Packaged Bees Hive Hack
After the early losses and getting a single hive through winter, I was optimistic that this second season would be the year I harvested honey. I made plans to reverse the hive body and do a split to avoid swarming. Weird spring weather laid all those plans to waste as I saw this hive struggle to build up as expected. This lead to the “Packaged Bees Hive Hack”!
I thought about the fact I might again have to buy a package of bees. I thought about whether or not I could be lucky enough to catch more than one swarm to replace both hives. Then I got greedy and wondered what I would do if I had more than two swarms. What if one of the swarms was combined with the weak hive through a newspaper combination technique? Minus the queen of course. This idea didn’t seem right some how, these bees had left out into the cold cruel world with their queen to build a new hive. How could I kill or remove their queen?
On the other hand, in a package of bees the queen wont normally have any relationship to the other bees. Plus, she comes in an easy to find cage. This makes it easy to sell her to recoup some cost or re-queen one of your other hives.
First Year Hives Packaged Bees Hive Hack
For a first year hives, this is how the hack plays out. You will need to order two packages to arrive at least a week apart, but two week is better. Why the delay? The first package will need time to settle in to the hive before adding the second group of bees. The new queen releases from her cage after 5 to 7 days. Two weeks gives her time to settle in and start laying eggs.
You may have heard that all bee keeping is local, so apply the following to your local climate. I order the first package to arrive around our average last frost date. Then the second package arrives two weeks later. While it is not scientific, two weeks after that has typically been when I start catching swarms. To me that means the nectar flow is on or just beginning. This time table means my new hive is full of bees of foraging age and the queen is in full out production when the nectar flow starts.
Per normal package installation, you will need to feed the bees at first. They will need the extra resources to build comb to make room for the queen to lay. Install the second package above a sheet of newspaper in a new box and feed them separately. Another week goes by and the two groups should have combined and be using a single common feeder. Some where around that fourth or fifth week, they will stop taking the sugar syrup and that will confirm the nectar flow has started.
Existing Hives Packaged Bees Hive Hack
For existing hives, the hack works in a similar manner. This time purchase only one package to arrive two weeks after average last frost and/or two weeks before peak swarm / nectar flow. The other difference is you will only need to feed the package while it is confined above the newspaper. Once they have combined, then they can be weaned off the sugar syrup.
Variation of the Packaged Bees Hack
When you are just getting started, you might need to increase the number of hives you have in your apiary. In this case I recommend splitting the second package. Place the queen and half the bees in a 5 frame nuc. Use the other half of the bees as described above to boost a new or existing hive.
Conclusion
Now you know how to hack your hive with packaged bees. They are extra bees to add to your workforce early in the season. The timing is great, you will need bees to take advantage of the nectar flow and packages are available during this time for purchase.
If you need more details on how to install a package or create a nuc, click the funny looking bee to the right labeled “Beekeeping made easy”
Comment below with your thoughts on other ways to use a package of bees to boost honey production.