Installed my new Saskatraz bee package on Tuesday evening. Didn’t turn out like I thought or planned it out. Researched for two years before ordering hive and bees. On install the bees were very defensive. The apiary I purchased from said they just installed the queen in the package. I placed the queen in a frame horizontally with a rubber band. I sprayed the bees gently with sugar syrup and shook the bees into the box. The feeder can was more than half full, but I still placed a rapid feeder up top with sugar syrup.
I had to adjust a few things with the hive and when I got near the hive, they started getting defensive immediately. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. I walked away a few times to give them some time and changed my clothes in case alarm pheromones were on me.
They told me to release the queen on Friday(tomorrow) since there is only a cork with no candy. I hope they are more relaxed, I really wanted a docile experience and heard saskatraz carried the best traits.
Hopefully queen is alive(how would I know before going into the frames?) and when released and laying eggs the next Gen bees are docile. I also used the smoker conservatively. Watching how docile other bee packages were even when shaken roughly makes me wonder if I chose the right bees. Would love some words of wisdom and encouragement, thank-you:)
I waited 2 weeks before inspection of frames on my package install. Just monitor your syrup. When you do go to inspect you will just be looking for honeystores and brood. You don’t have to find the queen. If there is brood, she is working. Also, you only need to look at 1 or 2 frames.
The temperament of the Saskatraz bees are very similar to the Russian bees as well. They are a little more aggressive than Italian or Carniolan bees but from what I read they resist pests and disease better.
Thank you both for the replies! I am going to give it some time. I’m going to release the queen tomorrow since it’s only a cork still holding her in her cage. Cage didn’t include candy behind the cork.
Welcome! I agree with Freddie and Alok, and I’m betting they’ll calm down once they’ve accepted their new queen and can get to work building comb and raising brood. I would watch the entrance in the meantime to see that you have some decent traffic and not too quiet or agitated. Keep us posted - this is such a great place for tips and support!
Thank you Eva! I agree, the friendly wealth of information for new bee keepers is incredible! I’m thankful to be a part of this forum. I’ll keep you all posted.
So, I tried installing the queen today without a candy cork installed. I pulled the cork and immediately put the cage at the bottom of the brood box. I think I saw her fly away imo. Someone mentioned online that if bees wings are out like a K walking around and then taking flight, means the hive is queen less. Any truth to this?
I’m going to wait a few days to see if I see any eggs, but super bummed right now.
I’ve read the K wing formation thing too, but so far I haven’t seen definitive proof that it’s always a sign of a queenless colony. But I think it’s fair to say that package bees are in a stage of queenlessness, until the caged queen’s pheromones have permeated the group and they can organize around brood rearing.
I sure hope you didn’t see your queen fly off though! I suppose a mated queen could take off if she really wanted/needed to, and a lot of oddball things do happen in beekeeping…
Thanks Eva:) It’s been a stressful couple of days bee wise. I planned for so long and it just didn’t flow(pun intended:) the way I thought it would. There is a lot of bee activity on the landing board though. I’ll give it a few days and look for eggs when I inspect the hive. Fingers crossed
Yes!! Looking back, my first season as a beekeeper was kind of a debacle. I got a package in March and installed it between sleet showers, not wanting to deprive them of a sturdier home much longer…and went out that night and wrapped the hive in a down coat when the winds picked up! The day of my first inspection was in the 80s I think? and a fresh sheet of nectar-filled comb just crashed to the bottom of the box with my slightest lifting movement I felt like such a heel, and it turned out I probably killed the first queen with that goof. The bees made a new one - and then the colony died that fall from my poor varroa management
Don’t worry, whatever happens you can try again, and we’ll bee your pals along the way!
Definitely a journey Eva! But I’m hooked! When I pulled a frame out this morning and seen them already drawing out white comb, I was mesmerized:) Nature is such a gift…
You could remove the Cork then plug it with a mini marshmallow.
When you have the queen cage. Sit it ontop of the brood frames and watch how the bees are behaving.
If they are nurturing the queen then release if not and look like they are attacking I’d use the marshmallow and give her more time to release her phermon.
Thank you for the reply. I’m hoping the queen is still there and didn’t fly off. I’ll know in a couple of days. When I handled the queen cage today, the bees were accepting her. They were easily moved out of the way and were feeding her and not trying to bite in any way.
If she is gone, the next queen I get I’ll be more careful with the cork and use a marshmallow if needed. I just wish there was a way to know if the queen was there without opening the hive. It’s going to be tough to wait a few days to check for eggs.
Good news I think😊. I checked the hive today and believe I see eggs! They seemed to be placed with precision right smack dab in the middle of the cell and there seemed to be only one. So I’m hoping that is a sign I have an active queen. If it was a worker laying, wouldn’t some be off center, multiple eggs and some clinging to the wall? I didn’t see any of that.
I also saw only a few cells with pollen and a lot of cells with clear liquid in them. Not sure if it nectar or royal jelly for the new eggs. Nothing capped yet since she seems to have just started laying. I couldn’t find her for nothing though…pretty elusive.
I also noticed a whole new demeanor with the bees. Not aggressive, and seem to be on a mission☺️ I was worried initially because hive entrance activity was cut in half. I think that’s because now the queen is pushing them to forage and build comb for her to kick into second gear. Exciting! Appreciate everyone’s help❤️
I try not to disturb them too much. Normally inspect the tray, feeder, and brood building pattie once a day with a glance (feeder has been out for a week since they found nectar so now I check their pattie once a week) . But I only pull frames every 10 to 14 days. It can be stressful for the ladies and risky for new comb to fall off. What you’re gonna want to look for is brood. You don’t have to find the queen. If you see brood you know she’s doing her thing.
Thanks wizard! Yes, I see all of that! Everything seems to be falling in place thankfully. Though my next door neighbor says he is going to dust his roses for spider mites. He doesn’t take kindly to organic advice🤦🏻♂️ Hopefully my bees stay away from his property.
That’s bad news! Hopefully your neighbor understands that pollinators need our help, and that there are ways to at least reduce the risk of pesticide harm to them - here’s a short brochure you could try sharing:
On the other hand, honey bees do not forage roses, so it isn’t a complete disaster. Depending on what he uses, it could be very persistent though (e.g. Sevin)…
I felt like such a heel, and it turned out I probably killed the first queen with that goof. The bees made a new one - and then the colony died that fall from my poor varroa management 
