Putting The Bees In The Hive

Remove the cork or paper or metal covering from the candy end of the queen cage and hang it, candy end down, between the second and third frame, as pictured, supporting it with the wire wrapped around a small nail driven in the top bar or with the metal clip supplied. Be sure that the candy end is open so that the bees can chew through it and release the queen in a few hours.

Hung the queen cage between the second and third frames with the candy end down, making sure that the cork or metal gate has been removed so that the bees can chew out the candy and release the queen.

Hung the queen cage between the second and third frames with the candy end down, making sure that the cork or metal gate has been removed so that the bees can chew out the candy and release the queen.

Jam the shipping cage squarely to the ground and remove the feeder can; then pour the bees into the opening in your hive made by removing the five frames. The bees will roll out of the shipping cage like so much oats. There will be a few left in the cage so jam it down again and repeat until most of the bees are in the hive. Put on the cover and leave until 2 days later when all of the bees will be off the floor and the five extra frames may be put into place without smashing any of the bees.

Pour the bees into the empty space hut pour a few right over the queen cage so that they will gather around and keep her warm. Not many of the bees will fly because they are wet.

Pour the bees into the empty space hut pour a few right over the queen cage so that they will gather around and keep her warm. Not many of the bees will fly because they are wet.

If you leave the cover off the hive for too long a time without smoking, the bees will cover the top of the frames and overflow onto the sides as pictured to prevent robbers from entering the hive. Smoke and brush the bees off the top edges of the hive so as not to crush them with the super or cover. Those on the outside will re enter the hive through the entrance.

If you leave the cover off the hive for too long a time without smoking, the bees will cover the top of the frames and overflow onto the sides as pictured to prevent robbers from entering the hive. Smoke and brush the bees off the top edges of the hive so as not to crush them with the super or cover. Those on the outside will re-enter the hive through the entrance.

On the third day the bees should be making some progress like this, in drawing out two or three of the frames.

On the third day the bees should be making some progress like this, in drawing out two or three of the frames.

On the 3rd day if a considerable amount of the bees are clustered on the inner cover, turn it over gently and put the frames in place then shake the bees onto the frames and smoke them gently to force them down onto the foundation.

Gently lift the queen cage out and if the cage is empty throw it away and close the hive. If the queen is still in the cage run a match or small stick up through the candy in the end of the queen cage to loosen it so that the bees can get through in an hour or so. Then close the hive. Remove the empty queen cage the next day but do not lift out any of the frames.

The Boardman feeder is on the outside where you can keep track of it and syrup should be kept in it continuously until the bees have completely drawn out all of the frames in the brood nest and filled them with honey and brood. To stop feeding the bees earlier is foolhardy and is jeopardizing your investment in your beekeeping venture.

On the fifth day, if the weather is warm or the first warm day thereafter, open the hive and using only a little smoke, lift out the frame where most of the bees are and if the bees have been progressing satisfactorily part of the foundation should be drawn out and probably there will be eggs in some of the cells. Bee eggs are small, white cylinders that are placed regularly on the bottom of the cells by the queen. They are about the diameter of a fine needle but of course much shorter but they can be readily seen by the naked eye when the frames are held up to the light.

If the queen is not laying on the 5th day after she is released write the shipper air mail for a free replacement, as she may be defective. Probably not over one queen in a thousand becomes defective in shipment but a few never lay after introduction, a few lay only drone eggs and a few lay only a few scattered eggs and of course these must be replaced promptly or the entire swarm will soon die out.

On the fifth day if the bees have plenty of feed and the weather is warm the comb should be drawn out this far and the queen laying in many of the cells.

On the fifth day if the bees have plenty of feed and the weather is warm the comb should be drawn out this far and the queen laying in many of the cells.

In ten days the colony should have sealed and unsealed brood. Just outside of this there should be many cells containing pollen (bee bread which may vary from light yellow to deep red ) and beyond this sealed and unsealed honey or syrup.

In ten days the colony should have sealed and unsealed brood. Just outside of this there should be many cells containing pollen (bee bread which may vary from light yellow to deep red ) and beyond this sealed and unsealed honey or syrup.

If there are eggs you most certainly have a queen and if the weather is warm it will be well for you to locate the queen. She will now be twice as large as when you saw her in the cage and she will appear to be a lighter yellow in color. Remember to look for a long, slim bee that has the middle part of her body shiny. If you don't find her readily put the hive back together and look the following day and when you do see her you will not understand how you overlooked her the first time. Once you learn to recognize a queen you will find her quickly most of the time.

With the queen now laying and feed being kept constantly in the feeder the colony should develop rapidly. The worker bees will be drawing out the comb and the queen will be laying eggs in the cells as rapidly as they are built. Three days after the eggs are laid they will hatch into horse shoe shaped larvae, which will grow and be sealed over by the 10th day. Some of the bees will be feeding these larvae, others will be gathering pollen on the warm days and others will be storing and curing the sugar syrup in cells near the top bars.