Episode-164- Install Bees To Langstroth and Top Bar Hives Part 1

Today is the day the bees came! Two packages of bees came in the mail and the post office called my home twice while I was at work to come get them. My wife graciously went and picked them up. She’s amazing! She was a little freaked out because there were some stragglers outside the two cage contraption the bees came in. They weren’t in the screened box but outside it. She tried to explain the situation to me over the phone and was brave enough to move them from the car to the garage which is where they waited until I returned home. The Video shows me spraying the bees with some sugar water, Honey B Healthy and a few drops of wintergreen.

Before putting the bees in the Langstroth hive I dusted them with powdered sugar to help shake off any Varroa mite hitchhikers. I took out the queen cage and put her in my pocket sor safe keeping until she was ready to put in the hive. I put in a small hive beetle trap and added some vegie oil it. After the bees were installed and the queen held tight in place between two top bars I replaced the other frames and put on pollen and grease patties. I also added a small packet of menthol crystals to control tracheal mites.

The last step was to put on the hive top feeder, fill it up and close the hive for the day. The bottom entrance is completely closed but the top entrance was left open for the first 24 hours. I go out back again tomorrow and unclog the bottom entrance. This hive uses a screened bottom board which I have always used in my hives for ventilation as well as Varroa mite control purposes. I think I’m getting good at this but now it’s time to wait to see if the queen will be accepted. Stay tuned.

Resources

Song of the Day – Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive (2007 Remastered) – Video – I hope the bees are staying alive.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *