Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => TOP BAR HIVES - WARRE HIVES - LONG HIVES => Topic started by: ktbearpaws on April 19, 2009, 09:47:08 am
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I will be installing my new bees in a day or so and was wondering.
"Do I really NEED to medicate when I install the bees?"
"Or can I wait a few weeks and feed then?" :?
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Are they Nucs or packages? If they are packages you really need to feed them to help them to get going until the nectar flow is on. But medicating them is another matter entirely. I'm not a fan of prophylactic medicating period. What are you supposed to be medicating for?
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They're packages...... I read in you should treat for nosema during the spring and fall.
I am suposed to get my packages in the morning...But, they are calling for snow on Tuesday.
Should I go ahead and install.....or wait?
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In my opinion, you shouldn't medicate for nosema in the spring unless the bees show obvious signs of nosema. You do need to feed a package right from the get-go until they stop or drastically slow down on taking the syrup. Go ahead and install now, since keeping them in the package won't do anything for them. If you can, insulate the hive... oh, and when it turns cold tuesday, remove the syrup if you're feeding it on a hivetop feeder, but make sure they still have some source of food. Nothing kills bees faster than cold combined with cold wet syrup dripping down on them. Well, nothing except me keeping a hive closed up on a hot day, but that's another story.
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I never medicate. For anything.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfoursimplesteps.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beespests.htm