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Author Topic: those who have used package bees...  (Read 2231 times)

Offline Buzzen

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those who have used package bees...
« on: May 19, 2009, 02:40:47 pm »
Did you put them in a hive with foundation only?  How long did it take for them to daw comb?  What does the queen do till there is comb to lay in?   Lots of questions, I know.  Thanks for all responses......Todd
« Last Edit: May 19, 2009, 07:00:03 pm by Buzzen »
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Offline John Schwartz

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2009, 02:48:02 pm »
Quote from: Buzzen on May 19, 2009, 02:40:47 pm
Did you put them in a hive with foundation only?  How long did it take for them to daw comb?  What does the queen do till there is comb to lay in?   Lots of questions, I know.  Thanks for all answers......Todd

Hi there... they'll do fine drawing comb. Will take them a bit and they'll need to be fed. They'll build comb soon for to start laying so no worries. :)
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Offline Robo

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2009, 03:08:00 pm »
Quote from: Buzzen on May 19, 2009, 02:40:47 pm
What does the queen do till there is comb to lay in? 

The queen will start laying as soon as there is a resemblance of a cell.  She will not wait until the cells are completely drawn.  They will continue to draw out the cell as the larvae grows and will have the cell drawn out by the time it needs to be capped.
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Offline mat

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2009, 03:23:03 pm »
I just installed two packages. One of them started building combs already in the box.
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mat

Offline Hethen57

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2009, 03:28:26 pm »
Buzzen:
FYI - in North Idaho my hive on wax foundation drew 10 frames in about a month, my hive on Plasticel drew about 7 over the same time period...but I think there were other factors involved such as variation in quantity and age of bees in the two packages.
-Mike
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-Mike

Offline Sean Kelly

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2009, 07:43:02 pm »
Comb will start to be drawn in a day or three as long as you are feeding them syrup and/or there is a strong source of nectar.  FEED FEED FEED until they stop taking it!  I always start new packages on fresh foundation, that's just how I roll.  The queen will lay as soon as they start drawing.  She doesn't waste any time.  Just remember to feed and you'll have drawn comb very quickly.

Sean Kelly
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: those who have used package bees...
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2009, 12:02:50 am »
I put my packages into foundationless hives.  The bees begin drawing comb immediately, they have to just as in nature.  I usually find the queen has started laying before the combs are even halfway drawn out depth wise.  Eggs and larvae are real easy to see in partly drawn combs.
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