Katrina and I installed the package of bees yesterday. Katrina shot a brave video with no bee suit. Neither of us were stung. The bees were really nice. The video is embedded on Chestnut Homestead blog.
We are trying some different stuff with our first hive. Maybe that is not smart.
First, we are foundationless frames. I did put starter strips of wax (about three inches) on each of the frames. Before we installed the bees, I sprayed the bottom box of the hive pretty thoroughly with sugar syrup. I made an extra effort to spray the top bars of the frames. Also sprayed the inside of the hive. Sprayed the top box and top bars in those frames too, but just not as heavily.
Next, we followed the advice of Michael Bush and did not leave the queen cage in the hive. Bush thinks that is why comb gets off kilter. It is the central point where the bees start their comb building and naturally can encourage building comb in directions other than down the top bars and into the frames.
I do not intend to open up the hive to check anything (as I would have to do to verify the queen escaped out of the cage if I had left the caged queen in there). This plan will minimize disruption as the girls get their new hive in order. When I put the top boxes on it in about a month, I will need to adjust the hive entrance also.
I placed a quart jar of syrup outside the hive on a homemade feeder. The bees paid nary any attention to it yesterday. But this afternoon, they were buzzing about the feeder and it is about half empty. Will need to buy more sugar and give them some more food this weekend until they get rolling with nectar.
The red maples and bradford pear trees are in blossom. We have both of these around so the bees may be foraging them for pollen.
Katrina watched the bees for an hour today and did not see them going anywhere but back and forth to the syrup.
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