Tag Archives: Bees

So you want to install a package of honey bees?

What is a BEE NUC and what is a BEE PACKAGE?

A bee nuc (nuc is short for nucleus) is a small colony made up of bees taken from a larger colony. It’s normally sold in a box with five frames standing side by side. A couple of those frames usually already have honey stores.

A bee package is typically sold in wooden frame boxes with screens on two sides. They are sold by the pound, and it takes approximately 3,500 bees to make a pound. A three-pound package, therefore, contains about 10,000 bees.

Inside a bee package is a can full of a sugar syrup mixture. The bees feed from this during transport. Bee packages can be mailed to you via USPS.  Each package also contains its own small wooden box covered on one side by a screen. This tiny box holds the queen and a few worker bees to tend her.

The Differences

Bees in a package can come from different hives. The bees in a nuc are generally from the same colony. Bee packages also tend to be less expensive than nucs. However, with a package, you’ll need to build the colony by transitioning the bees into your existing hives. This requires a greater education in beekeeping. For that reason, using nucs is typically less stressful than using packages.

Which one should you get?

Beginners would do well to begin with a 5-frame nuc rather than a 3-pound package of bees.   If you are a beginner, starting with an already established colony is going to increase your success rate immediately.  Beekeeping has a huge learning curve. Starting with a 3-pound package introduces a whole new set of elements that you have to learn before you start keeping bees.

Not only are you new at this but now your package bees are starting from scratch too. They have no foundation, no comb, no brood, no nectar and no pollen. And although you have a mated queen in a cage, she’s technically not laying because she has nowhere to lay yet. A nuc already comes with all of those elements.

So you’ve got your honey bee package, now what?

A few things before talking about installing your bees.   

  • Make sure your bee yard is all set up and your equipment is ready to go.
  • Make sure you have prepared 1:1 sugar water.
  • Pick up your bees with your bee suit and gloves handy. Most likely thousands of bees will be flying around.
  • Install your bees on the same day as pickup, if at all possible. However, a couple day delay will not harm your bees.
  • Secure your bees before transport. Recommend placing a mesh bag around the bees and use duct tape to ensure the cover can’t come off during transport.  In the event you had an accident you don’t want bees to be flying around in a vehicle to make matters worse.

Installing a Package into the Hive

  • Place an entrance reducer on hive opening.
  • Remove 5-6 Frames from hive box where you will be installing the new bees.
  • Remove the cover over the hole in the top of the cage and place it to the side.
  • Spray the package with sugar water.
  • One shake to cause the bees to fall to the bottom of the cage.
  • Remove the syrup can from the package and queen cage, cover opening with the cover you just removed.
  • Check the queen cage to make sure your queen is alive and well.   
  • Remove the cork, cap, and/or metal cover from the end of the queen cage.  Do not remove the candy.
  • You will find white candy separating the queen from the hole.
  • Poke a hole in the candy (use a paperclip or small nail).   Make sure you don’t harm the queen.
  • Place the queen in a safe location out of the sun.  We often put her in our jacket or shirt pocket if it is cool.
  • Place the queen cage between two middle frames at the top of the frames.  We like to use a paperclip to hold the queen cage in place so she doesn’t fall to the bottom of the box. (The Candy side should up)
  • The bees must become acquainted with the queen before she is released (bees will eat through the candy in order to release her once she is accepted). This can take several days.
  • Remove cover from package.
  • Shake bees into the gap in brood box.
  • Replace the previously removed frames – Gently. The bees will move out of the way.
  • Place the mostly empty container in front of hive and the remaining bees will work themselves into the hive.
  • Feed the bees with a 1 x 1 sugar syrup.
  • Put on the inside cover and place the telescoping cover on top with extra weights if you use them.
  • Remember to come back in 2-3 days to make sure the queen is out of the cage. If she is still in the cage, release her.
  • If it is very cold when you get your bees you can use the No Shake Method as discussed in the video.

Club Activities in 2021

December 2021 – Club member Emily Skala was recognized at the WHPA Fall Banquet for completing the first year of her Youth Beekeeping Scholarship. The Brown County Beekeepers are proud of her accomplishment and Julie Mazolleni for being her mentor.

November 2021 – A very special club meeting. Most of the meeting was dedicated to club members sharing how they use honey and wax products to generate additional income AND to use the outputs of the bees hard work.

September 2021 – The Club was represented at the Botanical Gardens 25th Anniversary fair. Lots of folks that are interested in plants and flowers learned about bees and their importance to the food/flower chain.

August 2021 – The club meeting in August was very special. The bulk of the meeting was spent honoring Tom Cashman for his 50 years of service to the club. Tom has been an officer ALL of those 50 years. He followed in the footsteps of his father who was club President in the 1930’s. The club has had a Cashman in the club for over 75 years!

July 2021 – The annual club picnic was again a success. Thanks to Dick and Carol for coordinating the event and to Jim for cooking and providing homemade wine.

July 2021 – The club partnered with the Green Bay Botanical Gardens to conduct two Children’s Pollinator Program summer camp classes where we discussed bees, pollinators, and honey. Special thanks to club members Julie, Dave, Emily H., Carl, tom, and Emily S. for preparing the materials and presenting an exciting and interesting four hour, hands-on class.

June 2021 – Club members were treated to a honey themed dinner prepared by Chef Ace Champion and hosted at Ledgestone Vineyards in Greenleaf, WI. The evening started with an outside cooking demo and quickly, due to thunderstorms, moved inside into the wineries aging room. It was a night of fun, fellowship, good food, and wine.

May 2021 – The club partnered with NWTC and Green Bay Botanical Gardens to establish and improve the bee yard in the work area of the Gardens. The club authorized spending up to $200 on the bee yard which ultimately only cost $60 because of the donation of crushed limestone (NWTC) and mulch (Gardens). Special thanks to Dave and Diane Elsen, Carl Fisher and Julie Mazolleni for all the work they put into the new and improved bee yard.

March 2021 – NBC Channel 26 in Green Bay featured beekeeping with interviews of two club members. Watch it here on Facebook.

CANCELLED – Brown County Library, DENMARK branch hosts “Beginning Beekeeping”

We are hopeful this event will be rescheduled, however, at this time it has to be CANCELLED.

The Brown County Library – Denmark Branch, is hosting the Brown County Beekeepers Association in a one hour presentation on BEGINNING BEEKEEPING. The presentation will be on Monday April 13th at 6:00 PM and will cover : equipment, cost and time.

LOCATION: Brown County Library – 450 N Wall St, Denmark, WI 54208

TIME: 6:00 – 7:00 PM

Aug 2018 Meeting Location Change

The August 2018 Green Bay Beekeepers Association monthly meeting will be held on its normal night and time. The meeting is the third Wednesday of the month, August 15, 2018, at 6:30 pm.

However, the location has changed from the Green Bay Botanical Garden to the Village Grill at 801 Hoffman Road, Allouez. Come early and have a meal before the meeting.

The September meeting will again be held at the Green Bay Botanical Garden.