Finally I am a beekeeper

skullring · April 21, 2007, 12:30:34 AM

I put in my first package of bees today. I have been taking a beginner beekeeping class for the last couple of months and last night I picked up my first package at our monthly meeting. I am not very good at waiting and I have really been counting the days for the bees to arrive. I waited until about 4 pm today and finally went to the hive I guess like everyone I had rehearsed in my head what I needed to do a thousand times. I even remembered needle nose pliers to pull the cork out of the queen cage. I sprayed the package down with sugar syrup and removed the lid "the girls were rearing to go under the syrup can" I gave the package a rap on the ground to shake everyone down and promptly lost the wire to the queen cage inside the package. At this point I said hmmm. This is an interesting turn so I went ahead and pulled the syrup can out and was able to grab the wire with my pliers. I pulled the queen cage out and covered the top with the cover. I had a dozen or so bees outside now and I think all of them were giving me the head-butt plus their most menacing bzzzz. I thought to myself now come on the other 9990 of you guys aren't going to act like this are you? One of the attendant bees inside of the queen cage was tearing frantically at the candy I was suprised at her vigor. I poured the rest of the package into the hive and was suprised at how smoothly that went. I spent the next couple of hours just watching how they handle their daily business and observing all of the many behaviors. I know that today will be one of the events that I will remember for the rest of my life. "there have been plenty."

Thanks to everyone that has posted their inspiring stories of starting down this new road with ancient roots.

Thanks to John the Beemaster for his site and hosting this forum I know it is a big expenditure of time, money and effort.

annette · April 21, 2007, 01:44:26 AM

Glad your first time went smoothly. Mine did not. I hived my first package last April 2006 and had a friend read the instructions to me, while I did the work. Well my friend did not have on a bee suit and she stood several feet away. No problem we thought. Everything was going smoothly, got the queen in the hive and started to shake the bees into the hive also. Well, most of the bees went into the box, but many bees went after my girlfriend,who had on an extremely strong smelling hair lotion. Well she had all these bees in her hair and was trying to get them out, and trying not to freak out.I made her go away, but the bees stayed in her hair. I totally freaked out when I saw the bees go after her and I got nervous and then got stung on my hand. Well I finished hiving them, but then had to go help my friend get these bees out of her hair. She got stung 3 times, and I felt so bad this happened to her, I cried. Well I learned a lesson. Nothing strong smelling around the bees.Good Luck to you.
Annette in PLacerville

Sean Kelly · April 21, 2007, 02:56:31 AM

needle nose! thats what i forgot! congrats!

Casimir · April 21, 2007, 04:45:42 AM

I'm going to hive my bees in a week. Thank you for reminding me of the needle nose pliers.

Sean Kelly · April 21, 2007, 07:54:25 AM

Quote from: Casimir on April 21, 2007, 04:45:42 AM
I'm going to hive my bees in a week. Thank you for reminding me of the needle nose pliers.

Yeah, I forgot to grab the needle nose when I installed my package this week. The company that put the queen cage together put the cork in backwards, so you couldnt just pry it out with your hive tool. I worked on that darn thing for like 10 minutes. My wife ended up bringing me a wine corkscrew. The cork came all apart but it did the trick.

Sean Kelly

beemaster · April 21, 2007, 11:06:43 AM

Congratulations Skullring :)

Awesome to hear your installation wentalong well, minus losing that queen cage - that can be a bugger if you panic - good job NOT panicing. I found out this trick below after dealing with a queen cage that got away and a few syrup cans that wouldn't come out. I always figure "Disturb the bees the least you can during installation" so I gave this a try and would never go back.

http://www.beemaster.com/inst2004.html

Quick Note for those who haven't got your packages yet. I recommend pulling the side screen fastener slats off (two vertical and bottom) leaving the feeder can and queen cage locked under the stapled board on top of the package for last. One gentle bang to dislodge all the bees from the cluster and they simply roll out in one big bunch - I doubt you'll have a handful of bees left in the cage and the queen cage is safely intact next to the feeder can when all the bees are safely in the hive.

Again Skullring - welcome to the wonderful and fascinating world of beekeeping - it isn't always easy, it is often frustrating, but it is a wonderous experience that (as you said) you will remember the rest of your life - Congrats!!!!!!

Lastly, it's my pleasure to have this wonderful exchange we have here - I'm really glad it has worked out so tremendously over the last 4 seasons. It's great to know newbees and experts alike have a common place to interact in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere - for which you can thank the membership, they surely make our job easy :)

ZuniBee · April 21, 2007, 11:17:56 AM

Congratulations! Looks like you are off to great start!

Michael Bush · April 21, 2007, 02:11:46 PM

>I always figure "Disturb the bees the least you can during installation"

But I don't want to go back and find a cluster in the box. And disturbing the bees makes them nasonov and cluster and get organized. I have never seen the down side to that.

skullring · April 21, 2007, 02:40:59 PM

Yes the cork to my queen cage was in the hole sideways and very deep. I would have never pulled it out with a hive tool. The bees are out and about this morning. I can't wait to get back in to check to see if the queen has been released in a few days. They are all busy as... Well you get the picture.

Michael Bush · April 21, 2007, 06:18:37 PM

They put them in sideways on purpose because you can get a hold of them with a needle nosed pliers or pry it out with the point of a knife.

reinbeau · April 23, 2007, 07:45:34 AM

Quote from: Michael Bush on April 21, 2007, 06:18:37 PM
They put them in sideways on purpose because you can get a hold of them with a needle nosed pliers or pry it out with the point of a knife.

What I don't understand is why Wilbanks in particular insists on putting the round disk that you could use to hang the cage between frames on the candy side - every time. So, you have to pry it off and you lose the advantage of the hanger. :(

As for prying out the candy, we've always let them release her, they do it within three days or so. Club members have had trouble with them balling the queen if you direct release. I know Michael Bush does this all the time, however, the bees (when we get them) have usually just been in the package for a maximum of two days, so they're not all 'in love' with the queen quite yet, or so we've been told..

thegolfpsycho · April 23, 2007, 02:26:25 PM

Installing packages is one of the few times I'm rough with them. I usually direct release the queen BECAUSE they have been together 3 or more days by the time I get them, but I do it last. My hives are all prepared and the packages set out. I pull the feeder can, grab the queen cage and set it on top of the frames. A sharpe bang to loosen up the clustered bees in the package and to disorient them, then pour them in. I pull the screen, release the queen that 9 times out of ten dives down between the frames, place a feeder over the inner cover, replace the lid and move on. I do it late in the day to keep flying down. I leave the mostly empty package with the opening facing the entrance. It's usually is virtually empty the next morning. If there are still bees in it, I shake them out. I don't pull the screens off the packages and get $5.00 back for each package returned in good shape. The banging and disorienting is important. It doesn't hurt them. Mashing and rolling bees is what injures them and costs you queens. In the end, whatever works for you is good.

beemaster · April 26, 2007, 12:47:39 AM

I'll stick to my guns here - I like releasing the package from the screened side NOT the top. But just to appease those who think you need to shake the stuffing out of them, or making the aggravated, I promise to POUND on the top with a hammer about 40 times before releasing them through the side screen. :roll: