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Author Topic: Post package installation question  (Read 3668 times)

Offline jeremy_c

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Post package installation question
« on: May 14, 2009, 06:29:12 pm »
I installed a 2# package of Minnesota Hygenics yesterday evening into my home built top bar hive (basically according to §¤«£¿æ plans). I hung the queen between the two center bars. There has been a fair amount of coming and going today. Now my question is, looking up through the bottom at the bees, it looks like a beautiful swarm with the queen at the center. Is that what they are suppose to be doing right now?

I have 4 Langstroth hives and the installs went fine there but obviously look totally different inside. I guess I don't know what else I would expect but I'm simply curious.

Thanks!
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2009, 06:55:23 pm »
>Is that what they are suppose to be doing right now?

Yes.  And then they will build comb right in the middle attached to the two bars the queen is between hanging off of the cage.  I would get the cage out as soon as you can and set her free.
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Offline beedad

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2009, 07:01:10 pm »
>Is that what they are suppose to be doing right now?

Yes.  And then they will build comb right in the middle attached to the two bars the queen is between hanging off of the cage.  I would get the cage out as soon as you can and set her free.

id release the queen too.  i just installed packages with russian queens and they started to build comb on the cages.  i released them after a day and had no problems, and russian queens are supposed to be hard to introduce.

Offline jeremy_c

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2009, 07:24:25 pm »
I just did the 2nd hive today (had to build them, only got one done for yesterday). Should I release that queen too? I was figuring that they would eat the candy in the end out, that's not what you want in a TBH? It's 6:30pm here, after time when I should be messing in the hives. Do it anyway or do it tomorrow?
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Offline luvin honey

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2009, 12:19:21 pm »
Jeremy--How did it end up going for you? Hope your queens and colonies are doing well!
The pedigree of honey
Does not concern the bee;
A clover, any time, to him
Is aristocracy.
---Emily Dickinson

Offline jeremy_c

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2009, 12:53:50 pm »
Jeremy--How did it end up going for you? Hope your queens and colonies are doing well!

It went fine. I was able to release the queens in both of the hives w/o issue. I was just out to look on them today and I can see comb sticking down out of the swarm that's hanging on the top, so that's a good sign :-) I see quite a bit of activity on both hives w/bees coming back with pollen. They are only a few days old, I'll do an inspection this weekend to see if they are following my guides or not :-)

Jeremy
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Offline David LaFerney

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Re: Post package installation question
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2009, 10:40:51 pm »
I installed a 2# package of Minnesota Hygenics yesterday evening into my home built top bar hive (basically according to §¤«£¿æ plans). I hung the queen between the two center bars. There has been a fair amount of coming and going today. Now my question is, looking up through the bottom at the bees, it looks like a beautiful swarm with the queen at the center. Is that what they are suppose to be doing right now?

I have 4 Langstroth hives and the installs went fine there but obviously look totally different inside. I guess I don't know what else I would expect but I'm simply curious.

Listen to M. Bush.  I didn't and this is what I got -
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=22316.html

Edited to fix link-Buzzbee
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 07:27:26 am by buzzbee »
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