Beekeeping - Setup & Installation

Beekeeping - Setup & Installation

Setting Up Your Hive

  • Choose a site that is away from high-traffic, work, or play areas.

  • Face the entrance of the hive away from winds that commonly blow; facing southeast if possible for maximum sun.

  • Provide an additional water source. (bucket, fountain, bird bath, etc).

  • Make sure the hive is at least 12-14” off of the ground to help with any rainwater, snowfall, or predators. A Hive Stand is ideal for this.

  • Place your Bottom Board on top of the Stand.

  • Set one Hive Body Box with nine frames & foundations using the In-Hive Feeder for the tenth frame, set squarely on top of the Bottom Board.

  • Place the Inner Cover squarely on top of the Hive Body Box

  • Place the flat top squarely on top of the Inner Cover

  • Place the Entrance Reducer at the front with the smallest opening being used.

Don't forget:

  • The entrance is like the runway at an airport - it is very active. 

  • Bees will always fly in and out of the same direction.

Choosing a Location for Your Beehive:

Location is very important for beekeeping. So choosing an area that is sheltered, tucked away, near a water source, and away from work or play is the best place.

Being sheltered is a great idea because it helps protect the hive during hot summers, high winds, freezing temperatures, or predators that may cause harm to the hive.

Having your hive hidden away in a quiet place will also help the hive from being tampered with by kids or even curious adults.

If possible, setting up the hive near a water source is a great idea. Bees need water, and they will go to any water source that is close. Putting a bucket of water near the hive will help keep your bees near their hive.

Finally, you should also consider having the hive placed away from active work (BBQ, garden, play structures, etc) areas. Bees are not typically aggressive unless they get scared or feel threatened. Therefore, if you or your children hang out a lot in your yard, you should probably find somewhere else to put the hive.

Once your hive is set up, now you can add bees!

Adding Bees to a New Box:

  1. Smoke 3 lb bee box.

  2. In your deep combo box, fill up your in-hive feeder with a gallon of liquid bee feed.

  3. Remove nearly all frames and set aside. Keep inhive feeder in place.

  4. You’ll want to remove the queen cage from the box and prepare it before adding all the bees. To do this, use the hive tool to loosen the feeding can on the box of bees.

  5. Lift and loosen tab containing queen cage

  6. Tap 3 lb bee box on hard surface to shift bees to bottom of box.

  7. Quickly remove feeding can from box in order to remove queen cage tab

  8. Replace feeding can

  9. With marshmallow in hand, locate cork on queen cage. Make sure queen is at the opposite end and use hive tool to remove cork. Replace cork with marshmallow.

  10. Insert queen cage tab into top side of frame. Twist cage so that screened (open) side is facing along honeycomb.

  11. Place frame with queen on it back into hive.

  12. Again, tap 3 lb bee box on hard surface to shift bees to bottom of box.

  13. Remove feeding can from box, tip upside down and shake gently over hive to add bees into hive. If there are still a lot of bees left in the box, place it on top of the frames and allow bees to exit box and enter hive.

  14. Once all bees are out of the box, place frames back into hive, add inner cover and top.

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