How to Install a Package of Bees

Installing your first package of bees is one of beekeeping's most memorable moments. You've got a screened box buzzing with 10,000 strangers, a caged queen they've never met, and somehow you need to convince everyone to move into a wooden box and start a family. It sounds chaotic—and it kind of is—but packages are installed successfully thousands of times every spring. Here's exactly how to do it.

What Is a Package of Bees?

A package is a screened wooden or plastic box containing approximately 3 pounds of worker bees (roughly 10,000-12,000 bees) plus a separately caged, mated queen. There's also a can of sugar syrup for feeding during transport.

The workers and queen are typically from different colonies—they don't know each other yet. The queen is kept in a small cage so the workers can get accustomed to her pheromones before she's released. This "introduction period" is critical for acceptance.

Packages are the most common way beginners get their first bees. They're widely available in spring (March-May depending on region), relatively affordable ($150-200), and easier to find than nucleus colonies (nucs). Compare packages vs. nucs vs. swarms here.

Before Your Bees Arrive

Preparation is everything. Don't wait until the day your bees arrive to get ready.

1-2 Weeks Before

• Hive setup complete – Your hive should be assembled, painted, and in its permanent location. Moving a hive after installation causes confusion and lost bees.
• Frames installed – Have 10 frames with foundation (wax or plastic) in the brood box. Some beekeepers remove 4-5 frames temporarily to make room for the package during installation.
• Entrance reducer in place – Use the smallest opening. A new package can't defend a large entrance from robbers.
• Feeder ready – Have a hive-top feeder, frame feeder, or entrance feeder prepared. You'll need to feed immediately.

Day Before

• Make sugar syrup – Mix 1:1 sugar syrup (equal parts white sugar and water by weight). Make at least a gallon. Complete feeding guide here.
• Gather tools – Hive tool, spray bottle with syrup, pliers or small nail to access queen cage, rubber band or push-in cage (optional), smoker (just in case).
• Check weather – Ideal installation conditions: above 55°F (13°C), low wind, no rain. Late afternoon/early evening is best—bees settle in overnight.

Pickup Day Tips

When you pick up your package:

• Inspect the package – A thin layer of dead bees on the bottom is normal (shipping stress). A thick layer (1-2 inches) or clusters of dead bees is concerning—ask the supplier about it.
• Keep them cool – Don't leave packages in a hot car. Transport in an air-conditioned vehicle or with windows cracked. Heat kills bees fast.
• Don't panic about the noise – A loud, roaring package is often just hot or stressed. A quiet package is usually fine. Mist them lightly with sugar syrup if they seem agitated.
• Store briefly if needed – If you can't install immediately, keep the package in a cool (60-70°F), dark place like a garage. Spray the screen with sugar syrup a few times to keep them fed. Install within 24-48 hours.

Two Installation Methods

There are two common approaches to getting bees from the package into the hive. Both work well—choose based on your comfort level.

Method 1: Direct Release (Shake Method)

This is the most common installation method. It's faster and gets bees onto frames immediately.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Method 2: Indirect Release

This gentler method lets bees walk out of the package on their own time. It's less dramatic and requires less handling.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1. Remove 4-5 center frames from the brood box to make room for the package.
2. 2. Remove the feeder can and queen cage as described above.
3. 3. Install the queen cage between two of the remaining frames, candy-end up.
4. 4. Set the entire package (without can or queen) into the open cavity, hole facing up.
5. 5. Place inner cover with the notch opening over the package hole so bees can exit.
6. 6. Add feeder and close up the hive.
7. 7. After 2-3 days, open the hive, remove the empty package, and replace the frames you removed.

This method is slower but involves less shaking and bee-flying. Some beginners find it less stressful.

The First Week After Installation

Day 1-2: Leave Them Alone

Resist the urge to check. Bees are stressed from transport and need time to settle. They're clustering around the queen cage, eating syrup, and starting to explore their new home. Disturbing them now just adds stress.

Day 3-5: Check Queen Release

Open the hive briefly to check if the queen has been released from her cage. Look for:

• Empty queen cage (candy eaten through) = Success! Remove the cage.
• Queen still inside, candy partially eaten = Give it another day or two.
• Queen still inside, no progress on candy = Help her out. Carefully remove the cork/candy and place the cage opening against the comb so she can walk out. Or release her directly if the bees seem calm around the cage.

Day 7-10: First Real Inspection

A week after installation, do a gentle inspection looking for:

• Eggs – Tiny white grains standing up in cells. This confirms the queen is laying. Full inspection guide here.
• Drawn comb – New white wax being built on the foundation.
• Stored syrup – Shiny liquid in cells (they're eating and storing your feed).
• Calm behavior – Bees working normally, not running or roaring.

Feeding Schedule

Keep feeding 1:1 syrup until:

• They've drawn out at least 6-8 frames of comb, OR
• They stop taking the syrup (indicating natural nectar flow), OR
• You add honey supers (never feed with supers on)

New packages can consume a gallon of syrup per week. Keep the feeder full. Running out sets them back significantly.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

You've Got This

Package installation looks intimidating in videos—10,000 bees flying everywhere, a nervous beekeeper shaking a box, chaos. In practice, it's surprisingly manageable. The bees are disoriented, full of syrup, and queenless (so less defensive). Most are focused on finding the queen, not stinging you.

Your main job is to get them into the hive, hang the queen cage properly, and start feeding. Everything else—building comb, caring for the queen, foraging—the bees will figure out themselves. They've been doing this for millions of years.

Welcome to beekeeping. The first few weeks are the hardest, but also the most exciting. Trust the process, keep feeding, and enjoy watching your colony build from scratch.