• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GardenFork - Eclectic DIY
  • Email Signup
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Video
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Email Signup
  • Podcast
  • Articles
  • Video
  • Follow Me Here:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Email Signup
    • Podcast
    • Articles
    • Video
  • Follow Me Here:

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Articles

    Hiving a bee package into our new beehive

    by Eric · This post may contain affiliate links, its one way we pay the bills. · Leave a Comment

    We've added a third hive to our beehives, and our package of bees arrived on Saturday. The weather was not great, cold and windy, so we thought we'd wait until the next day, Sunday. We kept our bees in the basement to keep them from overheating.

    Sunday arrives with wind and 32F. Not good. But we waited until 1 pm and the temperature rose above 50F, and it was time to hive the package. Hiving the package went really well. The worker bees stayed close to the queen in the new hive.

    You can watch our video: How to hive a package of bees here.

    The bees in the package are surrounding the queen cage and the sugar feeder in the box

    The bees in the package are surrounding the queen cage and the sugar feeder in the box

    Opening the top of the package reveal the queen cage and the sugar feeder can

    Opening the top of the package reveal the queen cage and the sugar feeder can

    Removing the queen cage from the bee package

    Removing the queen cage from the bee package

    This is the queen cage, the fondant on the left is pierced with a small nail and the worker bees will eat thru this to release the queen once this is put into the hive.

    This is the queen cage, the fondant on the left is pierced with a small nail and the worker bees will eat thru this to release the queen once this is put into the hive.

    Two bent nails are inserted into the queen cage, with the fondant candy facing up, this queen cage then sits between two frames in the middle of the new hive

    Two bent nails are inserted into the queen cage, with the fondant candy facing up, this queen cage then sits between two frames in the middle of the new hive

    After the queen is placed in the new beehive, the bees are added to the hive by shaking the hive package

    After the queen is placed in the new beehive, the bees are added to the hive by shaking the hive package

    You have to move the package back and forth

    You have to move the package back and forth

    The worker bees cluster around the queen cage that was placed in between the frames.

    The worker bees cluster around the queen cage that was placed in between the frames.

    I tear open the screen of the package to allow the last of the bees to exit to the hive.

    I tear open the screen of the package to allow the last of the bees to exit to the hive.

    An entrance reducer allows the young hive to defend the entrance from robber bees and yellow jackets. I did not have one of those wooden reducers, so I used a mouse guard.

    An entrance reducer allows the young hive to defend the entrance from robber bees and yellow jackets. I did not have one of those wooden reducers, so I used a mouse guard.

    « Beehive lost to nosema?
    Chicago, you are cleared for planting... GardenFork Radio »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

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

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Become a Monthly Supporter of GardenFork. Click Here To Learn More

    Pages

    • About
    • Email Signup
    • Let's Stay Connected With Each Other
    • Maple Syrup Evaporator Information
    • Pizza Oven Plans & Make Pizza Videos
    • Privacy Policy
    • Radio
    • Terms of Use & Affliate Information
    • The GF Amazon Shop
    • Want More GardenFork? Here You Go:

    My lawyer makes me do this part: Visitors agree to our Terms Of Service and Affliate Information - Use This Information At Your Own Risk

    Produced by GardenFork Media LLC, Brooklyn, NY ©2021 All Rights Reserved