installing packages on comb

[Marie Trest]

Hi all,

I'm expecting some packages and for the first time have frames of comb, some with pollen and honey, on which to install them. What do you recommend for set-up in medium box(es)? Empty comb in the middle with pollen-filled comb at the edges or in a second box above? Where would you put honey? Would you also feed if honey is available?

Thanks for all of the helpful advice. This community is a great resource!

Marie

[jeanne hansen]

Marie,

I would put one empty comb in the "center" of the hive, then the combs with pollen, then the combs with honey.  I sometimes feed a little syrup to the newly installed package, but if I have frames and frames of honey to give them, I don't feed.  They don't seem to need it.  Just watch, so they don't run out during a freak snow storm and cold spell.

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks!
Jeanne Hansen
824 Jacobson Ave
Madison, WI 53714
608-244-5094

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From: Marie Trest <mtt...@gmail.com>
To: "mad...@googlegroups.com" <mad...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 1:24 PM
Subject: [madbees] installing packages on comb

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[Dale Marsden]

Hi Marie and all...

Use two mediums  or one deep and put  a few frames in the honey in the top box. Leave room in the center for the queen to lay with some  pollen frames there too. 

You should also feed 1:1 sugar syrup to stimulate the queen to lay heavily, feeding until the dandelions bloom. I would not feed honey unless it is in some frames that you are not extracting, but if you have honey that has crystalized in the frames place it in the bottom box and the bees will eventually move it up as a liquid honey or use it up themselves. 

If there are dead bees or mold on the frames the bees will clean them up. 

Good luck with your new package bees. 

Dale

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From: Marie Trest <mtt...@gmail.com>
To: "mad...@googlegroups.com" <mad...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 1:24 PM
Subject: [madbees] installing packages on comb

[Marie Trest]

Thanks, Dale and Jeanne! Dandelions blooming in Madison yesterday. (still feeding, of course)

Marie

[Paul Zelenski]

Ooh dandelions! I haven't seen any yet. What do the phenology folks say? How long until the full dandelion bloom? We have to be ahead of schedule this year, right?

I encourage people to feed packages even past dandelion bloom. I like to feed them as long as they will take it. Once a strong flow is on, they usually stop taking the syrup. That is usually sometime in May. It's probably not necessary, but doesn't really hurt if you have the time and few enough hives that it isn't expensive. 

[Sarah Castello]

I will have lots of capped honey to put in with my newly hived bees. Do I still need to feed syrup?

[Paul Zelenski]

Hopefully people with more experience with packages will chime in, but...

I would say it is probably not necessary, but still recommended at least until the dandelions. 

[Andrew Olson]

Our dandelions in Cross Plains are still way off. Maybe two to four weeks. I don't even see any greens here.

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From: "Paul Zelenski" <paulze...@gmail.com>
To: mad...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2015 9:21:46 AM
Subject: Re: [madbees] installing packages on comb