Today was the day and this morning, I went to pick up my bees. Fortunately, my friend Kathy, who had kept bees before, came and stayed with me to take pictures and provide moral support!So here I am in my little beekeeper outfit!
I sprayed the bees with sugar syrup (which I had prepared yesterday) to calm them. This is 3 pounds of bees and a queen. 
Then I carry the box from the car to the hive. 
I have to remove the feeding box in order to get the queen cage out then let the bees in the hive. But it is not as easy to get that thing out as I thought it would be!
I sprayed the bees with sugar syrup (which I had prepared yesterday) to calm them. This is 3 pounds of bees and a queen.
Then I carry the box from the car to the hive.
I need to remove 3 frames from the middle of the hive so that I can shake the bees in the hive. On the pictures, I am spraying the frames I removed with sugar syrup.
I have to remove the feeding box in order to get the queen cage out then let the bees in the hive. But it is not as easy to get that thing out as I thought it would be!Finally!
Now that the box is opened, I am pouring the bees into the hive. First I jar the box on the hive to make the bees fall at the bottom (picture on the left), then I just pour them in the hive. Some fall right in, the others I have to shake in there. 
Next, I must get the queen cage ready. One end of the queen cage needs to be opened. Even after I remove the cork, it is still blocked by "sugar candy", which she will have to chew away in order to get out. I supposed this is to give time to the colony to get used to her pheromones and recognize her as their queen. The queen cage is just placed on top of the frames.
Now that the box is opened, I am pouring the bees into the hive. First I jar the box on the hive to make the bees fall at the bottom (picture on the left), then I just pour them in the hive. Some fall right in, the others I have to shake in there. 
Most of the bees are in the hive. A few are
Then I must carefully replace the frames without crushing the bees.
Next, I must get the queen cage ready. One end of the queen cage needs to be opened. Even after I remove the cork, it is still blocked by "sugar candy", which she will have to chew away in order to get out. I supposed this is to give time to the colony to get used to her pheromones and recognize her as their queen. The queen cage is just placed on top of the frames.At first the bees will need to be fed and I am placing jars of syrup around
the queen cage.
Just putting the top box (super) without frames around the queen cage and the feeders. The crumpled newspaper around is just to prevent the bees from building comb at that spot and to insulate the queen a little.
Some of those bees really don't want to leave the box and I am trying to shake them and make them fall into the hive.
Final step, I put the lid back on the hive.
Just putting the top box (super) without frames around the queen cage and the feeders. The crumpled newspaper around is just to prevent the bees from building comb at that spot and to insulate the queen a little.
Some of those bees really don't want to leave the box and I am trying to shake them and make them fall into the hive.
Final step, I put the lid back on the hive.
So it is done! they are in the hive (most of them anyway), and I am exhausted! too much excitement!...but there is one more package to put in the second hive later today. I just have to wait so they don't get all confused!
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1 comment:
Good for you!! Great play by play pictures!! You look like a pro! Good luck!!
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