# New package queenless



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

We recently installed a package and the queen was released. We gave it a couple weeks and checked yesterday to see if she was laying. There isn't much comb and very few bees. I see a little capped brood on one frame and one cell that may be a queen cell or a drone. Not sure if it's a weak queen or a laying worker. I took one frame with a little capped brood and maybe a dozen uncapped larvae and added it to the hive. I figure if there's no queen they may make another. Any idea what else I can do? Should I impact a strong hive by taking more frames of capped brood or take this as a sign that the colony was weak to begin with?


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I my self would add a couple more frames of capped brood only first. Wait a week and see if the queen is laying. If not combine with a strong hive useing news paper. After you have gone thru the hive frame by frame looking for the queen.

Biggest complaint I hear is with package bees is poor queens.


If they are not drawing out comb feed some 1:1 sugar syrup to stimulate them (workers)

Caped drone comb looks like round nose bullets.

 Al


----------



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

We actually have 4 chicken waterers set up in different places specifically for sugar water.

I'll add a couple more frames tomorrow and see what happens. Hoping for the best. Thanks!


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I would still put a feeder in that package hive. May be not many bees flying from it but all inside would beable to use what is in there. Free pizza shop jar with 1/16 inch holes in the lid. Set on intercover suround with a deep and the outer cover.











 Al


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I had a upcoming class to teach at a bee club we belonged to. I set this demo split hive up for picture takeing and to explain it.

 Al


----------



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

That's a neat setup


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Whole different thing than your question but is still how I feed direct to the hives.

 Al


----------



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

Yeah we did take a detour but I like seeing that there are different ways to set up the hives. I just had it in my head that there is the "way you're supposed to do it"


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Taking uncapped brood will not hurt strong donor hive. They have little time and effort into it. I like to add brood over time. One this week another in a week or ten days. Do you have any swarm traps out? I am at peak season here. 6 last week.


----------



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

No swarm traps. Yet. I did just try to build my own hive body but am not happy with it so I'm going to turn it into a swarm trap.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Follow the instructions and demetions and your hive bodies and supers will turn out fine.

 Al


----------



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

alleyyooper said:


> Follow the instructions and demetions and your hive bodies and supers will turn out fine.
> 
> Al


The finger joints on the sides is what got me. Where one side met the front I somehow ended up with a 1/16" or 1/8" level difference. When stacked on top of another box it would have left another entrance for the bees to guard. Also when I made the rabbit for the frames to sit on I went all the way across the front and didn't plan for the side to cover the small gap those would leave on the sides. I'll do better next time.


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

cityfeet said:


> The finger joints on the sides is what got me. Where one side met the front I somehow ended up with a 1/16" or 1/8" level difference. When stacked on top of another box it would have left another entrance for the bees to guard. Also when I made the rabbit for the frames to sit on I went all the way across the front and didn't plan for the side to cover the small gap those would leave on the sides. I'll do better next time.


You can fill the rabbit gap mistake with anything. I use old broken comb to fill some holes. Also the finger joints are not necessary. Make the sides overlap the the rabbit cut. If you use screws you can make adjustments if the bottom is out of whack. Another option is to make deeper than you want an cut bottom to correct dimensions after assembly.


----------

