Welcome to Beekeeping! Here are Important Installation Instructions for Your New Nuc or Colony
Dear new beekeeper,
I’m so excited to welcome you to your next beekeeping season! Whether you’re receiving a nuc or a full colony, you’re about to start a fun and meaningful journey with your bees.
Below are some important care and installation instructions to help your bees settle in safely and smoothly.
The night before your scheduled time, I will give your colony one last professional check to ensure you have a laying Queen, and plenty of brood/food.
Before you Pick-Up - Ensure Your Apiary is Set Up
- Water Source: Bees need a reliable source of water with sticks/stones (something they can easily crawl out of). A natural tank is ideal, or a livestock tank with a floater and automatic refill works great too. The bees WILL find a water source whether it’s a pool, dripping faucet, or anything that is consistent. If you have a consistent source set up in the beginning that is the best pathway for success to keep them out of the areas you’d like to remain bee-less.
- Put weed cloth down in the area where you’ll work your apiary. You will want to limit the amount of times you need to mow or weedeat around the bees area. In the future, when you mow/weedeat with bees present - it’s imperative to wear your bee suit.
- Add cinder blocks or minor fencing as a wild animal hog/dog deterrent.
- Set up any sturdy tables or stands you want to place the hives on and level them.
- Your colonies need to be completely leveled. If there is any angle at all, make sure they are tipping with the entrance side lower, so that any water would drain out.
- Face things so the colony entrances are facing South East if possible.
- Put the apiary under a treeline so they have partial shade / partial sun if possible.
- Keep the apiary away from kids, pets, and livestock - preferably 500 yards away. This includes chickens, dogs, goats, cattle, horses, sheep, and anything that is penned in. We want to ensure the safety of your pets and loved ones. Bees can and have killed livestock. Please set everyone up for success by keeping a safe distance. They should not be in the same yard as an open grazing farm.
- Order your safety equipment and make sure everything fits. This includes your suit and smoker. Practice lighting your smoker so you have confidence by the time you’re ready to pick up your bees. I recommend the ultrabreeze full suit, and smokers from Mann Lake.
- Have a heavy rock or brick handy. You’ll place this on the top of your colony to prevent the lid from blowing off.
- Reminder: you have purchased used equipment. It does not all look the same. It is not uniform. Everything has been recently repainted white. If you choose to paint your equipment, use water-based paint.
- MOST IMPORTANT: Remove all pesticides, amdro, pool chemicals and all chemicals from your outdoors - the bees will find it, and after time the chemicals will build up in the wax. This will create a synergistic effect and they will die. If you live in an area where neighbors spray chemicals - ask them to kindly do that at night while the flowers are closed so the bees aren’t affected as badly.
🛻 Pick-Up Day Instructions
Before you arrive, I will head out to your colonies by 7a that morning to close them up with a screen. This will prevent foragers from leaving that day and ensure you have plenty of bees traveling in their boxes to their new home with you.
When you arrive to pick up your nuc or full colony:
- Please be on time: We do not want to close them in the box any longer than we need to, and we don’t want them overheating in transit as the day warms up. My cell is 512-484-0878. We do not wait or hold the bees any extra amount of time.
- Wear: Jeans, boots, work shirt, gloves. Your bees will be secured in their colonies, but sometimes things happen and they can escape. Be sure to bring your suit and have it handy if needed.
- Vehicle: A pickup truck that we can use the bed of is ideal. If that is not possible a well-ventilated vehicle (no closed trunks) will work. If they are riding inside your vehicle, bring a transport net to place around the colony to prevent extra flyers from escaping while you are driving.
- Secure Transport: Bring a ratchet strap that you know how to use - or bungee cords that I can help you with. Make sure your bees are level and secured in the vehicle to prevent tipping. I cannot help you with ratchet straps.
- Drive Gently: Avoid sudden stops or turns, and keep A/C on and windows cracked if they are inside the cab to help with ventilation. I will help you load so that the frames are parallel to the sides of your truck. That way the frames will not clang together when you stop.
- Go Straight Home: Don’t run errands with bees in the car—they’re ready to get to their new home and can easily overheat/die from the stress of the journey. Plus, we don’t want any unnecessary stings at the gas station - :).
- Sting meds: Always have your sting medication/treatment handy when you’re working with bees. I like these sting wipes, benadryl - and an epi pen in case of emergencies. I do not keep any of these on hand for you - please bring them with you.
📦 When You Get Home
It is important to install the bees right away.
- Place them in a shaded, cool spot, out of direct sun and wind.
- Get all gear ready, suit up and light your smoker.
🐝 How to Install Your Full Set Colony
- Suit up, light your smoker, and remove the outer screen.
- The bees will need to go on cleansing flights, and orientation flights.
- That’s it!
🐝 How to Install Your Nuc
- Suit up and light your smoker.
- Place your hive on a level stand in its permanent location.
- Gently open the nuc box and carefully remove one frame at a time.
- Transfer each frame into your hive body in the same order and orientation they were in the nuc.
- Add additional frames to fill the box.
- Close the hive and leave the bees undisturbed for a few days as they settle in.
❤️ Checking your colonies after installation
- Water: Place a shallow water source nearby with pebbles for landing.
- Feed: If there’s not a lot of forage or it's early in the season, offer a 1:1 sugar syrup to help them get started.
- Patience: Your bees may take a few days to orient to their new location. Expect a little buzzing and adjustment at first—it’s all part of the process!
- Leave them alone.
- Do your first hive inspections 7-10 days after installation.
- Take pics! Enjoy the process and share with us at @HaciendaHarelikHoney
If you have any questions or run into anything unexpected, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to support you and your bees every step of the way. If you need onsite beekeeping lessons to learn how to manage your hives, I charge $85/hr plus mileage.
Wishing you a sweet and successful start to your beekeeping adventure!
Warmly,
Tiffany Harelik
512-484-0878
🐝💛
