ning
Elite Member
What is this style of hive called?
Beekeeping
- Thread starter LittleBittyBigJohn
- Start date
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CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
This is a Layens hive
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Yessir. They are all still standing. Looks like the swarm traps should have survived too. It was a gnarly night. Had this trim stuck 1" into a tree in my front lawn
Nucs are supposed to be ready in early May, so getting things prepped. Built the stand and finalized (hopefully?) the placement for the hives back in the woods a bit but close to the garden. We'll see how it all goes.
@CloverKnollFarms thanks for the recommedation in this thread for "Keeping Bees With a Smile." Been reading that and it makes me think Layens/horizontal hives are the way to go. Had already bought woodenware so will see how things go with the Langsroth, but reading the book makes it feel like it's obvious to do a horizontal hive with deep frames vs the "industrialized" approach. Curious to see how it works for someone who doesn't really care to harvest much honey nor prevent swarming.
@CloverKnollFarms thanks for the recommedation in this thread for "Keeping Bees With a Smile." Been reading that and it makes me think Layens/horizontal hives are the way to go. Had already bought woodenware so will see how things go with the Langsroth, but reading the book makes it feel like it's obvious to do a horizontal hive with deep frames vs the "industrialized" approach. Curious to see how it works for someone who doesn't really care to harvest much honey nor prevent swarming.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Anytime. I just sold two more Layens hives this week In the coming weeks we to should start to see swarms in action!
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CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
I've looked in on 4 hives thus far. Three have a lot of brood, maybe 7 frames... So in a couple weeks they will be booming. Two had capped honey from last year left.
One is struggling. They weren't awesome last year. The queen is giving up the ghost. Spotty laying pattern, low bee count. They have 4 queen cells with uncapped larvae, so I marked those frames. They are probably 5-6 days old now. So in about 12 days we will have some virgin queens.
I see an opportunity. They have lots of honey and pollen, so are well fed. I'll look for capped queen cells in 5-6 days... If I have plenty, I'm stealing a frame with queen cells, and a few frames of brood and eggs from the larger hives and making a split.
Oddly, even the colonies that were strong, are WEEKS behind last year.
One is struggling. They weren't awesome last year. The queen is giving up the ghost. Spotty laying pattern, low bee count. They have 4 queen cells with uncapped larvae, so I marked those frames. They are probably 5-6 days old now. So in about 12 days we will have some virgin queens.
I see an opportunity. They have lots of honey and pollen, so are well fed. I'll look for capped queen cells in 5-6 days... If I have plenty, I'm stealing a frame with queen cells, and a few frames of brood and eggs from the larger hives and making a split.
Oddly, even the colonies that were strong, are WEEKS behind last year.
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Are the buyers of your hives generally new beekeepers, or more experience folks understanding the decision they are making (horizontal vs langsroth)?
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
They are both.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Worker bees consist of different types really. Nurse bees don't leave the hive, they will stay with the brood on those frames. You will lose foragers, but if you provide resources, they don't need foragers for a while.
We did a split last year that consisted of a new queen, about two handfuls of nurse bees and two frames of brood... This spring they are growing and thriving
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CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Sold three more hives this week, and three more traps. I may have to pick up the pace with builds.
Luckily I do have a couple 14 frame un-insulated hives that I can keep small colonies in, until some builds are complete.
Luckily I do have a couple 14 frame un-insulated hives that I can keep small colonies in, until some builds are complete.
BackRoad
Veteran Member
Interesting!
I imagine you just have to squint to read the "Nurse Bee" or "Forager Bee" name tags on each bee...
Actually I do find it amazing. Bees, and ants (and their termite cousins) are about the only insects that somehow manage to work together in a commonly shared objective with defined roles and unique learned skills. They protect the unborn, care for the young, work for the good of the hive, and store food for the future...
And they're "just" insects...we should learn a thing or two from them!
I imagine you just have to squint to read the "Nurse Bee" or "Forager Bee" name tags on each bee...
Actually I do find it amazing. Bees, and ants (and their termite cousins) are about the only insects that somehow manage to work together in a commonly shared objective with defined roles and unique learned skills. They protect the unborn, care for the young, work for the good of the hive, and store food for the future...
And they're "just" insects...we should learn a thing or two from them!
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Interesting!
I imagine you just have to squint to read the "Nurse Bee" or "Forager Bee" name tags on each bee...
Actually I do find it amazing. Bees, and ants (and their termite cousins) are about the only insects that somehow manage to work together in a commonly shared objective with defined roles and unique learned skills. They protect the unborn, care for the young, work for the good of the hive, and store food for the future...
And they're "just" insects...we should learn a thing or two from them!
Yep, and some would say they are an accident of nature.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Checked on the remainder of the hives today. Wow, lots of brood and queen cells... Even pulled out some honey from last season. Looks like I'll be making a split or two in the coming week with all these resources! Super stoked to be retired and have time to manage this.
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Yessir.
etpm
Veteran Member
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I'm not a bee keeper but I have a question about hives. As I drive up the highway on Whidbey I pass a place that has a bunch of hives stacked up. The typical almost square hives. Anyway, the hives are painted in various bright colors, almost as if someone was just trying to have some colorful hives. My questions: Do the colors matter? Are these hives maybe being painted in these various colors to somehow benefit the bees? I have been enjoying reading about bee keeping and have considered it, my wife too, but until I make that giant step I'll keep reading this thread.
Eric
Eric
CloverKnollFarms
Super Member
Most bee keepers use the cheapest paint they can find. Often discounted at retailers because the colors were mixed incorrectly. That probably best explains it.
I use the same paint religiously, because I care more about quality
OP
LittleBittyBigJohn
Veteran Member
I'm not sure paint color denotes quality in any way, but it does look more uniform, if you like that type of thing.
Although the oops paint is one possibility, there are many other reasons. There are some beekeepers who believe it's easier for the bees to locate their hive in a busy apiary if there are different colors of hives. I'm skeptical of that personally. Some people do like to have colorful hives and even paint little flowers and things on them. You may see Langstroth hives that are different colors in the same "stack". Langstroth's are modular and you typically add and remove components throughout the year. It could be that the beekeeper wanted mixed colors or it could be that they had started with different color full hives but necessity required that they use what was available and it was a different color than the other parts on that hive.
Beekeepers can be an eclectic bunch. Around our parts you get the uniformity of CloverKnoll, to tie die hippies with their bold colors with randomly distributed hives, and everywhere in between. There are as many ways and methods to keep bees as there are beekeepers. A lot of them will tell you the way they do it, or the equipment they use, is the best. They are right, and they are wrong. They have determined it's the best way for them, but it may not be the best way for you. Also, hive management styles typically change over time, as you try new things or as you notice how the bees react to your methods.
I like that so many people are getting education and enjoyment. More bees is more better.
Although the oops paint is one possibility, there are many other reasons. There are some beekeepers who believe it's easier for the bees to locate their hive in a busy apiary if there are different colors of hives. I'm skeptical of that personally. Some people do like to have colorful hives and even paint little flowers and things on them. You may see Langstroth hives that are different colors in the same "stack". Langstroth's are modular and you typically add and remove components throughout the year. It could be that the beekeeper wanted mixed colors or it could be that they had started with different color full hives but necessity required that they use what was available and it was a different color than the other parts on that hive.
Beekeepers can be an eclectic bunch. Around our parts you get the uniformity of CloverKnoll, to tie die hippies with their bold colors with randomly distributed hives, and everywhere in between. There are as many ways and methods to keep bees as there are beekeepers. A lot of them will tell you the way they do it, or the equipment they use, is the best. They are right, and they are wrong. They have determined it's the best way for them, but it may not be the best way for you. Also, hive management styles typically change over time, as you try new things or as you notice how the bees react to your methods.
I like that so many people are getting education and enjoyment. More bees is more better.