Package (packaged) bees installation

There are three most commonly used method of package bees installations.  And I named them:  "Pour the bees directly over the queen cage", "Placing the package into the hive",  and "Direct release".

METHOD # 1 - "Pour the bees directly over the queen cage"                                                                - 

- Place package on its side. To keep bees from flying, dip bee brush in syrup   and brush gently onto screen wire; 

- Using hive tool, pry open top of package bees;                                                                       

- While holding top of package, lift from ground a few inches and then set  back on ground to knock bees to bottom;                                                                                                                                                     

- Once opened remove syrup can and remove queen cage. Cover package hole   while preparing queen for install;                                                                                                                                                   

-   Remove cork/candy cover. Place queen cage between top bars, candy end up slightly.   Use wire or push two frames together to hold;                                                                                                                

- Pour the bees directly over the queen cage. Tap package to get the remaining  bees together;           

- Place inner cover gently back on hive being careful to cluster now;                                                         

- Be sure to reduce entrance to a small opening. This will help the   bees guard the entrance until the colony grows. (Dadant $ Sons, Inc.)

METHOD # 2  "Placing the package into the hive"

METHOD # 3 "Direct release" More details 

Some additional recommendations:   You have to remove queen cage in 3-5 days after installation. Some beekeepers (Me too) poke a small hole through the candy with a needle, nail, toothpick or piece of wire. The hole encourages the bees to chew the candy, thus releasing the queen  more quickly.  Some beekeepers prefer to place cage  with the screen side facing the bottom of the hive.   This will make it easier for the bees to feed the queen through the screen until candy plug is eaten away.  After installation, you should examine your bee hives only in case of obvious necessity. Before you plan to disturb your bees, think about the appropriateness of such a step. Remember, that during the honey flow season, each opening of the hive leads to significant losses of honey.   Also, every  time you inspect your hive there is a chance that you accidentally could damage or kill the queen. Therefore, try to find answers to your concerns based on indirect observation and outside attributes like newly emerged bees with damaged wings, an adult worker bees with damaged wings or bees without wings. An additional example of my <i>"pollen collection as proof of the presence of a healthy and mated queen" you have just settled a new colony into a hive or placed a new queen into an existing colony and want to know whether she is alive and whether she started laying eggs.  Instead of disturbing your bees, look carefully at workers' behavior. If the worker bees are actively bringing pollen to the hive, it's a 99.9 percent guarantee that everything is okay with the queen or at least "base for the new queen" (queen cells, eggs or  young uncapped larvae) is presented. The biology of the Honey bees (Apis mellifera) explains my statement: worker bees collect the  pollen and then mix it with some nectar. Such form of mixture (called beebread) is a protein-rich food used to feed the larvae (immature bees).  But you definitely have to inspect the hive in a situation when the workers  in that hive are not bringing pollen, while the workers in the rest of your colonies are.  One of the reasons that workers are not bringing pollen could  be the absence of the queen or the queen is still unmated or the queen is unhealthy. In a situations when you want to make sure that the queen is present,  you can follow my recommendations:    

1. Try not to do it during cold or windy weather.                                                                                           

2. Upon removal of the inner cover, first check the underside of the inner cover for  the queen.  Usually, the queen is located in the place where there is the highest  amount of worker bees.  Generally, it is not recommended to take out  first the frames with the most bees due to a chance of damaging or killing  the queen.  Therefore, it is better to start this task  with the frame,  which contains fewer bees, generally on the side of the hive. If the first frame is fastened to the side of the hive body you can slide a scraper/spackle knife between them.                                                                 

3. Take one side frame out and inspect it visually. There is still a chance  that the queen could be there, therefore you should not put the frame on the ground, but use a nuc box as a temporary location.  For the same purpose you can also use a Frame Holder (Frame Perch).                              

4. Continue by initially shifting the second frame into the open spot on  the side and then lifting it out.  Inspect the frame to see if the  queen is there and return the frame into the side spot.  Continue this motion as necessary with the next frames, by first shifting then lifting  and replacing frames in a sequence until the queen is located.                                                                                          

5. Once you are satisfied that everything is okay with the queen,  it is better to put back the frame with the queen in reverse motion.   In other words, put the frame with the queen into an open spot and then shift it back into place.  Then shift the rest of the frames  towards the frame with the queen and put back the very first frame into its original place.                                                                  

6. In addition, note that it is better to inspect frames directly above  the hive, just in case the queen falls from the frame.  If you haven't  found the queen on your first try, don't be disappointed and don't try to repeat the task right way.  Sometimes the queen can be on the wall or the floor of the hive.  It is better to close the hive and come back  in a few hours.  Chances are the queen could move onto a frame during  this time.                                                                                                              

7. Finally, it is not necessary to see the queen. If young larvae are  visible in the cells you know a queen was present at least a few days before.