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| I was asked to show and tell package installation to a group of cub scouts. May 5th, 2003, MSU apiary.
All Photos by Thomas Valli (except two), the den leader. Viewed: 2624 times. |
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| The first step is to spray some light sugar water to the bees to calm them down. When they are wet and heavy, they do not fly as much. Viewed: 2409 times. |
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| A bit of lecturing. Viewed: 2251 times. |
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| Cracking open the cover. Viewed: 2452 times. |
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| Check that the queen is alive (can you find her?). Then remove the metal plate (facing my hand), exposing the hole through which the bees can chew out (through the candy) and release the queen. Some people push a nail through the candy in this hole to acccelerate the chewing through, others leave it alone. The hole away from my hand was plugged by a cork. Put this cage between two frames, leaving the sugar side up -- this way dead workers inside will not block the hole, which is facing up. Photo by Zachary Huang. Viewed: 3062 times. |
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| Place the queen cage (again, candy side up, with the hole unplugged) between two frames, with screen not facing the frames so bees in the colony can transfer the queen pheromone out through the screen. This picture was taken in another package colony (with older frames). Photo by Zachary Huang Viewed: 2534 times. |
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| Now the hard part: removing the can (which holds sugar syrup) out. Sometimes this is difficult because bees may build some wax around it. By keeping the can flat, or even a bit upsidedown, as shown here, makes it easier to get it out. Viewed: 2312 times. |
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| The can is out! Viewed: 2395 times. |
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| Give it a good shake and the bees should all come out...then they magically 'flowing' down between the frames. Very few bees would fly if you have sprayed enough. Viewed: 2587 times. |
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| The package cage is almost empty now. Viewed: 2467 times. |
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Album: Beekeeping 
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