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Offline ledifni

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Package bees
« on: March 28, 2015, 02:59:38 pm »
So...I ordered some package bees a couple of months ago that should be getting here in a few weeks.  Since then I've heard it's really hard to get package bees going and healthy, so (at Gypsi's advice) I'm asking for any helpful pointers from people who have installed packages.

My plan at the moment is: set them up with two mediums with foundation, plus one or maybe two frames of brood from my existing hive.  I have Apivar I can treat with this fall if their mite load is high.  I also have plenty of sugar to make 1:1 syrup and get them fed up as quickly as possible.

The other thing I'm considering is requeening them either this fall or next spring.  The reason I would do that is, the bees I have now (originally trapped out from a feral hive) have an extremely low mite count, as in 5-10 mites every couple weeks.  That suggests that they're a hygienic breed, and a queen raised from their eggs would most likely have the same trait.  Is that a good idea, or no?

Aside from all that, are there any other suggestions that might help?
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2015, 05:12:31 pm »
led, feed, feed, feed until the foundation is drawn, don't depend on any nectar flow.  if you need to supplement a pollen substitute, you may consider this as well if you experience a pollen dearth, for texas and shb problem, dry form of some type rather than a patty.

mites, depends on how many mites they come with, sometimes it may not be necessary to treat until the following season, but if you do mite counts, by all means treat them if need be in the fall.

queens, the queen that comes with the package may get superseded, so look for this, seems to be the most reported problem, and have experienced this myself.  as far as adding eggs from a feral trap out, i have never done this so will let others who have chime in on this.

good luck with those packages!
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2015, 05:30:48 pm »
What rb said, as far as putting brood from trapouts, i've done it many times with know problems, maybe i've just been lucky? I still have a trapout set up that the queen won't come out of? so i take two frames of brood and put it in the trapout hive, wait a week, take two more frames of brood and trade them out and make nuc's. I figure if she won;t come out i'll make her supply the bees for nuc's. :D Jack
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2015, 08:56:36 pm »
Like riverbee said, feed until they won't take any more sugar syrup.  I would start with one brood box.  If it is a 10 frame box, wait until they have 7 frames drawn with foundation before putting the second brood box on top.  I have heard this referred to as the "Rule of seven".  I do the same when putting supers on that don't have any drawn comb. 
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Offline ledifni

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2015, 09:44:19 pm »
It's an 8-frame box, and I'm trying to go all mediums.  So I'm thinking, let them draw 5 of the 8 then put another box on?
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Offline iddee

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2015, 10:45:49 pm »
I would not worry about how many are drawn. There are 9 open slots in an 8 frame box. When 7 slots are fairly full of bees, I would add a box.
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2015, 09:33:25 am »
Quote from: iddee on March 28, 2015, 10:45:49 pm
I would not worry about how many are drawn. There are 9 open slots in an 8 frame box. When 7 slots are fairly full of bees, I would add a box.
I think this is another way of saying the same thing, I think. The idea is not to let them get too crowded otherwise they will swarm.  It also ensures that they fill out the comb instead of working straight up.
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Gypsi

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2015, 09:10:45 am »
I see you got good answers.  There are holes in my knowledge, package bees are a hole not likely to be filled....don't plan on trying them.
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Offline ledifni

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2015, 08:36:08 pm »
Yep thanks for all the advice, guys :)  I'll try to put it to good use.  Since I'm inspecting this weekend, I'll probably also switch out one of the existing mediums on my other hive with one of the new ones I bought for this hive, and use it for the package's first brood box.  That, plus a frame of brood from the other hive (which I don't doubt they can spare -- their brood nest was covering 8 full frames last I checked with room to expand) should give them some comfortable bee smells to start with so they feel more at home :)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2015, 02:50:34 am »
3/4 of the way down the page is the section about installing packages. Hope that helps!

http://www.outyard.net/getting-started.html
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Offline tecumseh

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Re: Package bees
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2015, 07:39:10 pm »
as usual here all the above advice is sound.  even one frame of comb is a great advantage and I tell everyone to feed a package until they are one strong box of bees.  by late summer you should consider rearing some replacement from the hive with the low mite count.  and good luck.
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