It’s always so exciting when the post office calls to tell you your girls have arrived. This year I ordered 2 3# packages, and I’m tickled that they arrived safely. It was unfortunate that is was raining and yucky outside when they arrived. It was in everyone’s best interest to place them in the basement for the night and wait for sunny skies in the morning to hive them. I actually waited until almost 2pm to allow the temperature to climb over 55. These girls were eager to make the hives their new home, very quickly I saw workers poised to waft pheromones in the air helping all to find their way.
Pretty quickly on, I noticed that the two hives seem to have two different personalities. Hive #1 is a very busy and active hive! Mind you, they are in no way aggressive, just busy and at one point, away from the hive itself, I had a few bees fly into me in their orientation flights.
The second hive is much more laid back, and not as seemingly busy. They appeared to be happy to be in the hive, but not as many bees coming in and out and it took significantly longer for them to leave the shipping package to the hive.
Time: 2pm
Temp: 56º
Humidity: 35%
Pressure: 30.09 ↓
Total bars: 5
Environment: Sunny, Pretty day
Bloom on the farm: lilac, oak, sycamore & autumn olive
Added 1:1 sugar water to each hive and closed 2 of 3 entrance holes leaving the middle open
