I hived my first package today (update)

forrestcav · May 10, 2011, 12:28:55 PM

So I hived my very first package this morning. I know your suppose to wait till evening, but i couldn't. I got the call yesterday morning at 7:15, from the nice postal lady to tell me she had my "swarm". So they had to sit in my barn all night. I work 24 hr shifts on the ambulance and it was my shift. So I got home, gathered my supplies, glance at my books and headed out. So I didn't remove one frame to facilitate dumping them and I didn't juice them with syrup 30 min before. But the queen is in and I dumped as many as I could over her and carefully replaced the covers. Then I set the box in front of the entrance. Within 30 min they were up at the house (100 yd), walked down to the yard an hour later and the sky was alive with buzzing bees.The entrance seemed to be busy with coming and goings. My feeder is in place and the entrance reduced. Now to wait the 3 days before I open it, its like Christmas!
So did I do ok???

VolunteerK9 · May 10, 2011, 12:37:54 PM

If no one got killed or injured during the process and you still have bees, then yes you did fine.

Feels good huh?

forrestcav · May 10, 2011, 12:46:18 PM

Not even a single sting. Although the wife just complained she got a buzz by at mach 1.
It feels wonderful!!! :-D

AllenF · May 10, 2011, 08:32:45 PM

The addiction starts.

sweet bee · May 10, 2011, 11:30:07 PM

Congratulations! I installed my first two packages Saturday. I checked this evening to see if the Queens were free from their cage, and they were. Yay!
So, now I call my husband to give me an update on them when he comes home for lunch! Yes, so starts the addiction:) Good Luck :-D

forrestcav · May 10, 2011, 11:56:17 PM

Already collecting pieces for my next hive. Got the deeps, made the screen bottoms boards. need to order foundation, hoping to aquire a swarm from somewhere. I'm hooked. 8-)

slacker361 · May 11, 2011, 10:20:29 AM

Feels good doesnt it.....

L Daxon · May 11, 2011, 10:56:15 AM

Welcome to the club. We've all been bitten by the same "bug".
Lidna

forrestcav · May 11, 2011, 10:35:41 PM

So being the proud papa of3 lbs of daughters, i'd thought i'd update. Everything seems to have settled down alot. A steady streams of comings and goings. About 1/3 of the syrup is gone and the ones leaving seem to have a destination. They leave, fly out about 15 feet and go vertical another 20 feet. Two more days and queen check. Am I obcessing?

slacker361 · May 11, 2011, 10:41:49 PM

yes , but we all did it, I still did this year , but not as much as last year...lol wait till you harvest your first honey....

forrestcav · May 11, 2011, 11:59:11 PM

I can't wait,maybe i'll get a handle on my allergies. I'm also keeping a journal.

slacker361 · May 12, 2011, 10:02:35 AM

it worked for my wife, no problems with allergies and she had it horrible.. she still got a little last fall , but not nearly like she use to...

forrestcav · May 13, 2011, 09:36:19 PM

Three day queen check made woo hoo :-D I didn't think it was gonna happen, had rain on and off all afternoon, Finally cleared around 700 p.m. So I fired up the smoker and headed in. I felt like the man in my veil, glove, homemade jacket, and smoker. Good news queen has been released. Inspected outter frame,and kinda slid inframes out a little. Didn't see queen, but didn't expect to,untill I do a detailed inspection. Front some beautiful white burr comb between the two center frames. I guess thats good. Closed it bad up and do think I killed any bees.
I guess I wait a week and go back in right?
on a side note the rainy weather put them onto the syrup. Left for work yesterday morning with just of half a qaurt jar, tonight less than a fourth. I'll have to get my next jar ready for tomorrow, as more rain is forecast.
I'm still doing right???

CapnChkn · May 13, 2011, 11:52:44 PM

Hey Joe! Whaddaya know!

I was wondering if you got your bees yet! Welcome to the distraction. I know in a few days you're going to be dreaming about bees. No, I don't think you're obsessing. If you find yourself dressing in yellow and black, eating nothing but honey, and eyeing that sweet, sweet flower...

I on the other hand find the rain making me sleeeeppyy...

forrestcav · May 13, 2011, 11:56:54 PM

naw i don't look good in yellow. I am gathering items for my next hive. I might luck out on a swarm. :-D

thegolfpsycho · May 14, 2011, 12:03:30 AM

Did you push the frames together tight where the queen cage was? Often, the spacing is too wide because of the queen cage and the next thing you know, you have some comb hanging between the frames, the foundation is ruined, and the colony will be set back when you clean things up.

slacker361 · May 14, 2011, 12:18:43 AM

I hate when my bees dont know how to build the comb right.... I think Ill put wifi in the hives so they can look up on you tube how to do it :shock: :shock: :shock:

CapnChkn · May 14, 2011, 12:56:22 AM

If you can't make them yourself, see if you can get someone to help you make the 5 Frame Nuc boxes designed by DCoates. You might not get a big swarm, and they do better in a smaller box. Get the hive too. When the bees start busting out, they're going to need the hive.

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/beekeeping/downloads/

forrestcav · May 14, 2011, 12:12:06 PM

i've got the plans for the dcoates nuc boxes. just gotta cut some out.