# Well I'm officially a Beek!!! I picked up 3 packages today.



## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

The hive with the 3 boxes. Why so many so early. You should start them off with 1 box and let them work on those frames first. If you give them too much space too fast you risk them absconding. Let them draw 7-8 frames then add another brood chamber. Checkerboard the frames to entice them to move up. The white stuff on their sides I believe is wax, kinda looks like gills.


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## Flyin Brian (Feb 27, 2016)

Billboard said:


> The hive with the 3 boxes. Why so many so early. You should start them off with 1 box and let them work on those frames first. If you give them too much space too fast you risk them absconding. Let them draw 7-8 frames then add another brood chamber. Checkerboard the frames to entice them to move up. The white stuff on their sides I believe is wax, kinda looks like gills.


There's only 2 boxes there. When I did the install on the right hive, I decided to set the package in the hive and let the rest of them come out on their own and into the correct hive. At that point I must have had 500 bees flying around my head and I was afraid they were not going to know which give to go to. I probably didn't need to worry about it, but it seemed like an easier way to get them out of the package. 
I'm planning to pull that upper box off tomorrow and just have a single deep for a while.


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

Good idea to get rid of the super. Is that a flow hive?

Cheers
Rob.


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## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

Gotta get my eyes checked, coulda swore there were 3. Lol. Getting older isn't fun anymore. Well congrats on the install, when you see eggs in the fresh comb it's a good sign that they will make it home. Just keep the feed on them, they will need it for making all the necessary comb.


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## missybee (Sep 6, 2014)

The larger bee is a drone, see the wings cover most of the body, the stuff dropping is from the bees, your bottom board will have bits of wax, bee parts, pollen, it gets covered. 

Per your pictures of yellow, it looks like their body fuzz, to me. 
We install our packages that way, put the package in the hive, remove it later. We leave the queen caged unless they have been together long enough that they have accepted her. 

Nice looking hive boxes! like the roof on the right side one.


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## Flyin Brian (Feb 27, 2016)

rmcpb said:


> Good idea to get rid of the super. Is that a flow hive?
> 
> Cheers
> Rob.


Yes, that's a flow hive. I had no idea people could have 1 or more hives at home until I heard about the flow hive, so if it had not been for hearing of it, I would have never done this.
Now looking back I could have bought 2 regular hives for the cost of the flow, but it will be interesting to see how it works out compared to the other one.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

I have 50 at Home, None are flow hives. I would like to know how it works out for you. Although I think they are better in theory that they will in practicality I would love to be proven wrong in my thinking on this. Please PM me when you get to the actually intended usage of it.


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## rmcpb (Aug 15, 2012)

Keep us posted on the flow super but now you need to build them up so the super disappears for a while &#55357;&#56832;


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## Flyin Brian (Feb 27, 2016)

Ok, so here's an update with a few questions-

I pulled off the super and checked my feeder in the flow hive. I'm using a 1 gal partition frame feeder from Mann Lake and I saw quite a few drowned bees in the syrup. I thought with the plastic ladders that was not likely, but I guess they still have trouble with falling in. 

So this afternoon I decided to look inside the other hive and see if they are making comb at all. I pulled 2 frames and then slid the frame with the queen to the side. I noticed the candy was gone so I thought the queen was released. I figure I better take the cage out so I pulled it out and noticed she was in there and there was about 1mm of candy remaining. Now I wasnt sure what to do as there was no way I could get the cage secured in the staple again, so I leaned it against the side of the box. Now I'm worried that I should have reattached it. Oh and the bees has started building honeycomb on the queen cage. That was kind of cool to see. 

I'm pretty sure she will be out tomorrow judging by how much of the plug they removed in 24 hours. 

So here are some questions:

1- I noticed lots of bees flying today, making actual flights off into the sky, many going on the same path. However, none of the returning bees had any pollen. Now I'm thinking maybe they don't collect pollen until the have a place to store it? I have only blank foundation as of now. 

2- why do they call it a telescoping lid if it doesn't telescope or slide in or out? 

3- I have screened bottoms on both hives. Should I leave the plastic shield installed or pull it out? It seems very hot during the day, but I also wonder about their ability to cool with that big opening? I'm in California and the weather is 60 to 70 days, lows of 50 right now.

4- still lots of dead bee in front of the hives, maybe 30 or 40. Is it ok to remove them or is it necessary? Whenever I think I should, I see a few are alive but crawling around in bad shape, some flipping upside down, acting weird. 

5- I realized today I have some crazy bush that drives bees wild in my yard. My bees aren't interested yet, but these little dark bees are all over it, along with huge bumble bees with their legs packed with pollen! I'll try to post a pic so I can figure out what it is.


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## Flyin Brian (Feb 27, 2016)




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