# New beekeeping, Western Wisconsin



## mplsbee (May 28, 2012)

Hello,

Here's my introduction, and happy to be here!

After about a years worth of research and forum lurking, my wife and I received a package of 4.9 sc bees from Wolf Creek Apiaries. I had prepared a Warre-style top bar hive, with a few modifications. The bees came and I installed them while making a series of mistakes. Being a first-time bee handler with no previous experience in beekeeping, I panicked  I liken the experience to trying to fight a house fire with no previous firefighting experience. I was wearing a veil, gloves, and about 4 layers of rain jackets, windbreakers, sweat pants, etc... I'm sure I looked like a multi-colored, Teletubby, bloated bear creature. After attempting to gently pour them in, I noticed one of them was under my veil (I was wearing it incorrectly, only make that mistake once), increased anxiety led me to a hurried install, which resulted in the direct release. I was stung on the left side of my eye, but wasn't horrible. They've been in there about 

I managed to get the whole thing on video, and when I get over my pride, I'll post a link, it's hilarious.

Anyways, looking forward to a long and knowledge collecting journey.

Thanks!

Steven


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## juzzerbee (Apr 17, 2012)

Sounds like a good time! How about at least a picture of the sting on your face for now??? HA! I too was overly worried putting in my first hives this year, but with a lot less gear on. Now I sit next to them without a shirt on and just watch them come and go without being afraid of them. Welcome fellow cheesehead!!!juzzerbee


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

Welcome to the site!


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## RogerCrum (Jun 19, 2011)

Steven,
Welcome to the site and we will look forward to your video.
Roger


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

Welcome Steven!


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## G Barnett (May 13, 2012)

Welcome. I am really looking forward to seeing the video! Ha ha, sounds like me.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Welcome. I'm just up the road in Hudson. When did you do you install your package? Your OP left that out. Don't bet that you'll only make that putting your veil on wrong mistake only once!


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## mplsbee (May 28, 2012)

Wow, Hudson, nice to meet you neighbor! 

I installed about a week and half ago. I'm a bit worried that the queen may be absent (possibly due to the direct release). Originally I had one box with top-bars installed on the bottom board, then an empty box above that with the can feeder (inversion) that came with the package sitting on the top bars. The quilt and roof above that. After a few days I opened the top of the hive to check the feeder. At that point the bees had begun building comb above the top bars. I removed the comb, the empty box, and the feeder. I then lifted the bottom box (with the top bars) and looked inside. They were building comb down from one of the top bars, so I was happy about that, it was perfectly symmetrical and hanging as it should. I then swapped the empty box on top for a smaller spacer (thinking the bees were building above due to the excessive space) and laid a plastic baggie feeder and some pollen patties inside. The spacer is about 3 inches vertical, compared to the empty box, which was closer to 13 inches.

I haven't seen any evidence of bees bringing pollen back, or noticed any eggs on the comb, BUT I've also read that a queen really won't start laying for over a week, so it's possible she's in there. I'm thinking I'll wait another week before disturbing the hive again (they were freaking pissed that first time, granted I was manipulating their comb, it took them two days to really calm down) and then checking again. If I see no evidence of a queen at that point, I may contact the apiary and see if they can still ship one. A little worried the bees won't have enough time to get going before they start dying off with no brood.

Anyhoo, any ideas on my thoughts, am I totally off here? And Adrian, I'm just South of Clifton Hollow on Double F. Are you in North Hudson? maybe sometime I could see your operation? I know there are a lot of beekeepers here at the University where I work, unfortunately I haven't met any of them personally, but hear of them regularly.

Thanks! Steven


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

*Welcome *

There is a $50 prize for making a mistake that we all haven't already made. 

The rush I get while working in the midst of a cloud of bees is one of the things i like best about beekeeping....I do, however, take care to close those gaps in the vail.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

*Re: Welcome *

Steven, sure you'd be welcome anytime. I'm in the Town of Hudson. Send me a PM and we'll set something up. Jim Kloek of Natures Nectar sells queens and should still have some left. http://www.natures-nectarllc.com/index.html 
It is safer to pick one up than have it die in the mail. Your plan sounds reasonable. Pollen coming in is a big indicator of queenrightness. Stay calm all is not lost and there is always something to worry about whether you have 1 colony or 40. RF looks like a good place to keep bees.


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## mplsbee (May 28, 2012)

*Re: Welcome *

Thanks Adrian. I will be gently "looking under the hood" this weekend, so if I don't see any queen-like attributes, I'll give Jim a call. I had also mentioned that I removed the extra comb the bees were building from atop the bars. What I failed to say was I moved to the bottom of the box, as to try to keep them from absconding. So I know have a chunk of comb on the bottom board, do you think it would be wise to remove it at the time of my next check, or should I wait until I nadir another box? I would hate to have them expend the energy working on comb which is not hanging from a top bar.

I also hear a lot opinions about working times. Intuitively I would thing cooler days, or early evenings would be ideal, as the bees seem to be calmer and more focused on clustering. What I'm reading is that day-times are better as the bees are out foraging, but with that they seem to be much more active while going in and out, and I wouldn't want to disturb the flow of traffic.

I do realize I've turned the welcome post into a more technical discussion, which would be better suited for another topic thread, I'm always apprehensive about cross-posting, as moderators would rather a new thread started or the existing moved. So if posting these questions here is taboo, someone let me know and I'll start a new thread in the appropriate section.

Thanks so much!


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

*Re: Welcome *

Steven, no worries I don't think anyone is going to beat up on you too badly for a first thread, but yes as your questions develop it is better to start a new thread in an appropriate section. Non-Langstroth questions are best asked in the Warre or TBH sections.
As you may have noticed beekeepers are an opinionated bunch, and so take all of our advice with a pinch of salt; Here is mine!
I'm assuming you are using a smoker. The best time to inspect is when the fewest foragers are present which is opposite to what your intuition had told you. Sunny days cause the testiest bees, the foragers, to be out working leaving the gentler bees at home. 
I would take the chunk of wax off the bottom board at the next inspection shake off the bees as best you can.


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