This is the first step to install a bee package in your new hive. There are two videos in this post, each will show half of the process.
In this first video, I pull the queen out of the bee package and then remove the cork and replace it with a candy plug (a marshmallow). Then I install the queen cage in the hive box.
Next up--the drop! (That's what I call it when I dump the 4,000 worker bees in on top of the queen.)
Here is my beekeeping book on Amazon: The Beekeeper's Guide: Fun and Simple Steps to Apiary Success and Self Sufficiency
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**All pictures and video come from my phone--
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▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
Does the Queen eat the MarshMallow to get out ?
Great insight to the unknown.
Thanks for the dtube video.
That's a great question. The worker bees start to eat it right away. It typically takes them about two or three days to break through and free the queen. This allows the workers to "catch" the scent of the queen and accept her before she is free to walk around. The workers, having accepted her as the queen, work to keep her fed, comfortable, and laying eggs. If she was just released into the hive without a delay of a day or two or three, she might be inclined to leave since she doesn't feel quite at home.
Perfectly written!
Thank you for sharing tips on how to keep bees. Good luck always for you @bigpanda.
Absolutely! It is very fun for me to share.
@bigpanda You love to the bees and do a great work. Happy day
I do love the bees!
Wow! Amazing video! I learn something new today :) Don't you be afraid of bees? Eheheh
Thanks. I think you will really love the one I'm posting tomorrow.
First looking as Dtube, awesome guideline to focus as keeping bees video @bigpanda
Very interesting, @bigpanda! But I noticed that the second hive is standing on the ground without supports. Is it really true or is there a stand or special legs?
Or for you it does not matter?
Very interesting video! I like honey with acacia and buckwheat most of all!
I have most of them on small pallets. This one was for a neighbor and she wanted it right on the ground. So I put a board between the hive and the ground to keep a bit of moisture away from the wood. It seems to be doing ok--it's been there for two years now.
Really, is it possible to install a package of bees in a hive at home? I didn't before it that's why I'm shocked. Thank You so much, I'd love to try this method at my home. I may need more info if I stuck at some point then I'll contact you.:)
Definitely honeybees. They don't really sting when you are installing a new package--they are pretty mellow because they don't have a queen yet and aren't protecting their home.
Oh finally I have learned a new procedure, that how can we keep bees in the hive, that's an interseting thing which I have seen today. But tell me one thing there was a bee on your T!shirt, dO'nt you feel fear that the bee can bite you ??
They are pretty mellow during the install. They fly around all over and land on me quite a bit, but they are very docile at this stage because they don't have a home or queen to defend yet.
ohk ! taht's interseting :)
I always wondered how folks added the queen to get things started in a new hive. Thanks for sharing.
I was nervous when I saw the bee on your shirt working its way up. :)
Thanks for being nervous for me! I once wore a hood with a hole in it and had a few inside my hood--that actually made me a bit nervous. But my regular shirt and hood keep them away very effectively.
Do you get stung often? I notice you didn't have any smoke, is that normal?
Almost never on install. I don't use smoke when putting them in the hive--they aren't protecting anything because they don't have a home or a queen yet so they are very docile. I actually hardly ever wear gloves for install either, but I didn't want people to panic, so I wore them for the video.
When working on the hive at other times, once they are established, I always use my hood, gloves, and definitely smoke. The smoke masks the stings pheromone so if one bee does sting you or your clothes, the other bees don't come swarming over to sting as well. It also causes the bees to gorge on honey in the expectation they will have to abandon the hive and that distends their abdomen, making it harder for them to curl into the stinging position.
There is more to all this than I realized. Thanks.
I think its a tricky job and it helps to love bees lol. Great post.
A bit tricky, but mostly because I'm wearing gloves. Most of the time when I install I don't wear gloves, but since I was shooting a video, I wanted it to be proper and all. Plus I didn't want to get stung and start saying things I wouldn't want on video. :)
Aww excellent, your a man of many talents
you love bees great work @bigpanda. i love to
I always follow you my dear....... best of luck
Thanks so much for giving a nice dtube video with nice bees
Very good post my friend
Thanks for sharing
Please up vote
dtube... the youtube of poor :p
excellent post. I will try to replicate that practice. I think it is very important that we keep these magnificent workers because without them we would lose too much. In the garden of my house there is a palm tree that bears fruit at this time, butia capitata, and that provides us with a constant buzz throughout the day. I will try to relocate this audience of bees to a homemade hive. Then I will tell you. Thanks for sharing!
Wow! It’s my first time to see someone here in steemit who posted about bees and it’s very amazing for i really love bees! You put the queen cage to a hive then put some candy to the opening of the cage since the queen is still a stranger to the bees and might get killed. And when the bees starting to eat the candy, they begin to adopt and when the candy i already gone, by that time they already know the queen. Am i right? Haha how amazing bees are! :)
Actually, Im currently working in a bee cafe but sill an ojt though. Well, Amazing post once again! 😊
I love how you do your bee and take care of them
Just BEEcareful
Nice work
wall this is truly amazing
I've taught my kids to say, about bees, since their mother is crazy afraid and runs away like a maniac: "Let them BEE". I'd love to talk about bees some time if you have any time and it's convenient for you. I'm alx#3690 on discord if so. Around about half of every day!
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Queen Bee is Bee responsible in the process of reproduction in the colony honey bees. Bee ewe's is the only bees make the process of marriage. Queen Bee is the leader of a colony bees. he is the key success of the cultivation of livestock bees. if the Queen Bee leave nest the entire colony also going to leave the nest follow the Queen lebah.posting you very useful for me .... thank you.
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Very intersting, when I have bees, I follow your guidlines thank you :p
This post has received a 15.37 % upvote from @booster thanks to: @bigpanda.
🐝 very nice
🐝very nice
Nice post. I invite you to my profile about beekeeping !
Wow this is so interesting. You really did it. Reading your comments below has answered my questions.
Oh no! I want to keep bees, but I'm not entirely comfortable around large numbers of them.
Hopefully I'll get over it. Thanks!
Does the worker bees break the cage? wow what an awesome hobby i must start it I m getting interested in it and bees are also nice to watch but from a distance :D lovely hobby you have @bigpanda
Oh great Information thank u for sharing this valuable information with us... Keep sharing
I wish i can keep honeybees i my backyard in OZ but i guess its not allowed to keep them in the house here
Really nice what you do.
If you want to safely remove bees from anywhere, brush them off with goose or turkey wing. It's way safer than with your hands or with a brush because the bees don't get squished or caught in the feathers.
Our family is looking to start beekeeping this spring. Looking forward to doing this myself!