Establishing your First Bee Hive Chuck Crisler
Your Goal: To 'Keep a Healthy Hive' How? Planning, Preparation and Observation!
Master Checklist: Site Preparation Tools Preparation Hive Preparation
Site Preparation Southern exposure for the hive(s) Easy access with a garden cart Away from neighbors, out of sight is best Allow a 'fly way' of 20-30' Don't want your bees flying over neighbors deck, car, etc. Ground must be level, firm and clear; hives will get tall and be heavy Need a foundation lumber is OK, concrete blocks are better Consider an electric fence for bears, others Close access to fresh water
2 Hives Ready
Tools Preparation Bee Suit Boots (suggested at first, optional later) Hive Tool Liquid smoke or smoker with fuel Clean and Working squirt bottle Bucket to carry equipment and wax scrapings Bee brush
Intrepid Beekeepers!
Hive Preparation Order your bees Get one (or two) hives! Start with a single hive body Start with 9 frames (not 10) Get a feeder for each hive Place hive(s) in ready position Get a large rock to place on the top Mix (or buy) your feed (50/50 water and sugar and Honey-B-Healthy)
Sources of Equipment Used Equipment Be careful, check references New Equipment Locally or mail order Can make it yourself
Sources of Bees Nuc(leus) box, just a small hive Complete hive Packages Local Mailorder
Installation Checklist Get ready to receive the bees. The more can do before you bring them home the better. Go get your bees. Install them in the hive(s). Follow up checks
Prepare to receive your bees Put some 'bee feed' in squirt bottle Fill your feeder(s). Make sure you have enough bee feed. Get a short piece of wire (~6 ) to hang the queen cage between 2 frames. Get a pry bar to open the packages. Italian bee queens are in a cage in the package. Carnolian bee queens are shipped separately.
She is in there somewhere!
Get your Bees The packages aren't big or heavy. However, secure them away from the driver (in the trunk) because there will be loose bees. If it is warm, don't leave them in the sun. Protect them from the cold. The packages have plenty of feed for a short while, but install them ASAP. Put Carnolian queen cages in a bag. Be careful that you don't sit on loose bees when you get in your car.
3 lbs of bees
Install your bees Put on your bee suit and remove the hive covers. Thoroughly spray the bees with feed. That will distract and calm them so they are easier to work with. Retrieve the feed can from the package. If you have an Italian queen, retrieve her from the package. Close the package. Secure the queen cage between 2 center frames. Use the wire to hang it from a frame.
Removing feed and queen
Placing the Queen cage
Install your bees pt. 2 FORCEFULLY bump the package on the ground SEVERAL TIMES to knock the bees loose from the sides. Quickly open the package and dump your bees into the hive around the queen. Shake the package to get all the bees you can into the hive. Bump in on the ground a couple of times to dump more bees into the hive. Close up the hive and lay the package in front of the hive.
Just dump them in
Gently spread them around
Follow On After 2 days, remove the cork stopper from the CANDY SIDE of each queen cage. Do NOT remove the candy. About 5 days after installation, check the queen cages to insure that the queens are out. Remove the cage and put another frame in. Check if the bees have started drawing comb. Check the bees about 2 weeks after installation. You should have eggs and maybe larvae.
Follow On DO NOT LET YOUR BEES RUN OUT OF FOOD! Don't go into the hive more often than necessary. It disrupts their activities and slows hive development. Do watch your bees as often as possible to insure that they are getting out and foraging. Do open the hive once every 2-3 weeks to check on progress.
Congratulations! You have now completed the first step in a rewarding new enterprise.