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Working on frame tops…
September 1, 2023 I decided this would be a good day to work on frame tops. Of all the pieces of a frame the top takes the most amount of work. First the frame needs to be cut to a length of 14 5/16 inches and then to a width of 1 1/2 inches. After…
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Working on frame sides…
The project of building frames, hive boxes, and swarm traps has progressed slowly. With the aim of constructing 60 more frames for 3 additional hives, the process involves cutting and tapering the frame sides. Using scrap wood and a taper jig, the task is underway, yielding imperfect but functional results.
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Plans for Year 2…
The bee season is ongoing, but planning for next year is in progress. The goal is to expand to 6 hives and 8 swarm boxes, requiring new frames, tops, bottoms, side pieces, and stands. Progress has begun with some frame parts already cut. Additionally, a new backstop for a metal sign has been created from…
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Bees being bees…
The author has been helping their son with a deck building project and working in their flower gardens. They are concerned about their bees due to abnormally dry weather, but are seeing signs of pollen foraging and orientation flights, indicating a healthy colony. They also attempted to capture the bee activity in pictures and a…
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Transferring the bees from Langstroth frames to Layens…
The post describes setting up a new beehive, converting frames, and observing bee behavior near the apiary. After bringing the nuc to the apiary and setting it next to the hive, frames were prepared using a table saw. The process involved moving frames, cutting and attaching pieces, and adding a frame feeder to help the…
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And then there were three…
The news of bees in the trap in Fulton as well as the scout activity around our hives, motivated us to finish the hive. Linda had started decorating it, but life got busy and it was put aside for bit. So we carried the hive to the kitchen and Linda got started. She wanted a…
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Time to build stands…
The author realizes it’s mid-February and hadn’t considered stands for hives. After finding simple plans at https://horizontalhive.com, they used cedar from Lowe’s to build them and found the process easy. This choice was made due to cedar’s durability and resistance to decay. The stands were quick to construct, making the project a success.
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Time to build swarm traps…
The content delves into the life cycle of a bee colony, including the purpose of swarming and the significance of a swarm trap. Bees collect pollen and nectar for winter survival, and the swarm trap provides temporary accommodation for bee colonies. The traps, constructed from wood, are designed to accommodate the colony’s needs.
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What about the top?
Types of tops There are two types of tops that we could use for the hives; one is a flat top and the other is peaked. Both of them are functional. The flat top is easier and costs less to make. My concern was that I would not be able to lift it off by…
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Back To Work…
Hive Construction If you are keeping up with dates, we are now up to the last two weeks of August, 2022. It was a very busy month. After enough frames were completed to at least get us started, it was time to start hive construction. I followed this plan as much as practical https://horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/best-beehive-stand.shtml. The…