1. Your packages will be shaken the day of shipping. Depending upon the shipment method, your bees may have sufficient time during transit to acclimatize to the new queen. However, make sure it has been at least 48 hours since your package was shaken before you install it into your hive. When your packages are shipped UPS next day air, always wait until the evening after you receive the packages to install them.

2. Until installation, keep your packages in a cool, shady, protected area with good ventilation. The ideal condition is to have all bees clustered near the queen, who is in her cage at the top of the package (if the bees become too warm, they will run on the screens). To create the cluster affect again, spray a fine mist of water through the screen onto the bees; they will recluster and get a drink.

3. Generally, it's a good idea to install your packages during the early evening hours, or at sunset. If you have to install earlier in the day, however, select a densely shaded area. For the protection of the new colonies, and to prevent robbing, the entrances of the hives should be mostly closed with grass or burlap, leaving about two inches open.

4. To install each package, remove three center frames from the hive. Remove the package feed can and the queen from the package. To reduce flying, lightly spray the package with water mist before shaking the bees from the cage. Shake the bees into the hive. In approximately 3-5 minutes, the bees will have crawled up sufficiently so you can carefully replace the three frames. Small puffs from a smoker drifting across the bees will make them calmer & more manageable.

5. Check the queen. Remove the cork from the queen cage carefully so that the queen does not escape, and replace it with a small amount of granulated honey, candy, or marshmallow. Place the queen cage horizontally between the two center frames, one inch from the top, with the screen side down, so that bees can continue to care for the queen through the screen until she releases. *NOTE* If temperatures are very cold where you are installing your package, it's a good idea to place the queen in her cage farther down in the hive--this allows the cluster of bees to keep her warm so that she does not freeze.

6. If bees start crawling over the top edges of the super, use a small amount of smoke and brush them back inside the hive and away from the edges of the super. Replace the lid and feed with sugar syrup, even if there is sufficient honey in the hive. The bees will settle and become established before flying the next morning.

7. In 5-7 days, check the colony for eggs and larvae and remove the empty queen cage. Keep well-fed for rapid buildup. As colony size increases, remove the entrance blockage.