i got permission to start another out yard for bees! this one is on a nice high spot that is surrounded by swamp.
there is cypress, willow, palmetto and maple that i see and suspect some tupelo may be there as well.
im hoping for a good honey yard from this one.
anyone ever put hives in swampy areas? if so how did they produce?
thanks
bailey.
One word of caution. Make sure the hives are in a well drained area to keep the moisture from growing mold on your wooden ware.
I would be interested in how high the water may come in the event of a flood. In my area, several areas next to the river flood when the Corps of Engineers decide to release water from a large reservoir that's upstream.
I just helped a friend of mine move 64 hives into that same type of area. He keeps his hives on 4-way pallets and when the area is wetter than he'd like he stacks old junk pallets (free from tile stores) as high as he wants and places the hive pallets on top.
Scott
the area just sustained a 16 inch rain in nov/ december the area flooded but not this plot, i believe this spot is high enough to risk hives with a high rack holding them. the mounds are 5 to 6 feet higher than the lot and its on high ground.
im hoping for a larger honey take, we will see, ( i will hope! )
bailey.
BAILEY,LAST YEAR I HAD A HIVE I MOVED IN THE CYPRESS AND TUPELO SWAMP WHERE I HUNT.THE TUPELO TREES WERE BLOMING AND THE BEES WERE FLING.THE HIVE WAS 2 BROOD BOXES AND HAD 3 SUPERS ON IT.IN JUNE I NOTICED THE BEES WERE NOT FLYING SO I OPENED THE HIVE UP AND ALL THE SUPERS AND BROOD WERE FULL OF HONEY.NO QUEEN AND NO BROOD,NOTHING BUT HONEY.I THINK I KILLED THE QUEEN WHEN MOVING THE HIVE.I HAVE 4 HIVES THERE NOW AND WILL SPLIT 3 OF THEM THIS WEEKEND.AS FOR THE FLOOD WATER I KNOW HOW HIGH IT GETS HERE SO THATS NOT A PROBLEM.THERE ARE ABOUT 80000 ACRES OF CYPRESS AND TUPELO AROUND WHERE I LIVE.I THINK YOU WILL BE OK IF YOU KNOW HOW HIGE THE WATER GOT THIS PASS WINTER. THE OTHER THING IS A HURRICANES,WE GET ALOT OF BACKWATER WITH THEM.I WOULD ASK THE OWNER ABOUT THAT,HE WILL KNOW IF BACKWATER IS A PROBLEM.OTHER THAN THAT I THINK YOU WILL DO GOOD THERE. :bee:SCHAWEE :bee:
went to set out the first rack on the new bee yard in the swamp.
the swamp starts at the tree lines.
shot a photo or two and wanted to show em!
bailey
(http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6391/swampyard1.th.jpg) (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/swampyard1.jpg/)
(http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2633/swampyard2.th.jpg) (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/swampyard2.jpg/)
:-D
Ooooh I like the new spot there Bailey, very nice!
...JP
Your experience as a hunter, i.e. someone who walks in the wood a lot, will serve you well in this case. Look for wet area indicator plants and you may be able to get reasonable history of the water line over a period of years. The location looks good!
the palmetto in the trees tells me where the water/wet areas are, i think im on a dry high spot
in a shallow swamp area. deep water swamp within 1 mile so im hoping for somthing good.
sure is a pretty site.
bailey