package install into foundationless hive

[orin]

Next spring my game plan is to start two foundationless hives with packages. What would be the best way to install a package into this kind of a set up?

[Michael Bush]

My advice:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespackages.htm

[iddee]

The best way would be to do a few cutouts in your neighborhood for the practice. You are going to need it. It would also save you the cost of the packages.

"" Unless it's like 10? F (12? C) or less""

Micheal, I think you left the minus off the centigrade.

[chux]

Cutouts are a great idea, if you want an adventure and an education. Swarm traps are a great way to catch "free" bees. I put out swarm traps with foundationless frames. I have caught several swarms this way. If you go foundationless, really take the advice to heart, to check them often. Make sure they keep building straight, and correct crooked comb before it gets too far gone.

Since you are so far north, I would suggest planning on getting bees from a local supplier, a little later than early spring. Don't try to get the first available bees that are being brought up from down south. Those early packages seem to supercede often. If you wait a few weeks, you may get a better mated local queen who will not be superceded. This means you won't really miss anything. Better yet, compare the price of a local package to a local nuc. If it's within $50, you would be better off getting the Nuc, even if it is a couple of weeks later getting ready. You can give them foundationless frames, and rotate the foundation out over time.

If you are set on packages, see if you can get a little bit of wax from a local beek, to rub around inside the hive. Maybe lay it in there, to give the box a good smell. If you can get a frame of comb to put in there just to encourage them to stay, and to serve as a hint about which way to build comb, that would be a plus. You will bee amazed at how quickly they draw out those foundationless frames.

[OldMech]

 
   I still try to use some foundation or drawn comb to break up the big open space when installing a new package or swarm. It helps keep the bees honest.  Often they will follow the guides just fine, but once in a while they like to draw from corner to corner, so three pieces of foundation spaced out in the box will limit their cross comb to just a couple frames.
   

[david45]

Drawn comb is the best option.

[Michael Bush]

>Micheal, I think you left the minus off the centigrade.

Thanks.  I fixed it.

[Michael Bush]

If you have drawn comb it is always worth giving it to a new package to get them started.  Even if it's only one comb to put in the middle to give them some direction.

[GSF]

Orin, if you plan on buying just be aware that bees sell out pretty quick. ..and get two hives for sure.

[Foxhound]

Old Mech has the right idea. Starting from scratch, it always helps to have a couple sheets of foundation to give your bees more guidance when building. Foundationless is a fun way to start beekeeping, but expect to learn a few lessons the hard way.

http://www.foxhoundbeecompany.com/beekeepingblog/2015/3/27/building-and-using-foundationless-frames