A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.

[OEF5]

This was my 10 minute hive inspection on Friday ( a little longer than 10 minutes because I had to change bee gear as I got stung twice as soon as I opened the hive )

Hive opened up and bars moved and inspected.



Brood chamber of 4 bars.



Queen, eggs, larvae, and capped brood on the third bar in.

 

[CherMoz]

Beautiful!

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! Great pics and great hive, combs, etc. Just lovely to see those industrious bees in a good home, doing what they do best.

 

[Serenashome]

Queen, eggs, larvae, and capped brood on the third bar in.

See our pretty queen?! She has the big gold butt on the middle left side of the comb.

 

[blueducklings]

Hello all
I am new to bees and just got my packet
Themperarures here went from 60 to 90 in 2 days

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Bush states it's important to locate the brood comb to the back of the hive for winter in a tbh, but another site says it's more important for that brood comb to be at the front of the hive so the eastern facing front will help warm the bees......CC, do you have tbhs and, if so, where do you try to center the brood/colony for winter months?

I do not but when I've looked into my friends' TBHs the brood was in the middle. I think it was spring so I'll have to ask them what they do for winter.

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you....it makes sense to have it in the middle so that the heat can be more evenly distributed throughout the hive. Please let me know what you find out?

 

[rebrascora]

In a top bar hive the bees will almost always locate the brood nest nearest the entrance holes and the honey stores behind that. If the hive has entrance holes in the centre then if they are allowed to expand both ways they will often store honey at both ends. If you live in an area where winters are cold and long, it is helpful to move all the honey stores to one end so that the bees only move in one direction. during the winter. Personally I prefer end entrances and then there is no need to rearrange anything.

I would never move the location of the brood nest as the bees have chosen where to have it for a reason.,,, usually near to the entrance so that pollen can be easily unpacked and stored around the brood nest to feed the brood. The further the bees have to walk through the hive, rubbing shoulders with other bees as they do so, the more chance that their pollen sacs will be dislodged and drop to the bottom of the hive.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thank you....it makes sense to have it in the middle so that the heat can be more evenly distributed throughout the hive. Please let me know what you find out?

I'll see them on Monday. I have to pick up some equipment and a package of bees.

In a top bar hive the bees will almost always locate the brood nest nearest the entrance holes and the honey stores behind that. If the hive has entrance holes in the centre then if they are allowed to expand both ways they will often store honey at both ends. If you live in an area where winters are cold and long, it is helpful to move all the honey stores to one end so that the bees only move in one direction. during the winter. Personally I prefer end entrances and then there is no need to rearrange anything.

I would never move the location of the brood nest as the bees have chosen where to have it for a reason.,,, usually near to the entrance so that pollen can be easily unpacked and stored around the brood nest to feed the brood. The further the bees have to walk through the hive, rubbing shoulders with other bees as they do so, the more chance that their pollen sacs will be dislodged and drop to the bottom of the hive.

Excellent point.

 

[Beekissed]

Hive is up and baited....been a fun project and now I can move on to other spring projects. I pray that it actually works to bring in a swarm...I'd be tickled to see it being used as a home. It's well insulated on all walls except the one facing the winter sun, roof and floors insulated, it's sealed up to keep it dry inside, got good ventilation that will be adjustable, and plenty of room inside....it has 17 top bars/frames and the hive is deep, it will have a wind block for winter, faces the sun, it's level in all ways, the frames run north/south exactly, the entrance reducer is in place, and it was baited with a few drops of lemongrass and beeswax infused with raw honey was rubbed into the walls inside of the hive. Need to finish my hive quilt and place it as my top board but that's about it.