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

[JP33]

Many bee keepers use foundationless frames. Starter strips can be made from popsicle sticks, coroplast, etc...

Walter Kelley frames with starter strip: http://kelleybees.com/CMS/CMSPage.aspx?breadcrumb=true&pageName=Products&ProductId=6563%7cProductGroup%7c%7c%7c518%7c0&organizationId=3

These work great!

As long as comb is secured to the bottom and sides of a frame it can be used in an extractor just as frames with waxed plasticell and wired frames can.

Bees often will build out comb on foundationless frames quicker than ones with foundation.

You do have to watch it if they cross comb, could wind up with a mess. Best to checkerboard a foundationless with a drawn frame or one with foundation.

In a heavy flow you should have much less cross combing.


...JP

 

[jettgirl24]

Here's a couple pictures of my top bar hive. This is my first time with bees and my first time building a hive. It was really easy and probably only cost about $40. Like sgtmom52 said, they don't generate as much honey but you do get more beeswax, which I'm really excited about. I'm planning to make candles, salves, and all kinds of things

One of the big advantages of TBH's and other foundationless hives (from what more experienced beekeepers have told me) is that you ave much more variation in the size of the bees which helps keep varroa mites at bay.

Here's the inside w/o the bars:

Here it is w/ all but 2 or 3 bars in:

 

[JP33]

Its not that TBHs generate less honey, its that you have to crush and strain with most TBHs. Some beeks make TBHs that will accept Langstroth frames. In set ups such as those you could extract the honey using an extractor and give the frames back to the bees to clean up and utilize the drawn comb, thus increasing production.

You may also want to check out long hives also known as horizontal hives. Here's a few links: http://beenatural.wordpress.com/plans/combo-long-hive/

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm

Natural cell will help somewhat with varroa but it really depends on the bees and specifically their queen. If they don't have good hygienic behavior varroa just might take them over. Every now and then it doesn't hurt to remove and freeze drone comb that has heavy mite loads.

One last thing to consider & you will get conflicting opinions on this, but I do not suggest using chemicals of any type in your hives. You may kill some parasites but you may in the long run be breeding super parasites and causing more harm/stress with the chemicals on your bees than you should.

Bees can in many instances adapt and overcome parasites. If they are truly struggling you could strengthen them with more bees from another hive and or requeen with a queen from a hive with good hygienic behavior.

BTW, great job with your TBH!

...JP

 

[jettgirl24]

That's interesting... Definitely makes sense that the crush and strain would be less efficient though. I'd prefer not to have to get an extractor so I'll probably stick with the frameless TBH. I'm not trying to sell honey or anything at this point so I think we'll have plenty. We're already planning another hive so my boyfriend can have his own so I'm sure we'll have plenty for the two of us. We're planning on using most of it to make mead

I definitely won't be using chemicals on my bees. I don't use chemicals on anything on my property so I'm definitely going to keep my bees the same way as I do everything else. From what I've read about natural beekeeping it's generally not necessary and seems to have the potential to do more harm than good (as with plants and other animals IMHO!).

I inspected my hive yesterday for the first time... They've got 7 bars going strong and all of the comb looks nice and straight! YAY! I saw lots of worker brood and some drone brood as well. They were out in force yesterday, foraging like crazy with the warmer weather. They've definitely slowed on consuming their food so that is great.

Here's a pic of one of my bars of comb!

 

[Avalon1984]

Could I join you all please? I just got my hive all set up and am waiting for my order of Italian Bees! So excited!

 

[Stacykins]

Can you spot the beehive?!

Ok, I may get some flack from beekeepers, but I got a 5 frame hive. Yes, I know that is commonly associated with nuc boxes, but I like the idea of the lighter weight when filled with brood and honey. It will produce less than a 10 frame hive, but still well. Since the brood chamber is smaller, the two deeps and one medium will be for brooding. I will be getting another medium super or two (no more, don't want it too high) for honey production. Though I'd rather perfect care than worry about honey. I ALSO have a 10 frame hive with two deeps and two mediums, for next year

I just want to focus on one hive for now.

I am getting a 3lb package of bees with a Minnesota Hygienic queen in two weeks. So exciting!

 

[awesomefowl]

I'd love to have some hives, but they are too expensive to set up. I'm spending plenty setting up my sheep.

 

[Caat]

I'll be setting up my hives nxt spring. This year I am focusing on chickens.

I plan on using a Langstroth hive (well 4 of them anyway) I will have 2 honey supers on each with each super containing 8 frames with wired wax foundation and 2 frames with just pure wax foundation (no wire so I can have comb honey) my hives will also have 2 brood boxes. I am on a list from a local beekeeper for 4 nucs for nxt spring. Due to the bad winter here, there was a huge loss of bees. those are my plans for now

 

[Avalon1984]

Alright, I have been looking over this thread to find some answers to my questions and I am terribly sorry if I overlooked it but could you please help me answer a question or two since I am a novice?

1. Could you share your experiences with me regarding plastic foundations vs. wire crimp wax foundation? Do the bees hate plastic?
2. What are my chances to place an empty hive on the property line to see if I can catch a colony (our neighbor is a blueberry farmer) in case my shipped bees fly away? Is it possible? Is it a terrible thing to do?
3. My husband is thinking about planting one of our pastures in clover to keep the bees around. Would that help?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[McGoo]

I'm a Top Bar Hive beekeeper too! I've used the Barefoot Beekeeper design which has the angled sides. It's a relatively inexpensive method and allows the bees to select their own size cells for raising their brood. Lots of other good things too.

As for rendering the wax - it sure does take a lot of comb to make a small cube of pure wax - wow, tried that a couple weeks ago.


Avalon 1984 - you could try to leave a hive out, but you are not too terribly likely to have a swarm find it. If you put honey in it - you would only promote robbing.

Maybe you could get a swarm and dump them inside? Or order a queen and get a few pounds of bees from a local beekeeper? PUt the queen inside in her box so she is safe and they can adjust to her phermones for 3-4 days and then release her. Hopefully they will be happy with her. Just a thought. I am not an expert.