Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: buzzbee on April 09, 2013, 07:44:16 am
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For those uncomfortable with shaking the package bees,(which you wont be after becoming more comfortable around bees,) here is Beemasters (John Claton)'s way of doing a package install. It is prime package season so I thought it was a good time to repost this.:
Beemaster's Installing honeybees Method (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4a-Tw-qFI#)
PS Good to see ya John, even if it's just the video!!
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I found this video a couple months ago. Looks like a much easier way to release the bees.
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Thanks for posting that video. I hope to get bees in the next week or so. Makes me a little less nervous. :)
Thanks again.
David
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No need to be nervous - it really is pretty easy. Just do as the video shows and take your time. And as a first timer I'd suggest you don the bee suit etc. It's just kind of a security blanket of sorts.
David
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The only thing I would add to my video, if I were to redo it – is to make sure people keep the bees cool so they stay clustered and instead of removing all of the wooden slats, you can just use a utility knife and cut the screen out on one side, which is much faster if you don't plan on resealing the package afterward. That would just be a much simpler process for a lot of people, and i've done that before and done it since, I did want to save that box and with over 100,000 views I'm not going to put a competition video up there - I have made comments with the video about using utility knife is really quick to get that screen off. Good luck in beekeeping this year as always.
Oh and I want to thank everyone who's giving me positive feedback about the video, been quite a few years since I did that, now and It's fun to look back on. Thanks again to all.
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John,
I've watched your video at least 10 times. I ran across it on YTube when looking for guidance on installing my first package at the end of the month. Your "kinder, gentler" method had much more appeal for a newbee like me. The only thing that intimidated me was whether the wood strips would come off as easily as the video shows or would I have to wrestle with them.
Now, reading your suggestion to use a utility knife to cut the screen is the cherry on top. Now, I feel more confident and look forward to installing my package. Thanks so much for the video and the suggestion.
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Glad I added the utility knife statement then BC - I have just always felt that our little friends have had enough trauma ofver the past few days, and bouncing them around the cage like a golfball in a water-cooler jug is NOT going to make the transition any better, neither them nor you.
Glad this gives you the confidence, being in control and in charge takes a lot of stress off the bees to! you can see it and hear it in their responce.
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I can tell you that trying to pry the wooden bars off with a hive tool doesn't work. Ask me how I know :roll:
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Shaking the bees in does seem brutal to the bees as you pound the box onto the ground. Opening the screen does seem to offer a quicker, smoother transfer. Thanks for the video post. Those moving pictures helps me lots more than all the writn'
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I agree that shaking the bees out seems rather insensitive to what they've already gone through. When I saw how the bees just fell out when you opened the screen, that was magic.