i will possibly be a first year beekeeper and i was wondering whats the best hive for honey production?
Not being funny but a strong hive full of bees and a great flow in the area. It takes about saeaon for them to buildup to give a high honey production.
John
Honey production is all about the flow and the population of bees when it hits... not the hive.
I reckon that you have to balance industriousness and attitude. Sometimes the wildest hives are the most productive. But not an ideal situation!!!
Welcome to one of the greatest hobbies.
Look for a local bee keepers club, they are usually very helpful and many have mentoring programs for the new beeks. -Mike
Welcome to the forum Thomas.... :cool:
as already stated a strong hive & a strong flow is what's needed for a good honey crop. the langstroth hive is the easiest system for managing the harvesting of honey.
I've been following my mentor's advice and never go more then 3 high. Working on the theory bees don't like crossing full frames to get to empty frames remove full frames from the top box - move partially filled frames from the middle box to the top box - most filled to the outsides -lightly filled or empty frames to the middle - keep adding empty frames to the middle box. The bees fill from the top down and three high is easy to lift off and not too high to reach. Only had one hive go a full 12 months so far following this practice and took over 250lb off it in the 12 mths.
I would make the arguement that the position of never going above three supers is more a matter of convenience to the beekeeper than the bees. Once I get more than two supers on a hive, I'm pretty much always bottom-supering for the rest of that flow. I don't have much in the way of empirical evidence, but I generally error on the side of keeping space above the brood nest during the busy season.
thank you all! what would you expect my produce would theoretically be if the colony was new and it was the end of the season?
Quote from: thomas27c on January 30, 2015, 09:39:10 PM
thank you all! what would you expect my produce would theoretically be if the colony was new and it was the end of the season?
Odds are nothing. There is always a slim chance but the first year hives don't typically give you honey.
Quote from: Bush_84 on January 31, 2015, 02:31:34 AM
Quote from: thomas27c on January 30, 2015, 09:39:10 PM
thank you all! what would you expect my produce would theoretically be if the colony was new and it was the end of the season?
Odds are nothing. There is always a slim chance but the first year hives don't typically give you honey.
thanks!