Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => NATURAL & ORGANIC BEEKEEPING METHODS => Topic started by: DayValleyDahlias on February 22, 2008, 06:24:47 pm

Title: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 22, 2008, 06:24:47 pm
Here is another worry/concern of mine.

These new bees are not only pricey, but, well I am excited to have them.  What is the likelihood tha they will abscond from their new home of HSC or Foundation with starter strips.

A kind lady from a nearby club mentioned that she is going to contain her new package in the hive for 1 week until queenie begins to lay..then inspect and if there are eggs, open up the entrance...of course she is feeding them as well.

Sharon AKA Queen of Worry
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Jerrymac on February 22, 2008, 06:49:42 pm
If you have a queen excluder you can put it on your bottom board then sit the hive body on it and then install your bees. The excluder keeps the queen in the hive.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Kathyp on February 22, 2008, 07:11:09 pm
i have been told by those more experienced than i, that the new bees will be so happy to have a home and food that they will set up housekeeping and not be interested in leaving.  the only concern i would have would be with not using wax foundation.  if you go back through here, you'll find some ideas about making plastic more bee friendly.  whatever you can do to convince them that they have a great new home can't hurt.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 22, 2008, 08:41:44 pm
Oh I do like the idea of using the excluder on the bottom rather than sealing the poor things up for 7 days...yes that is a good idea...

Okay guess I will have to cut and paste strips to foundation...live and learn
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Kirk-o on February 22, 2008, 10:58:04 pm
Don't worry about it give them a home and feed them for a while they will be fine.Don't worry
kirko
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: rdy-b on February 22, 2008, 11:55:22 pm
you will be leaving the queen corked up for 4 days right - the bees will make it homey in that time  :lol: RDY-B
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 23, 2008, 01:03:55 am
Ok I just really appreciate the encouragement, and I need to just relax, and let the bees be bees.  I think I just fear that I will do something wrong to cause the bees to leave to become ill etc...

Thanks to you all... :)
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: JP on February 23, 2008, 10:51:32 am
Your new package absconding would be the least of my worries. If you have done your homework, all will be fine. If you want to make the new hive more accepting you could wipe a little sugar water on the frames (let them dry before you install the bees) and put a smidgeon of lemongrass oil on an inner wall of the hive body. Now stop worrying, and that's an order!!!!  ;)


....JP
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 23, 2008, 11:23:15 am
Yes Sir J P! No more worrying!
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Cindi on February 23, 2008, 12:33:15 pm
Sharon, yep, yep, DO NOT close them up.  They need to get out to orient to their new home, they need to get out to gather nectar and pollen to feed their babies, no need to close them up at all.  Have a wonderful and awesome day, love life.  Cindi
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: KONASDAD on February 26, 2008, 12:45:33 pm
I gave mine a flat screen TV, heating and air conditioning and they haven't left yet!
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: mgates61 on February 26, 2008, 11:06:47 pm
If they do leave you,  Send them my way and I will try to help them out.  Maybe get them a bus pass back to you.


Mike
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 26, 2008, 11:20:59 pm
Oh you are all so nice ;)...I am going to take them to the vet to get micro-chipped this week.... 8-)
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: annette on February 26, 2008, 11:47:12 pm
Put each to bed with a cuddle and a kiss!! At least in your mind. They will feel the love.

Annette
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 27, 2008, 12:20:03 am
aaawww shucks..a cuddle and a kiss is so easy...heehee

y'all give the best advise
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Angi_H on February 27, 2008, 02:45:34 am
Where are you getting your bees from? I am getting mine from CF KoHenon and Sons. I know that is spelled wrong lol. I decided instead of having a 3lb package shipped for 70.00 that I would drive up and pick up a 4lb package for 71.00. That way I have more BEEES to build up faster to get started. I will be using perma comb on them. Which I will treat with Melted wax rubbed all over them. I will then spray them lightly with sugar syrup and honey b healthy and then install my package on that. And then let them build up there home of Med. Then when they are ready move the next box one. Till I have 3 med supers of Perma Comb. After that will be my honey supers. And I can not wait at all. My date of pick up is April 11th. I am hoping I will get another Swarm call prior to that. I have planted lavander and planted flower bulbs around where the hives will sit. And along the house I put out a butterfly and humming bird wildflower mix.

Angi
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 27, 2008, 11:10:14 am
Angi sounds as though your bees will have a great home.  I purchased 2 packages 4# each from

www.honeybeegenetics.com  Rdy-b recommended them to me and I am grateful for his sage advice.

This is info in the type of bee that will be moving here to the dahlia patch:

RUSSIAN-"YUGO" CARNIOLAN
In 1993, the USDA chose Honey Bee Genetics to breed the "Yugo" Carniolan Stock using Instrumental Insemination. We sell Breeder Queens by special order . Our naturally mated Production Queens of this Yugoslavian stock breed to "Yugo" drones. This gentle, black bee has shown excellent resistance to tracheal mites and so should not require chemical treatment. We run tests for hygienic behavior and select the lines which are the most Varroa tolerant to propagate each year.This stock also over-winters very well and builds up fast in the spring. This is an excellent choice for beekeepers who are experiencing losses caused by mites.

They will be placed in mediums with crimped wax small cell from Dadant.  I will place a queen includer on to help keep them home until they grow accustomed to their new environ.

What fun!

Last fall, the USDA released its new import which was found near the coast of Eastern Russia on the Primorski Penninsula. In this region, Varroa mites have been parasitizing Honey Bees for almost 100 years. The use of chemicals has not been available to control this mite, so the resulting bees have developed a natural resistance. This stock is also a gentle and productive Carniolan bee which will please commercial beekeepers because of the excellent honey production. Our Russian queens are mated to "Yugo" Carniolan drones for a pure Carniolan bee with excellent combining characteristics.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Cass Cohenour on February 28, 2008, 10:04:21 am
WOW, that is some of the priciest packages I've seen this year!!! Their prices is right up there with B Weaver's. I don't blame you for being a little concerned about them absconding. I've had acceptance problems with swarms before. The easiest thing to do it to spray the frames, foundation, inside of the box with 1:1 sugar syrup and spray the bees before you put them in the hive. They can't fly away when they are wet with syrup. By the time they get everything cleaned up their bellies are too full and they will get lazy (like me after Thanksgiving dinner) and they will settle quite comfortably into their new home.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 28, 2008, 11:26:27 am
Oh thanks, I will definitely have sugar syrup at the ready!  As well as the queen includer!
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Angi_H on February 29, 2008, 02:45:09 am
Koenan was 65.00 for a 4lb package with 7.00 cage charge. Then there is someone closer that I might cancel Koenen for who is 50.00 for a 4lb package and 45 for a 3lb package in sacramento area.

Angi

Cheaper is better which means I can buy 2 packages for almost the same price and is one hr closer so no 2 hrs there and back to chico area only to sac.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 29, 2008, 11:26:46 am
The bees that I am buying are pricey.  I hope in this case one gets what they pay for. It seems from what I have read these people are very conscientious about their bees.  Another plus for me, they are closer than any other seller.  I am very excited.  I also hope these bees are gentle...please please please....
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Brian D. Bray on February 29, 2008, 05:46:07 pm
Most all of the commercial bee package suppliers are selling in the $70-80 dollar range this year.  I fully expect a price of $100.00 for a package by 2012 with a 5 frame nuc more in the $180-200 range with frame exchange. 
I will be starting to sell a very limited amount of over wintered nucs next year.  By very limited I mean 4-6 as my beeyard is small.  They will also be available in only medium frames.  I'm planning on changing $150.00 for each over wintered nuc with frame exchange. They will be on foundationless combs, bottomless, and natrual as they can get in a Langstroth hive.
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: rdy-b on February 29, 2008, 08:18:32 pm
 
The bees that I am buying are pricey.  I hope in this case one gets what they pay for. It seems from what I have read these people are very conscientious about their bees.  Another plus for me, they are closer than any other seller.  I am very excited.  I also hope these bees are gentle...please please please....
      You will get a package of bees that are the same progeny of the queen -in other words others sell off there bulk bees out of almonds and those are Italians or any bodys guess -and they supply them with a queen of your choice -so you have to run the gamete of multiple brood cycles to have a colony that is the same progeny as the queen -in your case russian yugo cross -most times bees of different races will supersede a russian queen -so in that case they have lost half there gene pool with the bees from the package not being from the same progeny as the queen -the bees from honey bee genetics are going to be pure in there line and are some of the most gentle bees you can buy -you are lucky to get them they are not just any old bee -your stocks of bees will be something other-than ordinary -it is only money look how much others are spending on things of no consequence with no bees yet -we all spend more than we want to on our bees -but in your case its MONEY WELL SPENT   8-)  RDY-B
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on February 29, 2008, 10:26:01 pm
Awesome Rdy. and I thank you for the tip!
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Barbara on April 02, 2008, 12:10:46 pm
I am getting a nuc in 5 medium frames with the queen and various stages of brood.  Do I need to add other things, like the lemon grass oil, to my hive to entice my bees to stick around? Or is this just if you're getting packages?

Barbara
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on April 02, 2008, 12:36:49 pm
Hi Barbara,

I am still a newbee, but I think if you have a nuc, especially with brood in varying stages, you should have no worries of the bees taking off...

Just make sure you give them room, they can build up pretty darn fast!  I am sure you will get more sage advice here...

Sharon
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: annette on April 02, 2008, 12:49:21 pm
A nuc is an established hive, just in a very small place They are not going anywhere. I believe you will just have to feed them sugar syrup when you transfer them into their new home.

I am a newbee also as this is just my third year with the bees. Good luck with it all. It is very challenging, but when things work out, it is the most awesome feeling.

Sincerely
Annette
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: DayValleyDahlias on April 02, 2008, 01:48:24 pm
Annette,

Beekeeping is definitely not for people who give up easily eh???
Title: Re: Will my new bees leave?
Post by: Michael Bush on April 02, 2008, 08:39:43 pm
You don't have to have lemongrass oil for packages.  But it's a little insurance if you happen to have some around.  Bees won't leave open brood.  Your nuc shouldn't be a problem at all.