Once your hive is set up and your equipment is ready, the next crucial step is acquiring your bees and introducing them to their new home. This chapter explores the various ways to obtain bees, how to safely transfer them into the hive, and the important first steps in establishing a healthy colony. Whether you’re starting with a nucleus colony, a package of bees, or catching a swarm, understanding these processes will help ensure a smooth transition for your new bees.
Where to Buy Bees
There are several ways to acquire bees for your hive, each with its own benefits and challenges. Here are the most common methods, along with their pros and cons, to help you decide which is best for your situation:
- Nucleus Colonies (Nucs): A nucleus colony, commonly known as a “nuc,” is a small, established bee colony that comes with a queen, workers, brood, and a few frames of honey and pollen. Nucs are the most popular option for new beekeepers in Ireland, as they provide a ready-made colony that is already functioning and growing.
- Pros: Nucs are easier to handle for beginners because the bees are already accustomed to working together, and the queen is already accepted by the colony. This leads to faster colony growth and less risk of rejection. You can often purchase a nuc from local beekeepers or associations, ensuring that the bees are adapted to the local climate and conditions.
- Cons: Nucs tend to be more expensive than other options due to the established nature of the colony. Additionally, availability can be limited, especially in early spring when demand is high.
- Packages: A package of bees typically includes a queen in a separate cage and several thousand worker bees, all contained in a ventilated box. The bees have not yet established a colony, so they need to be introduced to the hive and the queen.
- Pros: Packages are more widely available and are often less expensive than nucs. They are a good option if you are starting a hive from scratch. The process of introducing a package of bees to a new hive can also provide valuable experience for a beginner beekeeper.
- Cons: Since the bees and queen have not been working together, there is a risk that the colony will reject the queen. It can take longer for the colony to become established, and additional care is needed to ensure the bees accept their new environment.
- Catching Swarms: Swarm catching is a natural and cost-free way to acquire bees. A swarm is a group of bees that has left an established colony with a queen to form a new colony. Swarming typically occurs in the spring, and experienced beekeepers often capture swarms by providing a hive for them to settle in.
- Pros: Catching a swarm is free and can be a rewarding experience. Swarming bees are generally docile and less likely to sting, making them easier to handle. Capturing a swarm also helps reduce the likelihood of feral colonies forming, which can be a public service.
- Cons: Swarming is unpredictable, so availability is not guaranteed. The swarm may not always stay in the hive once captured, and the health of the bees or the presence of a viable queen may be uncertain. Additionally, beginners may find swarm-catching challenging without prior experience.
No matter which method you choose, it’s important to acquire bees from a reputable source. If purchasing, be sure to select bees that are healthy, disease-free, and well-suited to the local climate.
Introducing Bees to Their New Hive
Once you’ve acquired your bees, the next step is introducing them to their new hive. This process varies slightly depending on whether you’re starting with a nucleus colony, a package of bees, or a swarm, but the principles remain the same: keep the bees calm, be gentle, and ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
- Introducing a Nucleus Colony: When you purchase a nuc, it usually comes in a small transport box that contains a few frames. To introduce the bees to their new hive, gently transfer the frames from the nuc box into your prepared hive. It’s important to handle the frames carefully, as they will contain brood, honey, and pollen. Place the frames in the centre of the hive body and add any additional empty frames around them. Once the bees are transferred, close the hive and leave them undisturbed for a few days to allow them to adjust to their new home.
- Introducing a Package of Bees: To introduce a package of bees to the hive, first prepare the hive by placing foundation frames in the hive body. The queen will usually arrive in a small cage within the package. Before introducing the bees, suspend the queen cage between two frames so that the workers can access her but cannot immediately reach her. This gives them time to accept her scent. Next, gently shake the worker bees from the package into the hive. Once most of the bees have entered the hive, close it up, leaving an entrance feeder with sugar syrup to help the bees settle in. Over the next few days, the bees will release the queen from her cage, and she will begin laying eggs.
- Introducing a Swarm: To introduce a swarm into your hive, simply open the hive and gently shake the swarm into the hive body. If the queen enters the hive, the rest of the bees will quickly follow her. Alternatively, you can place the swarm in front of the hive entrance and allow the bees to walk in on their own. Once the bees are inside, close the hive and monitor their progress over the next few days to ensure they have settled in.
In all cases, it’s important to introduce the bees during calm, mild weather, preferably in the late afternoon when they are less active. This helps reduce stress on the bees and increases the chances of successful introduction.
Settling In
The first few weeks after introducing bees to their new hive are critical to the colony’s success. During this period, the bees will adjust to their new environment, establish brood, and begin building comb. Here’s what to expect and how to monitor their progress:
- Comb Building: One of the first tasks the bees will undertake is building comb on the foundation frames. This comb will be used to store honey and pollen, as well as provide space for the queen to lay eggs. In the early stages, it’s important to provide the bees with supplemental feeding, such as sugar syrup, to encourage comb building, especially if there is limited forage available.
- Queen Laying: Once the queen is established, she will begin laying eggs, which is a positive sign that the colony is settling in. After about a week, you can conduct a brief hive inspection to check for signs of brood (eggs, larvae, and capped cells). If brood is present, this indicates that the queen is laying and the colony is developing normally.
- Monitoring for Issues: During the first few weeks, it’s important to monitor for any potential issues, such as queen rejection, pests, or disease. Keep an eye on the bees’ behaviour—if they seem agitated or if there are no signs of brood after a few weeks, the queen may have been rejected or may not be laying properly. In this case, you may need to replace the queen or take further action.
Providing your bees with a stable environment, supplemental feeding, and minimal disturbance during this period will help them thrive.
Queen Introduction
Introducing a new queen to a colony can be a delicate process, especially if the bees are not accustomed to her. Whether you’re requeening a hive or introducing a queen with a new package of bees, it’s essential to ensure the bees accept her.
- Cage Release Method: The most common method of queen introduction is to place the queen in a small cage inside the hive. The cage typically has a candy plug at one end, which the worker bees will gradually chew through, releasing the queen over the course of a few days. This slow release process allows the bees to adjust to the queen’s pheromones and reduces the risk of rejection.
- Direct Release: In some cases, experienced beekeepers may opt for direct release, where the queen is immediately introduced to the colony without a cage. This method carries a higher risk of rejection, but it can be effective in certain situations, such as when the colony is queenless and actively seeking a new queen.
- Signs of Acceptance: Once the queen is released, monitor the colony closely for signs of acceptance. If the bees are calm and tending to the queen, she is likely being accepted. If the bees appear aggressive or are clustering around the queen in a tight ball, this may indicate rejection, and intervention may be necessary.
With careful planning and attention to detail, acquiring and introducing bees to your hive can be a smooth and rewarding process. Whether you choose to start with a nucleus colony, a package of bees, or catch a swarm, following these steps will help ensure the successful establishment of a thriving colony.
