A beekeeping topic.

[BilletHead]

41 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

Some cool beehives Marty. When do have time to build those things. I know you go to bed early.

 

    Thanks Doug,

       I may go to bed early but I am up at 5AM most days. You know while you are still sleeping. 

[BilletHead]

               Now to the second hive just built. It is a long Lang. Again, a horizontal hive but not a double deep. It uses the standard deep Langstroth frames. Because it is single deep you need more frames, but the bees have to travel farther across the hive to build. Takes more frames but since they are the bee keeping industry standard and they are readily available. Three entrances available. So far, I have only opened two. The more you open the more bees have to defend against robbers or pests like wax moths and hive beetles. If you have a very strong hive no problem.  You need to make coverboards that cover the open frames unlike the closed top frames in the Layens hives. Only remove the boards that you want to work under disturbing fewer bees. In the last picture you can see a standard Langstroth hive. I over wintered three of these in a single deep box. This was a very strong colony and it made it through winter fantastic. Last week on a warm day I transferred the colony to the new long lang and removed the box. The returning foragers went right to the new home. The colony was so strong the honey stores were still full, so I gave them three new frames. 

              

 

[fshndoug]

Marty I didn't know Pat did the paintings at the cave dwellers homes. LOL

[BilletHead]

4 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

Marty I didn't know Pat did the paintings at the cave dwellers homes. LOL

             Kind of! Replicas of what we seen fishing in Utah. 

[BilletHead]

           Backer boards,

  Both types of these hives have a backer board. There is no need to give the bees the full hive. Depending on how big the colony will be deciding on what room you give them.  These boards are a stop not allowing access to the empty part of the hive. When I hand capture a swarm or trap in a swarm trap for transfer. A hand caught swarm I may give four frames again depending on size. Place stop board and as they build can give one or more frames at a time.  If I catch in a swarm trap depends on how long trap has set before is moved home and how much they have already built. So, swarm traps have six or seven frames. Drop them in and add if needed.  Keep your colony tight for defending from other bees robbing and hive moths/ hive beetles.  Bees regulate temps in the hive and space control will help that too. 

  Pictures of each type of backer board. first Layens. In place and slid out for placement of more frames,

      Same views for long Lang hive,

 

   We will talk swarm traps maybe tomorrow.

[ness]

Very cool stuff!!

[BilletHead]

1 minute ago, ness said:

Very cool stuff!!

               Thanks John,

  Third year trying this. I feel I have learned a bunch and still am learning. More relaxed this year also. 

[fshndoug]

tell pat i love the paintings pretty cool

 

[jdmidwest]

You are tinkering with stuff I never had the time for.

I have toyed with the idea of making long langs.  That Layens hive looks like a beast to work.  I have had hives that really like the burr combs and glue things together.

The idea of crush and strain is a good way to keep stuff from building up in your hive that has been brought in from the fields like pesticides.  But building wax takes alot of energy for the bees and cuts into the honey production.

[BilletHead]

37 minutes ago, fshndoug said:

tell pat i love the paintings pretty cool

 

         Will do buddy.