Installing the Bee Package - Beekeeping Supplies Protective Clothing Beekeeping Equipment

Installing the Bee Packages
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There are various methods of successfully installing a package of honeybees into their new hive. Here I am illustrating an easy, successful method that I use commonly. Variations on this method or entirely different methods of package installation are common, and you should choose the one with which you are most comfortable and which gives you the best success.

	Installation task
	Step 1 - Remove the top cover and hive-top feeder The hive hardware should already be completely assembled in your apiary site. Remove the telescoping top cover and hive-top feeder to expose the frames in the brood box.
	Step 2 - Separate frames to make space for the queen cage The queen cage should be placed in the center of the brood frames. You can separate the middle frames without removing any, to make enough space in which you will later insert the queen cage when it is removed from the package.
	Step 3 - Remove the package lid Using your steel hive tool, carefully remove the staples or nails that fasten the lid to the package. Make sure you don't jar the package during this process, so you will keep the bees as calm as possible.
	Step 4 - Feed the package syrup to calm them Spray both sides of the package again with sugar syrup. This calms the bees in preparation for the package installation.
	Step 5 - Loosen the queen cage tab A metal tab attaches the queen cage, which hangs inside the package, to the outside of the package. Remove the nail or staple that attaches the tab to the top of the package, so the queen cage can be removed.
	Step 6 - Pry the feeder can up for removal Hold the metal queen cage tab with one hand. Using your steel hive tool in the other hand, pry up the edge of the feeder can. Place your thumb under the edge after you have pried it up, so your thumb holds up one side of the feeder can, as shown here. This will allow you to grasp the can with your free hand to remove it and remove the queen cage.
	Step 7 - Remove the feeder can While still holding up one edge of the feeder can with your thumb, grasp the rim of the can with your free hand and slowly remove it from the package.
	Step 8 - Remove the queen cage Pull up on the metal tab attached the queen cage and remove the cage from the package.
	Step 9 - Replace the feeder can Being careful to not crush any bees, replace the feeder can. Don't let the can drop into the package, so you won't disturb the swarm.
	Step 10 - Coat the queen with syrup Bees will be clustered on the queen cage. Spray these bees and the queen with sugar syrup. This calms the attendant bees on the cage and also masks the odor of the queen, which increases her chance of acceptance by the colony. Many bee vendors use bees from a different colony with a queen when they assemble the package. So masking the queen's odor with syrup decreases the chance that the swarm will ball around the queen and suffocate her when she is released from her cage. You may consider mixing Honey-B-Healthy with the syrup to increase the chances of queen acceptance.
	Step 11 - See Next Page

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