WARNINGS
Package bees are a very sensitive product to external atmospheric conditions. It is in our interest to give you some guidance on how to store and transport them in the most appropriate way in order to preserve their integrity and not to undermine their quality. This is to avoid any complaints that may be due to post-sales management but especially in the interest of the bees, that like any animal deserve to be treated and managed in the most appropriate and least traumatic way.
So before you get behind the wheel, make sure you have masks, blouses, gloves and smoker with you in case of extraordinary accidents, also enough water and a nebulizer to wet the package bees in case they were overheating. Do not forget ropes or belts to better ensure the load in order to avoid sudden movements or worst still a fall.
We suggest, when it's possible , to drive a tarpaulin van, equipped with side and front air vents to ensure a controlled air circulation inside the load during the journey. Obviously leaving open the rear.
If it is not possible, in case of open van, or trailer, protect the side of the load, especially in case of low temperatures. The cold might make collapsed and lead to death package bees exposed to direct steam of air. In case of rain, Also cover the top of the load. If during a journey with cold temperatures when you arrive at destination you should see a pile of bees standing at the bottom of the package, do not get discouraged right away.
Heat package bees gradually, leaving them in a warmer place or in direct sunlight and mist them gently with water and sugar. bees, that at first sight seem to be death, could only be extremely numb.
In case you decide to carry package bees with a closed van, never upload it as much as possible. Calculate at least 50% volume as free space. Open the doors frequently to change the air and freshen. Wet packages if necessary.
You can notice that the packages are heating up when the glomere they tend to do around the pheromone is totally open, with all bees piled up against the net to ventilate with their wings.
Do not be afraid to wet the bees decisively. These fantastic insects have sufficient apnea to withstand a good wash. Better a nice shower than to see them die suffocated, because of a traffic jam or badly planned transport.
A well-traveled transport is recognized because a package bee arrives at its destination practically in glomere and with few dead bees at the bottom.
A few dozen dead bees on the bottom are an acceptable limit, consequence of a physiological factor.
But do not worry, during operations we produce packages with a weight greater than 1,5 kg guaranteed to the customer. During strong nectar flow periods coming also to 1,8 kg.
Once you arrive at destination, It would be preferable to empty them immediately in the hives, giving preference to either sunrise or sunset to avoid drifting effects. Further detail is that of positioning hives at a distance of 2 meters each other with different orientations. If it is not possible, nothing serious: at most it will be necessary to rebalance some very strong colony with someone weaker.
Insert the queen in the colony with its cage and its candy, do not release her manually during operations. Do not leave empty packages with pheromone stacked in apiaries. They could mislead bees that are still disoriented.
On the other hand, if you need to store in your warehouse the packages full of bees, leave them in a cool and dark corner. The packages are best preserved from 8 to 10 degrees avoiding the lights. If temperatures exceeded 20 degrees, remember to wet them systematically.
Following these simple but fundamental indications, you will be able to fully enjoy the ease and effectiveness of managing the "naked bees", reaching your goals with speed and practicality, whether you use them: to replenish new colonies, strengthen weak ones, add bees in supers just before or at the beginning of a major bloom, fill mating boxes or create artificial swarms for pollination.
Have fun!.
