Installation....

So, this is my very first hive and my very first installation.... it could have gone a lot better.

Let's start with the positives.... NO STINGS!

Then it unravels from there.... I had two packages, one three pound and one two pound.... I had ordered for the 2 pound package to be queenless (I read that a warre should start with at least 4.5 to 5 pounds of bees.. I should have stuck with just 3 pounds)

Well the day of shipment, I'm informed that both packages will come with a queen.... so I have a spare queen.... did I mention how at one point both queens were in the hive (very very briefly)..... and the bees went to both cages right away to begin the releasing process. I removed the spare queen.


I smashed more bees than I expected

There were a few bees that once the majority were dumped in the that seemed to quickly become guard bees

there were still quite a few bees outside of the hive... I hope they find their way in... however a few bees had already started with the whole rear end in the air and fanning business

One of the bees left a puddle of yellow goo neat the entrance.. I have no idea what it is...

I bust the feeding bag and so had to make another on the fly.... am seriously considering open feeding after this.

On the whole, the fact that I managed to dump the bees and felt pretty calm about it is a plus, but for some reason, I feel like today was an epic fail. Maybe because this is my first hive and installation

All in all...not really serious
I'm sure there are people here who wont ever admit to doing far worse... Its just that you now have to figure out what to do with the spare queen...

intlgrrl said:

On the whole, the fact that I managed to dump the bees and felt pretty calm about it is a plus, but for some reason, I feel like today was an epic fail. Maybe because this is my first hive and installation

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I'm sure it wasn't so bad. As you learn more, you'll make fewer mistakes and learn that bees often recover in spite of what the beekeeper does, not because of it. There is plenty of time for stings...its rare for a beekeeper to not be stung (some bees are better than others).
The worker bees have a scent gland (nasanov gland) in their rear end, Its common behaviour for them to send this scent aloft as a signal to their sisters. They will go inside as dusk approaches. The behaviour you describe is typical for them taking possession of their new home. Don't worry. They'll be fine.
Open feeding can bring other problems, so, stick with it. You'll not become a beekeeper without making a few mistakes.

Yes ... I don't think there's a beekeeper on the planet that hasn't made a real hash of it at some time or other. It's quite daunting when you first start tipping bees into boxes as they tend not to stay where you have put them ... give them a bit if time and they will settle down ...

I would have been tempted to start two smaller colonies off as you had two queens - a bit easier to handle a smaller colony to start with and they rapidly expand to a full size colony ... if you still have the redundant queen and a spare couple of boxes to house them .., even if it's a makeshift floor and roof ... there is still time to split them up.

The bees are in the hive, not a fail at all.

The yellow blob will be bee poo.

Cazza

pargyle said:

I would have been tempted to start two smaller colonies off as you had two queens - a bit easier to handle a smaller colony to start with and they rapidly expand to a full size colony ... if you still have the redundant queen and a spare couple of boxes to house them .., even if it's a makeshift floor and roof ... there is still time to split them up.

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Yeah, that would have been a great idea. I guess is never occurred to me that the supplier would call at the last minute and tell me about the second queen, or else I would have just started two hives. I feel horrible, because I honestly have no idea what to do with the second queen. I will probably look up a few local beekeepers tomorrow and see if they want or need another queen.

Thanks for all the encouraging posts. I still want a second hive after this adventure. I wish I had the tools to build a hive, but I don't, so I'm looking into purchasing another hive next month and I will try my hand a catching a swarm.... that should be interesting.

intlgrrl said:

I will try my hand a catching a swarm.... that should be interesting.

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If you do, be sure to take an experienced beekeeper with you to show you the ropes.
Good Luck

B+. said:

If you do, be sure to take an experienced beekeeper with you to show you the ropes.
Good Luck

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I did email a local beekeeper about the queen, hopefully, if she gets back with me, I can ask her about collecting swarms.

Just curious but are all bees sold as packages in The States or can you buy small colonies (we call them nucleus colonies here)?

B+. said:

If you do, be sure to take an experienced beekeeper with you to show you the ropes.
Good Luck

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J P the beeman is at the Merikan side of the pond and has lots of swarm catching video on youtube. Unlike a lot of the you tube content his offerings are sensible.

Erichalfbee said:

Just curious but are all bees sold as packages in The States or can you buy small colonies (we call them nucleus colonies here)?

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You can buy both packages and nucs here in the states. I would have liked to buy a nuc, but I wasn't sure how to transfer a nuc into a Warre, since Langstroths are the primary beehive here.

Gilberdyke John said:

J P the beeman is at the Merikan side of the pond and has lots of swarm catching video on youtube. Unlike a lot of the you tube content his offerings are sensible.

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JP is one of my favorite guys to watch on youtube. And you're right, he seems to be very commonsensical about a lot of swarm catches and removal.

Now that my bees are in, they seem to be settled a bit, but I noticed a small cluster of bees in the underside of the Warre roof. Is this normal? I have to open feed at the moment, since I have no idea what to do about the cluster. I accidentally shook them out and they startled me. But a few minutes later, the cluster was right back under the roof. Is this common for a Warre?

Gilberdyke John said:

J P the beeman

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Isn't he based in New Orleans? Its a long way from there to OH

B+. said:

Isn't he based in New Orleans? Its a long way from there to OH

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Maybe so but techniques he uses are worth understanding if nothing else it gives a novice some useful ideas to develop.

intlgrrl said:

Now that my bees are in, they seem to be settled a bit, but I noticed a small cluster of bees in the underside of the Warre roof. Is this normal? I have to open feed at the moment, since I have no idea what to do about the cluster. I accidentally shook them out and they startled me. But a few minutes later, the cluster was right back under the roof. Is this common for a Warre?

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Do you have the full Warre set up with the quilt box and fancy roof?

Warre at biobees

Dishmop said:

Do you have the full Warre set up with the quilt box and fancy roof?

Warre at biobees

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Yes I do. The quilt and everything, but I just thought it was weird that this little cluster is hanging under the space in the roof.

intlgrrl said:

I wish I had the tools to build a hive, but I don't, so I'm looking into purchasing another hive next month .

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Abbe Warre managed with just a plain box .. that's why it's called 'The Peoples Hive'. If you have a full warre set up you must have more than one box ?

If so - you have the ability to put your spare queen into one of your empty warre boxes - set it up on piece of board with a few bricks to keep it off the ground .. a roof can be just another piece of board .. get someone to drill a 1" hole in the box for an entrance and you have a makeshift hive that will see them through a month until you can get another full hive - by then you have two colones on the go and you don't have to worry about picking up a swarm.

Bit of lateral thinking required .... good luck.

intlgrrl said:

Yes I do. The quilt and everything, but I just thought it was weird that this little cluster is hanging under the space in the roof.

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How many boxes have you got in the stack ?

How are they getting into the roof space ? At the top of the hive you should have the quilt (a box with a hessian bottom that you fill with shavings) and the roof sits on top of that - have you got the hive set up correctly ?