HIVING PACKAGES
Be Prepared
• For each package of bees ordered have the equipment for a "one-story" hive assembled, painted, and set up on location before the packaged bees are scheduled to arrive. Be sure all openings are closed.
• A package should be hived about a month before the fruit trees and dandelions bloom (approx. April 15th in the Twin Cities). Packages should be ordered in December or January. Purchase packages with marked queens.
Care of Package After Arrival
• Hold the package in a dark, quiet place, preferably at 50-70oF. Take care not to chill or overheat the packaged bees. Provide plenty of feed by spraying 1:1 sugar syrup on the screen cage. Don't drown the bees.
• Hive the bees as soon as possible in the late afternoon (early morning is okay if weather is cool and/or it is raining or snowing). If you have to wait a day to hive the package, continue to spray sugar syrup on the cage every 4-6 hours.
How to Hive Package
• Do not use smoke when hiving packaged bees.
• Position the entrance reducer using the smallest opening. Plug this opening loosely with grass when hiving packages on warm and/or sunny days.
• Remove four frames from the center of the hive body.
• Spray packaged bees liberally with sugar syrup.
• Jar the package sharply to knock bees to the bottom of cage.
• Pry wooden lid off top of package. Remove the feeder can from the package and set aside.
"Direct Release" Method of Queen Introduction
• Remove the queen cage from package and check to make sure queen is alive. Put the queen cage in a safe place (e.g., your pocket).
• Spray bees in package with more sugar syrup.
• Shake bees into the hive and carefully spread them out on the bottom board, as Dr. Furgala used to say, "like spreading sauce on pizza."
• Spray queen lightly with sugar syrup.
• "Direct release" the queen by lowering the queen cage into the hive, removing the staple, and gently peeling away the screen. Let the queen walk out onto the foundation.
• Carefully replace the four frames. Keep your eye on the queen so you do not kill her.
• If natural pollen is not available, feed pollen substitute when hiving packages. Place a patty on top of the frames but do not block the feeder.
• Provide the hived bees with one gallon of 1:1 sugar syrup containing the antibiotic fumagillin (Fumidil®-B). Feeder pails used over the inner cover are strongly recommended (See booklet Honey Bee Diseases and Pests).