple of days anyway.
Scott