my progress

Shanevrr · March 20, 2011, 09:03:45 PM

complete hives with first coat of varnish

Kathyp · March 20, 2011, 09:19:29 PM

make sure you pick up the box on the right first :evil:

they look nice. varnish no less..... you will have some up-town bees!

AllenF · March 20, 2011, 09:22:20 PM

Looks good. Everyone needs a good forklift when building hives. :-D

iddee · March 20, 2011, 09:24:27 PM

That fork lift is in anticipation of a heavy honey harvest, Allen.

Good looking hives, Shane

Shanevrr · March 20, 2011, 10:07:27 PM

the painted looks ok but i wanted something differant, everyones is white/painted lol. the varnish brings out the character of the wood. hopefully it last a long time

the forklift was out of propane, and in my dam way lol

i think im going to build some stands too.

The Bix · March 21, 2011, 05:37:31 PM

Nice looking hives Shane, is it my imagination or are the top covers a bit too large for the boxes? Kinda looks like a 10 frame top cover atop 8 frame hives bodies....

Shanevrr · March 21, 2011, 08:57:03 PM

there just turned sideways to dry after painting

Shanevrr · April 03, 2011, 08:45:50 PM

my setup behind garage, just waiting on bees

Hemlock · April 04, 2011, 12:36:54 AM

Very Nice! Should be in the next Southern Living issue :-D

Let me ask though, How do do have that tie down configured? The image doesn't enlarge. It looks like the tie down isn't doing anything :idunno:

Maybe you haven't put it on yet...?

kingbee · April 04, 2011, 12:54:36 AM

Quote from: The Bix on March 21, 2011, 05:37:31 PM...is it my imagination

I see what you mean Bix so I counted the fingers in the box corners and the tops are sitting 90 degrees out of wack. In other words they havn't telescoped yet.

Shanevrr · April 04, 2011, 08:34:02 AM

Quote from: Hemlock on April 04, 2011, 12:36:54 AM
Very Nice! Should be in the next Southern Living issue :-D

Let me ask though, How do do have that tie down configured? The image doesn't enlarge. It looks like the tie down isn't doing anything :idunno:

Maybe you haven't put it on yet...?

yea it has a rachet strap on it, its hooked on lag bolts on each side,

sterling · April 04, 2011, 12:48:03 PM

It all looks good to me :) Good luck with um.

Shanevrr · April 21, 2011, 10:52:05 PM

i did my first inspection today hooray. my neck hurts from starring at frames for two hours lol. i found and marked all 4 queens, everthing looks ok i guess. lots of comb but no eggs yet from what i can see. i see honey and pollen stores. what you guys think?

The Bix · April 22, 2011, 09:46:13 AM

Looks great to me! Are you feeding them? If not, you should. If they don't need it they won't take it, but if they do, they'll draw out the comb faster and the queen will start laying quicker.

Also, I'd get a frame rest if I were you, they really help with the inspections.

Shanevrr · April 22, 2011, 10:06:37 PM

yes ive giving them about 6 gallons of 1.1 sugar. they have taking about half it and i had to refill one hive already. also i got a full pollen patty in each hive. i have way to many bees in one hive. not sure why or what to do. i put same amount in each hive. if i shake them in another hive will they stay?

Michael Bach · April 22, 2011, 10:32:01 PM

I would just swap frames to the weak hive. Make sure you don't move the queen.

Bees drift a lot when you install packages. When I install multiple packages I do it early am or at dusk. Limited flying. If I can't do that then I wait an hour or two to let each package settle in before I start another.

Not to pick on your set up but you had a prime reason for drifting. All the hives facing the same direction, all hives look exactly the same, all hives perfectly spaced apart, and all hive in a straight line. Bees have no home when in a package. After install they know they are in the right spot but not certain which one is "theirs".

I got a call a couple years back. A person installed 10 packages on a warm sunny spring day. He ended up with 1 HUGE hive and 9 small hives. He only got about 5 of them back to the way they should be.

Shanevrr · April 22, 2011, 11:34:32 PM

I may try that. not really sure but I think your right from some info ive read.

thegolfpsycho · April 23, 2011, 07:32:45 PM

Don't swap frames. Wait until about 1 month and the first few rounds of brood are emerging. Then swap positions of the strongest and weakest hives. Simple painless manipulation and you don't risk losing brood in a colony to weak to cover it. Remember, for the first three weeks, a colony installed from package is losing population. Fewer intrusions the better.

Shanevrr · April 23, 2011, 10:23:57 PM

will do, that makes sense

Sparky · April 23, 2011, 10:32:44 PM

Quote from: Shanevrr on April 22, 2011, 10:06:37 PM
i have way to many bees in one hive. not sure why or what to do. i put same amount in each hive. if i shake them in another hive will they stay?

Sounds like there is a bit of drifting going on. You may want to consider painting some symbols,shapes or colors on the bottom boards or lower brood boxes next time to help them find the correct home. Another trick some use is to place different shaped and colored rocks on some of the hive tops and make sure you put it the same way after inspections.