Installed my first 2 packages today

[gkempf]

Ok, a couple questions, i installed 2 packages today,all went very well but on both queen cages the cork was sideways in the hole and no candy,the queens looked alright so i just removed the cork and dumped in the bees, they came from california and seem to be gentle enough, after i got done i shook out the remaining bees they were fanning the hole in the top cover,what does this mean?

[Shizzell]

You dumped in the queen into a pile of other bees?
Is that what your saying?
If its a new package, she should be alright. Probably the best way to have done it if there was just a cork and no candy to eat out of would be to open the cork and let the queen walk in herself.

Also, you have a hole in your top cover? Doesn't rain get in...?

Usually bees fanning means a few things.
A. Cooling off
B. Spraying Pheremones (Marking their territory)
C. Telling other bees locations to sources of food.

Letter C is however a theory, there are a lot of theories on bee communication. I would put your money on A or B.

Explain yourself a little bit more, also welcome to the wonderful world of solving beekeeping problems.

Jake

[Bee1]

Just saying hello -- I'm brand new too.  I've had bees about 13 days. Its kind of exciting.  I hope your queens do well. 

One interesting thing I've read is that if the queen has no candy,  to put a mini-marshmallow in the hole after you remove the cork.  Knowing that in advance, I checked with my queen supplier to see if she came with a candy plug, which she did.   No need for me to hunt down the mini marshmallow. 

Bee1

[thegolfpsycho]

When they are fanning from the entrance, or the hole in the inner cover, they are fanning nasonov pheremone to bring everyone to the new house.  A great example is when you catch a swarm.  You give a shake and drop the bees in.  Next thing you know, there are 100's of bees fanning.  Within seconds, you can see the march begin as 1000's of bees begin a parade to the new house.  It alway amazes me even thought I've seen a ton of them.

[LET-CA]

When I pulled my corks, I put in a small marshmallow to give the queen some time to be accepted by the other bees.  I was warned by the seller that they didn't put candy in their cages, they provided marshmallows in a baggie.  Worked perfect.

It sounds like your bees have accepted her if they're out front fanning.

[gkempf]

Shizzel,

The top cover actually is the inner cover that has the hole...thats where they were fanning.

And for the queens, i just hung the cage and then dumped in the package, i see alot of people direct release their queens and i thought it would be alright with a new package.