Buying Bees

misfitmorgan

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My bees are suppose to be here Monday...yay!! Will i need to keep them shut in the hive for a few days with food or no? This is package bees. Dandelions are finally up and flowering here, tulips are up as well and a few other things so i dont know if they will have enough to forage. Some wild flowers across the road in the neighbors field are in bloom as well.
 

Happy Chooks

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No, don't close them up. They need ventillation and the ability to go out for cleansing flights and collect water. Install them, give them feed and reduce the entrance to a smaller size.
 

misfitmorgan

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Well crude i forgot to buy an entrance reducer...maybe i can find a paint stick or something.

Should the syrup be 1:2 or 2:2 for a brand new hive this time of year?
 

Maggiesdad

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4lb sugar, 1/2gal water... they'll figure out what to do with it.

Tightly rolled up newspaper will work for temporary... leave them a 1" opening.
 

Latestarter

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just to make sure, that's 1 pound sugar to 1 pound water... you can get actual conversion amounts with a google search.
 

misfitmorgan

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lmao...thank you..i ment to type 1:1 or 1:2 lmao. 2:2 would be 1:1 sometimes the fingers just dont type what the brain thinks.

OK so 1:1 got it. Thank you much guys
 

misfitmorgan

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Ok so no bees yet and im getting concerned. I misread the proof of sale, they were suppose to be shipped monday. So is it normal for bees to take 3+ days to reach you? They are coming from Georgia to Michigan.

Meanwhile the crab apple trees, and my macintosh apple trees have bloomed, goldenrod is out and my lilacs bushes will pop their blooms any time now.
 

Maggiesdad

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Wow, that's a long haul... you'll want to get them out and in their box ASAP. There will be dead ones on the bottom. Don't panic. Get them 1:1 syrup at once.
 
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