Natupol Excel "Startup" Bumblebee Hive

Natupol Excel Start Up Bumblebee Hive
The Natupol Excel Start Up hive delivers strong, immediate pollination for greenhouse growers who need fast fruit set during concentrated bloom periods. It is designed specifically to give tomatoes and other fast-blooming crops a rapid boost in pollination activity right from the first day of use. The Start Up hive is one of the most effective biological pollination tools available for growers who don't have time for a slow ramp-up period.

Use Natupol Excel Start Up For
• Round tomatoes
• Beefsteak tomatoes
• Plum tomatoes
• Other fast-flowering plants in protected environments
Natupol Excel Start Up is recommended for large greenhouse environments producing bloom flushes that need powerful early pollination.

Packaging
One hive containing a complete bumblebee colony, including a queen, 100–125 workers, brood, and a Bee Happy nectar bag.

When to Use Natupol Excel Start Up
Use this hive in greenhouse areas where crops produce about 2.3–3.3 flowers per sq ft per week. The Start Up hive ensures the earliest flowers receive strong pollination immediately, improving fruit set consistency and overall yield.

How Natupol Excel Start Up Works
Worker bumblebees begin pollinating as soon as the hive is opened. Over the following weeks, additional workers emerge and reinforce pollination. Beevision coloration enhances hive recognition, reducing drift and improving foraging efficiency. The improved visibility of the hives among the crop (Beevision) is based on the way bumblebees see; bumblebees more easily find the hive, fewer get lost in the greenhouse, and pollination improves.

How to Use Natupol Excel Start Up

A) Receiving and Unpacking
• Open the shipping container carefully and keep the hive between 60°F and 80°F until placement.
• You may lift the lid to view the colony, but do not remove the insulation lining
B) Placing the Hive
• Place the hive 8–24 inches (≈20–60 cm) above ground on a stable, level stand.
• Distribute Natupol hives evenly along the main path of the greenhouse.
• Place colonies on a horizontal platform (avoid inclination; otherwise sugar water may leak).
• Summer placement: position the hive on the south side of a path to obtain maximum shade from the crop; add a simple cardboard A-frame if needed.
• Winter placement: position the hive near the top of plants on the north side of the main path so it is exposed to the first daylight.
• Keep the hive out of direct sunlight and away from fans, vent intakes, or high-traffic locations.
• Wait at least 15 minutes after positioning before opening the entrance so the colony can calm.
C) Opening the Flight Door
• The hive arrives in the closed position.
• Middle position: bees can return but not exit (useful when moving the hive).
• Open position (tab pulled all the way up): use to begin pollination.
• Leave the fiber tape covering the entrance in place; bees will chew through it within 1–2 hours. If tape remains after 24 hours, you may remove it.
D) Uncapping the Bee Happy Nectar Bag
• Remove the cardboard cover.
• Lift out the inner hive body.
• Remove the cap from the Bee Happy nectar bag.
• Return the hive body so the wick sits correctly.
• Replace the cover.
• Open the flight door.

Best Working Conditions — Natupol Excel Start Up
Best performance occurs between 50°F and 86°F. Use the hive the day it arrives or within one day. Shading is essential in warm environments.

Handling
• For best pollination results, start using the hive on the day of arrival.
• Avoid direct sunlight on the hive.
Special Points of Attention
• Make sure the hives and entrances are well visible so bumblebees can easily find their way home.
• Place no more than two hives next to or close to each other, and point entrances in different directions to reduce drift.
• Direct sunlight can increase internal hive temperature by 5–15°C; provide shade in warm conditions.
• Avoid placing colonies directly around CO₂ supply points or in areas where CO₂ may exceed 2,500 ppm.

Attention!
Natupol Bumblebee hives contain a “Bee Happy” nectar bag that has been capped for shipping. The bag must be uncapped before releasing the bumblebees. If the bag is not uncapped, the hive will not develop and will fade quickly.
To uncap:
1. Remove the outer cardboard cover.
2. Carefully remove the inner plastic hive body from the outer cardboard hive.
3. Remove the cap from the “Bee Happy” bag contained inside its cardboard frame.
4. Carefully replace the inner plastic hive body into the outer cardboard hive, ensuring the wick from the “Bee Happy” bag fits into the proper place underneath the plastic inner hive body.
5. Replace the outer cardboard cover.
6. Open the hive’s entrance/exit.

Support
If you have any questions, please contact us in the live chat at the bottom right corner of the site or call (800) 928-8827.