A common way to install a bee package is the tap and pour method. It is tried and true. I will show you step by step how to do it and I have a video so you can watch me do it.

You can watch the video tutorial right here:

Ok! So you are getting a bee package, or you have received it. It has three pounds of bees in it, a queen in a cage, and a can of sugar water. What do you do?

First off, don't worry! They will be ok. And, you don't have to install them today. You can wait until tomorrow. Put them in a dry warm place like the garage. This gives them a chance to calm down after their long trip.

Get the hive ready

Set down your cinder blocks if needed. This keeps the hive off the damp and wet ground. Put down the base board. Put an empty deep on top of it and set in a reducer if you want to use one. I recommend using the smallest opening on the reducer so it limits bee traffic in and out.

Set in 9 frames. This leaves one frame space open for the queen and her frame.

Gently remove the cover from the package.

Remove the can and set it aside. We will need it again. This can has sugar water in it. And notice there are small holes on the bottom. This is so the bees can get the sugar water.

Take note of the yellow strap sticking out of the hole. Your strap color may be different.

Okay, lets continue and get the queen cage and install it into the hive

The Backyard Beekeeper - Revised and Updated: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden

The Backyard Beekeeper , now revised and expanded, makes the time-honored and complex tradition of beekeeping an enjoyable and accessible backyard pastime that will appeal to gardeners, crafters, and cooks everywhere. This expanded edition gives you even more information on "greening" your beekeeping with sustainable practices, pesticide-resistant bees, and urban and suburban beekeeping. More than a guide to beekeeping, it is a handbook for harvesting the products of a beehive and a honey cookbook--all in one lively, beautifully illustrated reference. This complete honey bee resource contains general information on bees; a how-to guide to the art of bee keeping and how to set up, care for, and harvest honey from your own colonies; as well as tons of bee-related facts and projects. You'll learn the best place to locate your new bee colonies for their safety and yours, and you'll study the best organic and nontoxic ways to care for your bees, from providing fresh water and protection from the elements to keeping them healthy, happy, and productive. Recipes of delicious treats, and instructions on how to use honey and beeswax to make candles and beauty treatments are also included.

Do you like making projects and exploring a variety of hobbies?

Sign up for my free newsletter. I give you regular updates on hobbies and projects you can make. it is totally free and I don't share your email with anybody.