When your three-pound package of bees arrives, aren’t you just dying to know how many bees are in there? You know your cost per pound, but what is your cost per bee? According to The ABC & XYZ of Bee Culture, European honey bee workers on an empty stomach number about 4000 to the pound […] Read more
When you receive a package of bees, the queen is in her own small cage attached to the inside of the package. Some beekeepers release her as soon as they install the package, and some wait for as much as a week before releasing her. What are the reasons for the difference? The packaging process […] Read more
In my earlier post on installing a package, I said you couldn’t use a baggie feeder while you were using my method of installation because there wasn’t enough room on top of the remaining five frames to lay the bags. What I failed to mention is that you can place a baggie feeder on top […] Read more
For the hobby beekeeper who is managing a small number of hives, installing a package can be quick and easy. I’ve tried different methods and I like this one the best. The bees will soon leave the package and cluster around the queen cage, caring for her through the screen, and eating through the candy. […] Read more