How To Transfer New Bees Into Your Hive
When deciding where to place your beehive, there are few important things that you have to consider. Certainly, you should never put it in locations where it can be disturbed by pets or other people. You must ensure that it is safely kept away so the bees will not harm anyone.
It is also important that you purchase the tools you will need for beekeeping. Also, before using the equipment you should read the instructions carefully first to avoid making mistakes when the bees arrive.
Winter is the best time for ordering and transferring bees since they are less active then. You may choose to pick your bees up from a local beekeeper or have them delivered. In some cases, you may decide to order your bees and have them delivered through the mail. If you have your bees shipped to you in this manner, don't be surprised to find a few dead ones when you open the box. Being shipped in such a manner is stressful to the bees and it will kill some of them. It is best to buy local bees if they are available.
If you have your bees shipped through the mail, you should find the queen bee in her own container topped with a cork. When you remove the cork, you will find a second cover that is made from sugar and placed there to feed the queen during shipping. It is best to transfer the queen and the rest of the bees either in the late evening hours or early morning.
Take special care not to injure the queen when you transfer her to your hive. The standard procedure is to hang the small shipping container in the middle of the hive and let the queen find her own way out. The remaining bees can be coaxed into the hive by spaying it with a sugar solution. A smoker can be used if needed to move the bees towards the hive.
Once the bees have been moved into your hive, leave them alone for a few weeks. This will allow them to settle into their new surroundings. The queen will start to lay eggs and the hive will begin to make honey.
An important aspect of moving bees into their new home is to make sure you have everything ready and waiting for them to move in. This will make the transition as stress free as possible and therefore you will lose fewer bees. Also be sure to have your protective equipment on hand before bringing home live bees. If you transfer your bees during the winter at either early morning or late evening and have your smoker nearby and protective headgear, then you should not encounter any problems when introducing bees to their new home.