C
Now What?
ongratulations, you are going to be a beekeeper! Equipment is ready and in place and your bees are ordered. You selected a perfect spot for your new hive. The colony
will be located away from neighbors or unsuspecting passersby’s and your day to day activities will not in- terfere with their fl ight path. There is mid day shade and the entrance has good southeast exposure for early morning sun. Everything is set, but you wonder what to expect once your bees arrive?
First, your goals should include producing as much drawn comb as possible. Drawn comb is extremely valu- able as it takes a lot of energy to build. You may or may not see a surplus of honey in your fi rst season. If you fi nd yourself with a surplus of honey then congratulations are in order. drawn comb will give you a leg up come next season.
If not, do not be discouraged. The
Installing package bees is the real start of beekeeping. You will need a spray bottle with syrup for this process. First install your entrance reducer and remove several frames from the center of the hive body to accommodate your bees. After suiting up, generously mist the package bees with syrup and, using your hive tool, remove the feeder can. Carefully remove the queen cage from the package and place her in your pocket to keep her warm. Now carefully shake as many bees as possible into the hive. Place the frames back into hive being cautious not to crush your bees.
You can directly release the queen onto the frames above the main cluster if she has been with the package a few days.
If you choose to slow release, pull the cork and hang the cage between 2 frames. Position your
feeder and close up the hive. Leave the package near the entrance and the remaining bees will fi nd their way into the hive. If you did a slow release then after 3 - 4 days you will want to verify the queen is out of the cage; if she isn’t, go ahead and let her out.
Ten days or so after installation check the hive for eggs and/or larva. Eggs and younger brood can be dif- fi cult to see, but with some practice you will get the hang of it. If eggs and brood are present you can now relax, pull up a chair and enjoy the show.
Be certain to keep plenty of feed available to stimulate wax production and brood rearing. Periodic hive in- spections are recommended to monitor comb building and potential pests. When you have seven or eight frames drawn out you can add a second brood box. (It may take up to a month before they reach this point) This is also a good time to remove the entrance reducer to allow easier access to the hive. Continue adding supers as required and keep feeding as long as they are willing. If there is a strong nectar fl ow and you wish to harvest honey this year you need to quit feeding after adding the fi rst honey super.
The end of August in many areas is time to pull your honey supers and inspect the colony once again for pests and disease. If you fi nd it necessary to treat, get to it now. Wait too long and you might fi nd it impos- sible to treat eff ectively.
We recommend that you join your local beekeeping club, they are a great resource! You can fi nd a list of clubs at www.beeculture.com.
Hope you have a great year in beekeeping!
The Mann Lake Staff
www.mannlakeltd.com
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