The season has begun! Finally got a couple of packages yesterday up here in N.H. They were delayed twice coming up from Rossman Apiaries in Ga. I think the girls brought the cold with them. Yesterday only hit maybe 70°, it got into the high 30s/low 40s last night, and today it's a balmy 50° so far. There's still a bunch of bees hanging out in the package boxes, which I put in front of the hives, and hopefully they'll make their way into the hive. Thought I'd lose those that didn't go into the hive in the cold last night, but that doesn't seem to be the case. They are eating like little pigs from the top feeder.
Anyhow, I put these two hives on top of two cinder blocks tipped on their sides. That's probably high enough for the summertime but come winter I don't want the hives to get buried in snow, and want them to be able to get out for cleansing flights on their own. Also thinking it might be a bit low and the skunks will have a feast. So thought I should add at least one more level of cinder blocks (again, tipped on their side). Would it be an issue for them finding the closed down hive opening after adding the blocks? I'm thinking they wouldn't have a problem at all but that's just guessing, and am wondering if I should do the brush trick so they'll re-orient to the new location.
Last year, my first year at this, the one package I had, up and left the hive sometime in September. So I'm trying to be a little more careful in my decision making this year! Maybe I'm worrying too much about this small change with the hive height? Also going to try and catch a swarm using a pair of 5-frame medium hive bodies; we'll see how that goes!