Sponsoring a “Package of Honeybees”

By sponsoring a package of honeybees, you are helping a beekeeper replace hives that didn’t survive the winter, killed by disease, or pests.  The package is used to repopulate a hive that didn’t survive.  Also, packages are the most popular way of starting a new and making a home for a colony of honeybees.

What is a Package of Bees?

A “package” of honeybees refers to a specific method of purchasing and transporting bees for beekeeping purposes. Here are the key details about a package of honeybees:

Composition

Workers: A typical package contains a certain number of worker bees, usually around 10,000 to 15,000, although this number can vary.

Queen: A mated queen bee is included in the package, often in a small cage to ensure her safety during transport.

No Brood: Packages generally do not include any brood (eggs, larvae, or pupae), making them a different option compared to nucleus colonies (nucs), which do contain brood.

Packaging and Transport

Container: The bees are typically housed in a ventilated, wooden, or cardboard box designed for safe transport. The containers allow airflow to keep the bees healthy and cool during transit. They also contain a sugar water can for food for the bees while traveling, and a separate queen cage inside the package.  The queen being separated from the workers is meant to allow the unrelated bees to become familiar with their young, new queen.  Eventually, they adjust to and accept the young queen’s pheromones, and they all get along.  However, if they don’t accept her pheromones, they will kill her when she is released from her cage.

Duration of Travel: Packages can be shipped over long distances and are often available for purchase in early spring when beekeepers are preparing for the beekeeping season.  The faster they are inserted in a hive the better, but they can survive for a time in the package.

Feed In Route: When the bees and queen are inserted into the package, there is always a can of sugar water with tiny holes the bees can suck the food out with.  Sugar water mimics the nectar of flowers.  This is the same reason hummingbird feed is a mixture of sugar and water as well.

Installation

Hive Setup: Beekeepers can install a package of honeybees into a hive by simply taking out 3 frames from the hive to leave a big open space.  Take the queen cage and can of sugar water out and set them aside.  Then simply shake the bees from the package into the hive between the frames.  Then gently reinsert the frames and the bees will slowly move out of the way.  Then there are two ways of introducing the queen: 1) Hang the queen cage between frames after removing the cork at the candy end.  The queen and attendants will eat the candy from the inside and the workers in the hive will eat the candy from the outside.   It usually takes 2 to 3 days for them to chew through which then releases the queen.  Those few extra days are enough time for the bees to get used to the queen’s scent and accept her.   The other way is: 2) Get a 1” shim and put it on top of the box you will be putting the bees in.  Then do everything the same as #1 above EXCEPT queen placement.  Lay the queen screen side down across a couple of frames, after taking out the cork.  Then put the inner cover and outer cover back on.   Place the package the bees were in next to the hive so any stragglers can get into the hive.

Uses

Starting Beekeeping: Packages are commonly used by beekeepers to start their first colonies However,  experienced beekeepers may use packages to replace lost or failing colonies due to various issues, such as disease or environmental stress.

Advantages

Availability: Packages are widely available and can be shipped from various suppliers. Often available through your local beekeeper supply store or local bee club.

Control: Beekeepers have control over how to set up their beehives and can monitor the acclimation of bees.

Considerations

Acclimation: After installation, the bees need time to acclimate and establish themselves in their new hive. This often involves feeding them sugar syrup until they can forage effectively.

Queen Acceptance: It is crucial for the workers to accept the queen for the colony to thrive.  I find getting Marked Queens saves a lot of time and worry during regular hive inspections as she is much easier to find when marked. However, if the colony doesn’t accept the queen and kills her, you will need to get a replacement queen ASAP to save the new colony.

Summary

In summary, a package of honeybees provides beekeepers with a convenient way to start or replenish bee colonies, contributing to local beekeeping efforts and pollinator populations. Packages can be considerably less expensive than “nucs.”