# New Hive Accident



## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

First, we are newbies. 

We installed two Warre hives on Monday. All went well but on Wednesday I noticed one of the hives had all of the bees congrigating in the bottom box and none at the feeder. I needed to remove the Queen cage so I opened it up and took out the empty cage. Bees stayed in bottom box. Another bee keeper suggested I swap the two boxes to put the bottom on top. Here's the accident. When swapping boxes, one dropped and just about the entire hive dumped. There was chaos as all of the bees tried to get back in. Everyone (mostly) is inside, again in the bottom box. My questions: why would they be in the bottom box. How do I know if the queen made it back into the hive ( if she even dumped)?!!!! What do I do if they still don't take the syrup?

I feel like such a moron for the accident but what's done is done. I need to figure out what to do from here.

Thanks!


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

the bees should have started fanning with in a few minutes of you putting the hive back together. 

are they bringing in pollen?


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## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

It is a brand new hive and I've not seen many bees venture far yet. They are all hanging out in/ by the entrance. Same with the second hive except those are in the top box (as expected) and they are feeding. Would the bees just ball up and sit there if the queen didn't make it in the first place? She was in the cage when we installed them and the cage was empty. It was already a curious situation before the accident. After the dump, I'm afraid we could have lost her if she was there.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Chances are if you had dumped the queen on the ground the bees would not have went back in the hive. They would have stayed on the ground with/near her.

 Al


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

I agree, they would try to go to the queen or the strongest smell of the queen.

Have they set up guarding bees yet?


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## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

It's cool and damp this morning, so I don't expect much activity. I do see one bee at the entrance. I'll check again in a bit.


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## Mavors (Mar 30, 2007)

take some pictures so we can see your setup. Helps a lot better than trying to write out the description. (or maybe I just like seeing other apiary setups)  

Mav


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## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

I've never posted pics here, so here's my first attempt.

Two Warre hives. They are top bar hives. You add new boxes below. Bees are supposed to naturally gravitate to the top box and build down. This is what is happening in the hive on the right. In the hive on the left, they are all clustered in the bottom box. And they are not goint to the feeder (which is on top). Don't know why. When we attempted to swap the top and bottom boxes, the accident happened.

The picture didn't work


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## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

Lots of bees at the entrance. Checked the feeder and there were a few bees. The ball of bees have moved to the top box. I think we were lucky!


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

as soon as cells are drawn, the workers should start bringing in pollen to feed to new brood....sure sign of "all is well" the worst of all worlds is a laying worker.....

good luck and please keep us posted?


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## jenniferfeeney (Oct 13, 2010)

Bees bringing in pollen today!! Everybody working away in the top box. All is well.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

jenniferfeeney said:


> Bees bringing in pollen today!! Everybody working away in the top box. All is well.


Big sigh of relief! Now if we would just get a few sunny days so they can work the tulip poplar and black locust blooms!

Hey Jennifer, not sure where in Indiana you're at, but are you aware that the Heartland Apicultural Society conference is being held in Indiana this summer?
Info here:
http://www.heartlandbees.com/


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Posting pictures are perrty simple to do. Start by getting a photobucket account. Up load the pictures to your account. Photo bucket will size them for you so they fit here.
Once they are there all you need to do is put the curser over the picture and below several lines appear. click over the img code andf copied will appear for an instant which means you have it copied. then paste it here.










 Al


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