A week and a half ago, Monday, I installed a package of bees in my backyard. I didn’t have honeybees last year, but I missed them buzzing around my vegetable garden. Every year I install the bees wrong, no different this year. The queen comes in a little cage with a candy plug that take the other bees a day or two to chew through and release her. By that time, they are used to each other. My version this year was to accidentally crush the little cage while I was trying to attach it inside the hive. So queen came right on out and I had to frantically guide her down into the hive. Not too swift. I’m looking forward to checking the hive soon to see if there is any sign of eggs.

The hive is just behind my vegetable garden. About 20 feet away. This year I am using short boxes. In the past I’ve used deeps and they get very heavy when they are full of honey. I think a full deep is 80 lbs. So I’m trying an easier setup that I’ve often seen people using.

Today or tomorrow I’ll inspect the hive and see what the bees are up to. They should have it pretty good in there. I was given a hive that someone couldn’t keep anymore. When I got the hive, the bees had recently died from too much moisture in the hive but it was full of beautiful honey. I gave all the honey to my new bees.