Installing Your First Package of Bees

Many people start their beekeeping journey by ordering a package of bees. This package includes 3lbs of bees and a queen. It will need a little more TLC than a full colony or a nuc since the bees will have to build their hive from the very beginning. The queen will have to be released from her cage and establish her reign, the package of bees will have to build comb and prepare the hive, and the colony will have to gain enough strength to defend itself before it can grow and produce enough honey for you to harvest. The benefit is that you can observe this whole process and hopefully learn to understand your bees better because of it.

Here are 2 different ways you can install a package of bees:

Method 1:

1. Before your package is delivered you should prepare your equipment. Make sure the box is assembled and ready. Painting, staining, or whatever you chose to do to the wood should be done. The frames also need to be prepared. They should be assembled and have wax foundation in them, if you ordered new and not used. The bottom board and top covers also need to be on and ready for use. If you purchased used equipment then it all needs to be cleaned and disinfected to prevent contaminating your new hive.
2. When your package of bees arrives you need to check on the bees. Make sure there are no leaks in the box, there shouldn’t be a lot of dead bees on the bottom, and the box’s total weight should be about 4.5 lbs. If , for any reason, you need to store the bees for any length of time you will need to spray them with sugar syrup (a sugar and water combination) to feed them then store them in a cool, dark area.
3. Bring your package to the place where you have the hive set up. Take the covers off the box, pull 4-5 frames out of the center, and put an entrance reducer in place. Have all of your tools and your feeder ready.
4. Spray the package of bees heavily with sugar syrup then knock the box on the top of frames to loosen up the bees. Don’t worry about hurting them, they will be fine.
5. Very quickly lift the cover of the box then remove the feeding can and queen cage.
6. Dump the package of bees into the empty space in the box. Then slowly replace the frames and wedge the queen cage in between the two center frames with the screen facing the empty space between the frames so the bees can still reach her. Leave the piece of hard candy in the queen cage, the bees will usually free her within a couple of days. Put the feeder in place and close up the hive.

Method 2:

You will want to leave the package that the bees came in sitting beside the hive for a little while so that the slow and confused bees can find their new home. Pick up the rest of your tools and head to the house.

Check on them after 2-3 days and see if they have released the queen. If not, pull out the cork and put the queen cage back. In 2-3 more days check again to see if they have released her. If not – let her out. If so – good! You will want to leave the hive alone for a couple weeks and let them get established. Then, proceed into the world of beekeeping with caution. There is much to learn and plenty to enjoy once you put on the veil.