So I hived my bees....

[Iceblink]

Bee - the queen introduction sheet said the queen cage has a solid wood plug. You can either take it out and put in a mini marshmallow and let the bees chew it out, you can take the plug out right away, or you can do what I did and put the whole cage in the hive, and go back in 3-5 days and take the plug out.

I decided to do the 'wait and let her out after a few days' method, I'll go check and release her tomorrow. I am worried that it will be too soon, but it is awfully cold and windy here and I have a screened bottom board, so I'm worried about drafts. I don't want her to get too cold. I wish they did candy plugs, then I wouldn't have to worry. If I order from them again (and I probably won't) I will do the marshmallow method. I was just nervous about the wind and my lack of dexterity in my gloves, I didn't want to accidentally release or hurt her trying to stuff the marshmallow in the cage hole.

Reinbeau - yes, I meant a division board feeder. Thank you. The class I took said to keep it full for the first few weeks until the blooms have really gotten going.

I am taking the 'hands on' part of the class in a couple weeks, but not soon enough for my bees, so I just had to go on what I read. It would have been nice to see it done in person before I tried it.

What do you all use as your water sources? Or do you have a natural source? I read in a magazine about making a sand cast leaf birdbath, and it looked ideal for a bee water source, lots of shallow little 'veins' of water that they wouldn't drown in. Has anyone tried this?

 

[FarmerDenise]

We have a little fish pond with water lilies and other aquatic plants floating in it, the bees love it. In my frontyard I made a little pond for the birds. I layed a small crooked log across it and discovered the bees like that also. The log is partially submerged in the water and gets waterlogged. The bees drink the water off the log.
In the past I have gone and covered a piece of styrofoam with a green plastic leafshaped cut-out and put it in my small ponds, so the bees and other insects had something to climb on and get a drink of water.

 

[Iceblink]

FD - That sounds lovely.

 

[reinbeau]

I can't stand operations that don't provide the candy already inserted, it's so much easier to let the workers release her rather than going back in and having to pry a little wooden peg out - shame on them.

There are some who advocate an immediate release of the queen. Most go with the slow release. Remember, those bees were 'shook' into that package from a roiling mass of bees that had been shook into a container from many different hives - they aren't hivemates. They don't know each other or the queen. If we're installing packages up here that come up from Georgia they at least have a day or two to settle down in transit and they might become accepting of the queen in those days, the direct release method might work, but I still wouldn't do it, I've heard too many horror stories of balled queens or even killing the queen inadvertently - not a happy thought!

As for water, we keep several fie gallon buckets with wood in them, and replace the water weekly (can you say mosquito breeding ground!!), they use them all the time. Be aware of local pools, the bees are attracted to the chlorine, and neighbors aren't happy with bees in and around their pool!

 

[bibliophile birds]

What do you all use as your water sources? Or do you have a natural source? I read in a magazine about making a sand cast leaf birdbath, and it looked ideal for a bee water source, lots of shallow little 'veins' of water that they wouldn't drown in. Has anyone tried this?

http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/extras/53birdbatha.html

we've got a stream, a lake, and two cattle water troughs that 10 of the hives have almost immediate access too. we've never had to supplement their water. but we put two new hives here at the house late last summer and their nearest source of water is an unreliable pond. i've been thinking about doing something for them. that birdbath is adorable and ingenious!

 

[bibliophile birds]

B Birds - I would love to see your record templates. I keep pretty through informal records, but an organized way to keep them would be pretty sweet.

no problem. just send me a PM with your email and i'll forward them to you.

 

[Iceblink]

the direct release method might work, but I still wouldn't do it, I've heard too many horror stories of balled queens or even killing the queen inadvertently - not a happy thought!

Are you saying I should put the marshmallow in the hole to the queen cage at this point? It's been 3 full days, and I thought it might be ok to let her out now?

 

[Beekissed]

I have a mountain stream across the road and the farmer has a spring hole dammed up for his livestock. I am slightly worried about the bees having to cross the busy highway to get water, so I'm planning a small pond on the property. If I can't get that done this year, I will just invest in a bird bath....I need one anyway.

Iceblink, thanks for the info! I wonder if one could just form a plug from beeswax, honey and lemongrass EO instead of buying the mini mallows?

Ann, what do you think? Would this be okay?

 

[reinbeau]

the direct release method might work, but I still wouldn't do it, I've heard too many horror stories of balled queens or even killing the queen inadvertently - not a happy thought!

Are you saying I should put the marshmallow in the hole to the queen cage at this point? It's been 3 full days, and I thought it might be ok to let her out now?

You could, although after three full days (plus transit time) you may be ok to pull the cork - do it sooner rather than later, though, she needs to get out and get going, and any worker attendants in there with her need to get going, too.

I have a mountain stream across the road and the farmer has a spring hole dammed up for his livestock. I am slightly worried about the bees having to cross the busy highway to get water, so I'm planning a small pond on the property. If I can't get that done this year, I will just invest in a bird bath....I need one anyway.

I wouldn't worry about the highway, but it would be nice to have a water source near them, and ponds are always nice!

Iceblink, thanks for the info! I wonder if one could just form a plug from beeswax, honey and lemongrass EO instead of buying the mini mallows?

Ann, what do you think? Would this be okay?

I'd stick with the candy plug (I don't think they use marshmallows commercially, I think it's fondant, just a sugar plug, really). It isn't worth getting too fancy about it, because it's just supposed to keep her safe while her pheromones permeate the hive and they accept her.

 

[Aidenbaby]

My mother made an inexpensive birdbath out of 4 terra cotta pots that were stacked and a terra cotta saucer on top. She painted the outside of the pots and saucer. Then, she had run a metal rod through the drainage hole, put rubber gaskets and washers on each end and finished it off with nuts. Finally, all she did is put the structure on a level area of the yard and put the saucer on the top. It's cute, holds more water than a lot of commercial baths and you can make one any size you need as long as you make sure that the "base" pots are proportional to the saucer. In the past, we've had pea gravel and stones in the saucer to make some more shallow areas for butterflies and bees. I'll some pictures later to show yall.