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Author Topic: Packages from New Zealand.  (Read 1311 times)

Offline OPAVP

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Packages from New Zealand.
« on: April 22, 2013, 09:40:56 pm »
Hi friends,
I have a question,although I think I know the answer!!

I am getting a few packages from New Zealand,with syrup in the can and a queen(in small box) beside it.
These bees have been on the road,in the air and some more on the road for 2 1/2-3 days.
I am thinking about releasing the queen when I shake them in an 8 frame box. I'll have 3 dark ,build out frames plus 2 frames of pollen and old honey. I also will add additional syrup and a pollen patty on top of the bars. Plus a couple of insulated fill in panels beside the frames.
I think that the queens have been with the bees long enough for immediate
release.

What do you guys think?

It is still only 44 F here today.


Greetings from Alberta.
Cor Van Pelt.






































Offline Vance G

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Re: Packages from New Zealand.
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2013, 10:48:02 pm »
I release queens from packages if I know they have been together for a while.  When you shake the bees in the box, take three frames out.  take the queen cage and pop the staple on one end of the screen.   put the queen cage down inside the hive close to the bottom and peel open the screen.  This way she will run out under a frame instead of flying away!  Carefully put things back together.  Hopefully you don't have a SSB on in temps like that and reduce the entrance down to about a thumbnail!  Make sure the WARM syrup is where they can get a good feed before it cools down.  It may take them time to access that old honey and warm it up.

Offline Joe D

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Re: Packages from New Zealand.
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2013, 10:34:29 am »
I haven't ever bought a package.  I have caught several swarms.  Last year I was running out of supers to put swarms in, I put one in my TBH.  In a couple of weeks when I checked on them they had four frames of comb built but no brood.  I bought a local queen, brought her home, laid the queen cage at the entrance to the hive.  They didn't try to kill her, put her in the hive things went fine, then I held the cage in bottom of hive and released her.  It worked out fine for me.  Good luck to you and your bees.



Joe

Offline Finski

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Re: Packages from New Zealand.
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2013, 12:52:25 pm »
.
I allready wrote to one Canadian beek. that NZ bees are not perhaps able to survive over winter.
It is better to change the queens during summer before they make wintering bees.

.
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Language barrier NOT included

Offline mikecva

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Re: Packages from New Zealand.
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2013, 01:01:06 pm »
If the bees are not biting at the queen cage, I would dump the package (as normal) and open the candy end with a small nail and put the cage on top of the frames with a zip lock bag of 1:1 over the cage. In two days you should be able to remove the cage. -Mike
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Offline D Coates

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Re: Packages from New Zealand.
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2013, 02:01:56 pm »
Heck, it's 44 here too!  Personally I don't release the queens when I hive a package.  Losing the queen means losing the package if you don't figure it out soon enough.  I want to minimize that risk.  Uncork the candy, put a little water/spit on it to help soften the candy and put the queen cage between some frames (making sure to not cover the screen).
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

 

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