Another "first beeâ€™s" question

fishybee · April 24, 2007, 01:33:06 PM

Hi all,

Have thought about bee keeping for years, I finally took the plunge. I have two hives and the bees came today.

Installing them was an amazing experience, all seemed to go well, especially with the second package.

The question is this: The first package seems to have quite a few bees still in the box, I have propped it up against the hive entrance thinking they will decide to go inside. Is this wishful thinking and should I go out and shake them out?

Thanks,

Tom

Dane Bramage · April 24, 2007, 01:47:39 PM

I'd vote for shake them out... especially if they're still there as night is approaching and/or it is cold/cool. That package has been their home and they are probably all clustered trying to keep warm and reluctant to leave. They might even be fanning the "this is home" pheromone which could encourage other bees to return to the package. Thats what I experienced with my package. I sprayed them good with some sugar syrup and knocked them the heck outta there and into their new home... lol - tried not to leave a single straggler (worked too).

fishybee · April 24, 2007, 02:25:46 PM

Heh, I just went out an looked and they are all but out of the box now. Lots of activity around the hives and I've seen quite a few doing some exploring. All seems well.

bluegrass · April 24, 2007, 02:47:55 PM

Yeah... if the queen is inside they will follow. Welcome to beekeeping, what part of Vermont you from? My wife and I are both from that part of the world.

TwT · April 24, 2007, 02:48:37 PM

if you leave them Alone they will find their home and go in the hive!!!!!

Mklangelo · April 24, 2007, 05:55:12 PM

Quote from: fishybee on April 24, 2007, 01:33:06 PM
Hi all,

Have thought about bee keeping for years, I finally took the plunge. I have two hives and the bees came today.

Installing them was an amazing experience, all seemed to go well, especially with the second package.

The question is this: The first package seems to have quite a few bees still in the box, I have propped it up against the hive entrance thinking they will decide to go inside. Is this wishful thinking and should I go out and shake them out?

Thanks,

Tom

Tom,

After my installation yesterday, there were about 50 bees in each box. I just let it sit outside the hive with the can out of it. Today, the boxes were empty.

fishybee · April 24, 2007, 07:42:57 PM

Thanks for the replies, I just left them alone and they all did find their way into their new home(s). Oh Bluegrass, I am just a little south of Middlebury if you know where that is.

bluegrass · April 24, 2007, 08:54:15 PM

Oh yeah.....I have been through there a few times crossing the lake at Ticonderoga. I am from the Northeast Kingdom (lyndonville) and my wife is from Sharon/S Royalton area. Glad your package worked out for you......good luck with them and if you have any regional questions hit me up on here or beesource...Will be glad to answer any questions that I can.
Brad

fishybee · April 24, 2007, 09:46:40 PM

Thanks Brad, and BTW I grew up in Royalton. Small world. :)

MarkR · April 24, 2007, 10:07:16 PM

Hey Bluegrass and fishybee, I grew up in Danville, just west of St. J. There are a lot of us around, it seems.

bluegrass · April 25, 2007, 07:33:16 AM

Really small world, I worked for a construction outfit in Danville, Used to shovel roofs all winter and fish on Joes pond. Fastest way to Danville from my place was across those dirt roads past South Wheelock and Chandler pond......I am sure you know those roads....I think they all have nemes now, but pre-911 they were just the way to Danville :-D

fishybee · April 25, 2007, 07:20:39 PM

Yep I know exactly where Danville is, I think the snow is gone up there, but the ice is still on Joe's Pond! Bee's are probably cold in that neck of the woods yet.

MarkR · April 25, 2007, 09:00:57 PM

Sounds about right. All in all, I miss the people and the scenery but I don't miss the snow.

Mark

bluegrass · April 26, 2007, 08:37:06 AM

:-D The snow, and deer season, is what I miss....we go up every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Don't know if I could live there again. Kinda used to having wal-mart and homedepot 5 minutes away. Up there I had to drive to Williston to go to homedepot, Lebanon for wal-mart and Hanover for work. It cracks me up that if we get a dusting everybody here calls out of work because they can't drive 2 miles in it. I used to run 80 miles one way to work and never missed a day because of snow. And that was without 4x4.