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Let's try this again!
Apr. 9th, 2017 05:45 amNew season, new hive! I picked up this package from a different supplier, one that was fairly close to my work. One of my coworkers has bought from them in the past! The plan was to pick them up after work, with my friend who came with me to pick up the first box. The weather made the package pick-up delayed by a day, so I picked up the package the next morning. This friend wasn't available to ride with me.
I picked up the package and gave it a quick look-over and found a knothole on the side. The seller game be a bit of duct tape to put over the hole. There was one bee hanging around outside the package.
A few miles down the road, I realized that there were more bees flying around the car. Maybe I miss counted.
A few miles later, I realized there were a lot more bees flying around. I pulled over and took a look around the package. The knothole was fine, actually had a bit of wire on the inside to keep the bees in, but there was a break in the wire mesh on one side of the package. I put the duct tape over that hole and proceeded home.
I set the package inside one of the hive boxes and tried to collect as many loose bees as I could. I also put in some frames, just in case the loose bees felt like getting started. This time, I was leaving the comb on the frames to give them a head start. There wasn't any moldy pollen left behind, and I had pulled the dead bees out before this. I also removed the wonky freely built comb to make my job easier.
That evening, I took them out to their new home! This time, the hive was in the side yard, where there would be a bit more light for them. There's a large field that seems to be untouched to the east of the hive, with a run-in shed to help block the path of any deer that come flying over the fence there. Hopefully, this will make it easier for the bees to forage.
I had specifically packed a strongish magnet so I could do this right, rather than prying off the side of the box. But, when I pulled off the square of wood on the top, I was faced with a black, plastic container. I actually was able to get this out, but I ended up losing the queen cage inside the package. I found it after I poured the bees into the hive, though! Then I duct taped it in, so that it wouldn't fall too easily. Hopefully, this time will be better.
( Here are some pictures! )
I picked up the package and gave it a quick look-over and found a knothole on the side. The seller game be a bit of duct tape to put over the hole. There was one bee hanging around outside the package.
A few miles down the road, I realized that there were more bees flying around the car. Maybe I miss counted.
A few miles later, I realized there were a lot more bees flying around. I pulled over and took a look around the package. The knothole was fine, actually had a bit of wire on the inside to keep the bees in, but there was a break in the wire mesh on one side of the package. I put the duct tape over that hole and proceeded home.
I set the package inside one of the hive boxes and tried to collect as many loose bees as I could. I also put in some frames, just in case the loose bees felt like getting started. This time, I was leaving the comb on the frames to give them a head start. There wasn't any moldy pollen left behind, and I had pulled the dead bees out before this. I also removed the wonky freely built comb to make my job easier.
That evening, I took them out to their new home! This time, the hive was in the side yard, where there would be a bit more light for them. There's a large field that seems to be untouched to the east of the hive, with a run-in shed to help block the path of any deer that come flying over the fence there. Hopefully, this will make it easier for the bees to forage.
I had specifically packed a strongish magnet so I could do this right, rather than prying off the side of the box. But, when I pulled off the square of wood on the top, I was faced with a black, plastic container. I actually was able to get this out, but I ended up losing the queen cage inside the package. I found it after I poured the bees into the hive, though! Then I duct taped it in, so that it wouldn't fall too easily. Hopefully, this time will be better.
( Here are some pictures! )
