newbie questions

chickenwing654 · April 02, 2015, 12:22:07 AM

Hi,

Have a couple questions on starting couple of hives. I've done my bee class this winter. Ordered my first package, coming in three weeks, and a Nuc of bees coming around may 7th. I am setting up hives soon in another state (Maine) to prepare for them arriving. I usually go to Maine every three weeks on average.

My questions are, what should I feed them to get them going (besides sugar water)? I am setting them up with a one gallon frame feeder (each hive). Should I also be giving them a pollen patty also? Wondering how long it will take the package package of bees to deplete this? I wont be going back for another two or three weeks when the Nuc of bees arrive. Will hope the queen gets out of her cage by herself, since I can't be there.

Thinking of also setting up a bucket feeder outside the hive for extra feed. I know this is not a suggested feed since it encourages a robbing frenzy. It is early in the season for the North east, and right now is still 18" snow on my yard right now. There is not going to be any pollen sources for a while (I think).

thoughts or suggestions on getting started?

thanks
Tazz

sc-bee · April 02, 2015, 01:04:09 AM

A gallon will not last long on a new package. Installing package(s) and then being gone three weeks? Did I get that right?

capt44 · April 02, 2015, 01:58:29 AM

When pollen isn't there use 1-1 sugar syrup with pro health and Dry Feed.
When the bees start bringing in pollen they will quit the dry feed.
But once they find that dry feed the bees will flog it.

Michael Bush · April 02, 2015, 08:18:43 AM

>My questions are, what should I feed them to get them going (besides sugar water)? I am setting them up with a one gallon frame feeder (each hive).

If there is some nectar coming in, they should be fine. If the weather is cold and there is no nectar coming in, they will need to be fed regularly until it is. I would make the syrup as strong as you can get it to dissolve (5:3 is that limit for me with my hard water. Some people can make 2:1)

>Should I also be giving them a pollen patty also?

If there is pollen available (and from March on there usually is as soon as the red maples bloom and the pussywillow blooms)

> Wondering how long it will take the package package of bees to deplete this?

Every colony is different, but probably not long.

> I wont be going back for another two or three weeks when the Nuc of bees arrive. Will hope the queen gets out of her cage by herself, since I can't be there.

I'd release her off the bat.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm

>Thinking of also setting up a bucket feeder outside the hive for extra feed. I know this is not a suggested feed since it encourages a robbing frenzy. It is early in the season for the North east, and right now is still 18" snow on my yard right now. There is not going to be any pollen sources for a while (I think).

How about an empty hive with dry sugar in it... it may keep them from starving but won't run out quickly. If you have a solid bottom, you could even dump some dry sugar down the back of the hive.

chickenwing654 · April 02, 2015, 08:52:57 AM

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. To answer a couple of questions, and ask a couple more, here goes.

Yes, I live in MA, Hives going to ME. 275 miles away. Go up every three weeks on average.

Michael, the poured sugar idea, intrigues me. I have no problem with trying that. Yes solid bottom board. Releasing queen early scares me. If she should fly off immediately, or they kill her due to not accepting her scent yet. I was taught in bee class to remove the cork on the candy side and a few days later, she would emerge.

The way I was taught was the package put in with a bred queen (not their queen) in a queen cage. This is done when package is made. Travel for 2 days back to me. So she is only in package for a couple days at best. Do you still recommend releasing her immediately? If she is killed before the colony accepts her I am out of luck. I don't know where I could get a immediate queen to replace her.

When you say sugar in another hive, could I pour sugar in the same hive, above the inner cover in a extra brood box that I already have?

Still learning, and want to give them that best chance of surviving.

Thanks
david

rober · April 02, 2015, 10:08:13 AM

like Michael said make a 2:1 syrup or stronger. if you any extra hive bodies you can put an empty hive on top of the hive & put 3 or 4 feeders in it. if you have the open type frame feeders discard the screen ladder they come with & put enough sticks in it to completely cover the top. these will float on the syrup & you'll have fewer drowned bees. I use 1/4" thick scraps from my woodworking shop. if you use a bucket feeder just put it at 100' away from the hives.

OldMech · April 02, 2015, 10:10:26 AM

Even in Maine you should have pollen available by the first week.
It has been my experience that a package will drain a quart jar in a little less than a day and a half. 5 days for a gallon, and that is with a dozen holes in the jar lid for fast feeding.. In your situation I might poke about 4 holes in a lid, so they are getting feed, just not as fast. That should extend the duration of a gallon of syrup another day or so. This should give them time to FIND local sources of pollen and nectar. IIRC from living in Maine for 17 years dandelions etc should be popping in abundance by then as well. Just pay attention as the time begins to arrive. Your local weather should have Pollen casts for those allergic to pollen.. it is a good indicator for the bees as well.
If... the weather is still cold by then, which is possible.. the sugar idea is a good one.

Michael Bush · April 02, 2015, 01:22:21 PM

>the poured sugar idea, intrigues me. I have no problem with trying that. Yes solid bottom board.

It has advantages, mostly that the consumption will be more regulated as they can't take it quickly. The downside is it won't stimulate them to rear a lot of brood, but that would require more resources and you won't be there to insure them. So if you keep them from starving until nectar is available then they will build up.

>Releasing queen early scares me. If she should fly off immediately, or they kill her due to not accepting her scent yet.

If they wanted to kill her she would already be dead. I have never seen them reject a live queen they were shipped with, other than move next door and leave her behind (with or without a cage).

>I was taught in bee class to remove the cork on the candy side and a few days later, she would emerge.

Yes. But if it's a California cage there will be no candy. And if you have foundationless it insures every comb will be wrong. And if you're not doing foundationless it insures the first comb will be wrong. And it gives her a four day longer delay before they can get started.

>The way I was taught was the package put in with a bred queen (not their queen) in a queen cage. This is done when package is made. Travel for 2 days back to me. So she is only in package for a couple days at best.

And 2 hours after they were shaken into the package and she was put in there, they knew they were queenless and you could probably release her then. Certainly two days later.

>Do you still recommend releasing her immediately?

I do.

>If she is killed before the colony accepts her I am out of luck.

What is more likely, whether you do or don't release her, is that they will move next door to a better smelling queen. I have never seen them kill her. I've done this hundreds of times.

> I don't know where I could get a immediate queen to replace her.

No, you don't.

>When you say sugar in another hive, could I pour sugar in the same hive, above the inner cover in a extra brood box that I already have?

Empty space that they can get to in a spring buildup is a bad idea. They may move into that box and start building comb. I would never do that.