Picking up Bees

johnwm73 · April 17, 2008, 06:21:38 PM

I am going to go get my 2 nucs tomorrow. Both are 5 frames and I am ready to set them up. I am looking at a range between 2 to 4 hours before I can put them in the hives. Will that be too long? Also how long should I feed them or should I feed them at all?

Davepeg · April 17, 2008, 07:26:57 PM

Are you going to be in the car with them for 2-4 hours? If so, keep them cool...otherwise, you should be good to go.

johnwm73 · April 17, 2008, 09:58:16 PM

Well I should be home in about 2 hours with them from where I am picking them up. It is only going to be about 70 here tomorrow. My other concern was was about feeding them until they go out and find a food source in their new area. How long should I feed them? I know flowers are blooming so I wouldn't think I need to feed them for very many days.

Bennettoid · April 18, 2008, 09:33:52 AM

Feed them 1:1 syrup for as long as they take it. They'll stop taking it when they don't need it anymore. I had one nuc last year that took syrup the whole season due to the drought here. Two others stopped in June. The hive that took syrup for the entire season is my strongest hive now.

JP · April 18, 2008, 09:41:56 AM

Quote from: johnwm73 on April 17, 2008, 09:58:16 PM
Well I should be home in about 2 hours with them from where I am picking them up. It is only going to be about 70 here tomorrow. My other concern was was about feeding them until they go out and find a food source in their new area. How long should I feed them? I know flowers are blooming so I wouldn't think I need to feed them for very many days.

John, feed the heck outta them. You want packages to build fast, give them the resources. Keep a feeder on and let them decide if they don't need it but you want them to build a strong foundation so they can survive winter. Feed, feed, feed. When they have 8 of 10 frames drawn, add another hive body and frames/foundation/starter strips, whatever your set up. Don't count on nectar flow, baby your packages, they need the tlc.

...JP

johnwm73 · April 18, 2008, 02:50:35 PM

Will there be much of a problem with transferring them from the nuc to the hive body once I get them home? If the queen isn't in a cage what are the chances of her flying off during the transfer?

Bennettoid · April 18, 2008, 05:07:42 PM

Quote from: johnwm73 on April 18, 2008, 02:50:35 PM
Will there be much of a problem with transferring them from the nuc to the hive body once I get them home? If the queen isn't in a cage what are the chances of her flying off during the transfer?

No you'll be fine, just try to be gentle so you don't squish her.

tillie · April 19, 2008, 08:19:43 AM

Around here, we pick up the nucs at night.

You bring them home that night, set the nuc on top of the box where they will be hived, and open the screened door that is on the nuc.

You don't install the bees until daytime which is certainly more than 2 - 4 hours later. You then install them at the time of day that you would normally inspect bee hives - around the middle of the day some time. If it's raining or too cold, you can let them stay in the nuc for a day until it's warm/dry enough to do the transfer.

Linda T in Atlanta

Daddys Girl · April 19, 2008, 03:54:35 PM

Quote from: Davepeg on April 17, 2008, 07:26:57 PM
Are you going to be in the car with them for 2-4 hours? If so, keep them cool...otherwise, you should be good to go.

How cool? I am driving them about 2.5 hours to home and can turn the AC up in the car for the trip. How cool is too cool?