Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Uwe in USA]

I received my two packages of bees on Monday when it was about 20 celcius. looked all was fine. Then the next day it turned cold and rainy with some snow mix. over night it was around 0 celcius and ever since it has been below 10 celcius at night and around lower teens during the day. I can see some bees coming and going and building a comb but I don't see the food getting lesser. I have a bottom feeder which is behind a follower board. The bees are all in a clump on the floor probably denying access to the food. I am very concerned. does some one has some input?

Regards

Uwe

[Invision]

Might want to think up some sort of top feeder for the colder temps, as heat rises it will keep the syrup warmer allowing the bees to take it. I just had a jar feeder attached to my follower board and that seemed to work fine, but it was not freezing temps here, we are done with those. bees wont take liquid when it's below 50, I've found in my area. They are also still stocked up from the package feeder. You basically just caught a swarm and placed it in the hive, in a day or two they will have consumed that and will go for your feeder... In our area we don't get packages until the end of April because of the freak drops in temps. Mail order does not follow that rule, they are just trying to sell bees.

Just be patient and if you have a follower board just give them about 8 or 10 bars to start. Make sure you check to see if they are following your guides though after a week or your going to have a mess when your flow starts. I've since made a device that allows me to put a starter strip right down the center of my top bars. This way I am assured they are building where I want too, I don't even have curled ends like what happens in most.

Just don't bug the bees for a week, if it looks like your going to have bad weather for a while you may want to make a candy block and set in there so they can have something to eat. Or if you have a friend that has some raw honey that is not contaminated. (DON'T BUY STORE BOUGHT)

It also sounds like they don't care about the syrup and are finding nectar locally. Overall it sounds like they are being bees to me .

What breed did the package say there were?

[Uwe in USA]

Thanks. They are Italian Honey Bees.
I also added a starter strip on the Top bars and smeared it with wax.
They have about 10 Topbars to start with. I do have raw honey and actually some pollen I bought. not contaminated. Bought it from the Amish around here.
I could give them that. I am just concerned with the dead bees laying on the floor. lots of them.

[Invision]

Well they are shook package so you are going to have all ages/stages of bees, also stress from the transportation can do that also. 3# package=close to 10000 bees. 50 to 60 dead bees is not a big deal, just wait till fall when the summer bees die... they pile up fast. As long as you have a good cluster hanging I wouldn't worry about it, once they have enough capped brood they will start removing dead bees. Italians are going to take more food, just make sure you keep them fed but don't worry if they don't take the feed, they know what they want. I personally wouldn't bother with the pollen, I tried to do that with my girls in early march and they could have cared less about it.

Try not to rotate your bars until they have capped brood. Otherwise you can risk the chance of micro fractures the bees can't find and fix, then you might have collapses. Fresh comb is EXTREMELY weak.

[Barbara]

Hi Uwe

I'm concerned when you say

[Garret]

[Uwe in USA]

I installed them as one beekeeper showed me from whom I received my very first package. He told me to lay it on the inside of the observation window so I can see when the queen is out and that would be the best way to do it. No need to hang it.
i was able to locate the cage and both queens are out now and they are all hanging on big cluster from the top and building comb.
Also I can see a lot of movement now since the weather is warmer and hopefully the cold is gone.
it was such a bad timing getting the bees on a 80 F day and then it dropped the next day to 40s and lower. Now constantly back in the 60s and 70s.
Look at the pics and see how busy they are flying. but they haven't touched the food much only half.

[Manuel Robert]

Great it worked out. IMO it is better to hang the cage, at least in cold weather so the bees can cluster around it.
A construction hint : When using tongue and groove boards ( like your roofing ) it is better to have the groove on the lower side so that no water seeps into it and staying there, eventually causing rott.

[Uwe in USA]

Thanks, yes I was aware of that and therefore I put 4 coats of latex paint on plus I filled in all the holes with wood clue and or wood filler. then I put more coats on top.
So no water can stand in there. Its pretty resitant.

will se, maybe I will make a different roof fot the next bee hive. For n ow three in my backyard are fine.

Regards

Uwe

[Invision]

Also you can place a small bead of #1 silicone window & door from home depot or lowes. Fills gaps and can't see it.