Our new bee hive

[Tororider]

Here are some pictures.

 

[Tororider]

The first picture is our new hive at its final location on our property. The second one is of the field trip that we took our kids on that got this whole thing started.

We had taken the kids on a field trip to a farm that does bees as part of our homeschool group. The kids had fun, but I think I had more. After talking to the guy I was pretty interested. I signed up for their more intense adult beekeeping class and after that I ordered the hive. The setup comes with everything you need to get started. We get six medium boxes with frames and foundation, bottom board, top board, hat and veil, gloves, hive tool, queen excluder, entrance feeder, a book on beekeeping, a smoker and fuel.

The bees seem to be happy at their new home and hopefully productive enough that we get some honey this year.

Oh yeah, that second picture... We had about 15 adults and 25 kids around those bees, no one in protective clothing. Bees swarming all around us, and no one got stung. It was pretty cool.

 

[dreamer]

Do you have a link to the company you bought the hive and supplies from?

Thanks, dreamer.

 

[Tororider]

Turtlebee Farms

They aren't a big shipping company. They mostly work with local people I think, but they are a great family and you could definitely call them and see if they can help you out.

The part that I like is that they have a one year guarantee. Meaning if I do my part, and don't take the honey from the brood boxes that the bees need to survive the winter, if my bees don't survive anyways, they will give me new bees in the spring.

 

[RTII]

Congratulations on the new hive.

We just started beekeeping ourselves begining of May with two hives. Absolutely facinating endevour so far. I don't expect we'll get much honey this year if any. Probably let the bees keep it for this winter and harvest some next year. Already making plans to expand with more hives as well next year. Trying to learn as much as we can with these first two hives.

Do you know what strain of Bees you've got?

 

[Tororider]

I believe we have Italian hybrids. I believe the queen is Italian and then you get crossed with whatever Drones she mates with on her mating flight. It is quite interesting stuff. Next weekend I need to add on the last brood box.

 

[RTII]

Mine are Italian as well crossed with Carnolian. It's amazing how calm they are. I've yet to try handling the frames without a veil though like y'all are doing in the picture. I will feed and approach them and pop the lid off without one but when we hived ours from nukes and when handling the frames for inspection I wear a veil.

 

[Tororider]

I will probably check the frames without the veil. I actually need to pick my smoker up next weekend, they didn't have it, but I wanted to get the hive set up. That is why I haven't added the third brood box yet, wanted the smoker first. But I was amazed that no one ever got stung at the field trip or the class. It is pretty cool.

I actually have a video of Tim getting the bees out of a mailer pack by beating on it. But the bees didn't have a hive to protect so no one ever got stung. Pretty cool. I will see if I can find a way to load it.

 

[Oldtink]

If you're interested, I'd look for a book called "the hive and the honeybee" by Roy Grout.
I think you will find it invaluable with your beekeeping.

 

[RTII]

I am just running one deep brood box and added a medium honey super to each hive a couple of weeks ago after all the brood frames were mostly filled. Been away for a while so I'm anxious to see if they've drawn any more comb in the upper supers. It'll be 2 weeks until I'm able to though. Pictures of my hives. 1st picture shows some new honey comb being drawn. if you can zoom in on the 2nd picture you'll see our queen which is marked with a red paint mark. 3rd picture is just of the hives. The feeders are empty because we stopped feeding after we added the supers.

 

[RTII]

If you're interested, I'd look for a book called "the hive and the honeybee" by Roy Grout.
I think you will find it invaluable with your beekeeping.

You probably meant this for the OP but I also appreciate the recommendation. I'll check it out.

 

[Tororider]

If you're interested, I'd look for a book called "the hive and the honeybee" by Roy Grout.
I think you will find it invaluable with your beekeeping.

I will have to check that book out. I have read "First Lessons in Beekeeping" by Delaplane and started reading "The Classroom: Beekeeping Questions and Answers" by Hayes.

 

[Tororider]

I am just running one deep brood box and added a medium honey super to each hive a couple of weeks ago after all the brood frames were mostly filled. Been away for a while so I'm anxious to see if they've drawn any more comb in the upper supers. It'll be 2 weeks until I'm able to though. Pictures of my hives. 1st picture shows some new honey comb being drawn. if you can zoom in on the 2nd picture you'll see our queen which is marked with a red paint mark. 3rd picture is just of the hives. The feeders are empty because we stopped feeding after we added the supers.

Very cool. I am guessing it is the difference in climate, but if I were using deeps I would need two for brood boxes, and then supers on top of that. With mediums, three for brood boxes and then supers on top of that. A little longer and colder winter here than there.

What is in the picture just above and to the left of the queen, it looks like it may be plastic and cylindrical?

 

[Tororider]

Beekeeping Class.MOV - YouTube

Here is the video.

 

[troutsqueezer]

I am glad that you are discovering beekeeping, it is a worthwhile hobby. I've had seven hives now for about 8 years.

That said, a word of warning: Although the bees were docile when they were being transferred from what looks like one hive to the next, it is still advisable to wear at the minimum a veil to protect your eyes. Should the girl who was carrying the frame with bees on it drop it accidentally, I assure you the bees would no longer be docile and many of those kids standing around so close and with no protection would have been stung. These things are not foreseeable. The bees might be docile today, but not tomorrow and there are many reason for that, including the weather.

Bees, when angry, will go for your face first. Your breath is one thing that attracts them there. One sting in the eye and you may lose sight in that eye permanently. Even the pros always wear a veil for this reason.

Of course you will learn more as you go forward. Meantime, play it safe and wear protection. There is nothing to prove by not doing so.

To learn more, you might consider perusing the Beesource forum.
Beesource Beekeeping Forums

 

[RTII]

Very cool.
What is in the picture just above and to the left of the queen, it looks like it may be plastic and cylindrical?

It is a queen cell cup. The frame is from the original nuke and (I believe) queen cells are raised in the cup and the cup is transferred into the nuke to queen it.

 

[Tororider]

I am glad that you are discovering beekeeping, it is a worthwhile hobby. I've had seven hives now for about 8 years.

That said, a word of warning: Although the bees were docile when they were being transferred from what looks like one hive to the next, it is still advisable to wear at the minimum a veil to protect your eyes. Should the girl who was carrying the frame with bees on it drop it accidentally, I assure you the bees would no longer be docile and many of those kids standing around so close and with no protection would have been stung. These things are not foreseeable. The bees might be docile today, but not tomorrow and there are many reason for that, including the weather.

Bees, when angry, will go for your face first. Your breath is one thing that attracts them there. One sting in the eye and you may lose sight in that eye permanently. Even the pros always wear a veil for this reason.

Of course you will learn more as you go forward. Meantime, play it safe and wear protection. There is nothing to prove by not doing so.

To learn more, you might consider perusing the Beesource forum.
Beesource Beekeeping Forums

I will have to check out that forum, thanks. We were moving a nuc into a hive body so there weren't a ton of bees to begin with. I agree that safety needs to be practiced. Like you said, something as simple as weather can make a big difference. Bad weather means a lot of antsy bees with nothing to do but protect the hive.

 

[Tororider]

I added the third brood box today. I was a little disappointed because they hadn't done much in the second box yet. I looked around a little, but didn't find the queen. I will probably check for her again next time I am out, but once I make sure she is good just leave them for a bit except to add sugar water to the feeder. I obviously need to get a larger jar but that was all I had on short notice.

 

[Tororider]

Trout you will be glad to know I "suited up" even though it was 90+ degrees out. I am sure I would have been fine without, but better safe than sorry I guess.

 

[forgeblast]

I was going to second beesource good site. I dont know if you have a fence around it but our three hives were just wipped out by a bear. It destoyed and then came back and smashed them just to make sure they were down. My fence was shorted and he got right in.