So our packages arrived early this year. I was preparing everything for Monday, but Beemaid called to say things were already in. I headed over to my friend place to pick up the package and was shocked to discover that the packages were square this year. I had seen square packages before in my research years ago, but I've only ever seen bees come in tubes. This should be fun, but first things first, I gotta get the hive set-up.
Due to the ever expanding garden my wife is making, I've had to relocate my bees into the far NE corner of our yard. This serves two purposes, first it lets my wife's garden expand and second it keeps it as far away visibly from crazy French lady. I know it's now allowed, but we'll try and keep things low profile as to save By-law's time.
Next on my list is to make sure my neighbour doesn't have his hot tub's filter clogged up with dead bees like my first attempt years ago. We now have a rain barrel that's somewhat in between the hive and hot tub, so I needed something that would allow the bees to access this water easily without drowning. Dollar store pool noodle to the rescue! This is a super easy way to let the bees have little "lily pads" in which to land on, using a kitchen knife I simply cut 1/4" pieces off and threw them into the rain barrel. Will this work? I guess only time, and my neighbour, will tell.
Now it was time to make some feed. As I'm installing a package, the bees will need some serious food to get things rolling especially with the cold weather forecasted for the next few days. Feed is really easy to make, take a pint of sugar and add it to a pint of boiling water. Stir to dissolve. I then put it in my frame feeder, seen here on the left side, and my bees shall be eating like Kings until the dandelions are in full bloom.
With everything set, I retrieve the package from the garage. With the square package you have to first pry out the feeding container, taking care to get the queen cage out. Once you've gotten the queen out safely and ensured she's alive and well, you can then thump the package on the ground to clump the bees and then turn it upside down and pour them all out. I have to admit, the tube packages make this process super easy, but the hole in the middle of the top of a square means you need to tilt the box back and forth and you'll never get all the bees out. After getting as many out as I could, I put the box in front of the hive entrance and hopefully by night fall all the lady's will have found their way inside.
One thing I will need to purchase for future inspections is a long sleeve white shirt. Today I donned the only white shirt I owned which happened to have short sleeves and inevitably it came back to bite me, or should I say sting me, in the ass. While attempting to get all the bees out of the box, one poor girl must have gotten stuck up my sleeve and panicked like most girls do around my armpits. It was an odd feeling, as it's been years since I was last stung, a slow pulsing throb that something has gone awry and at the same time it was comforting and calming. I'm an urban beekeeper again. I went in side to grab a knife and scrape the venom sack off, always scrap never pinch it off with your fingers as that will inject more venom making things a bit worse.
In a few days I'll inspect them to see how they're making out, until then I'll keep you posted as to how our Westie will adjust to having the hive in the backyard.....this could get interesting.
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