mowing the lawn around the hives

[Understudy]

I just don't get it why are you having problems mowing the lawn around the hives!?
I have bees in a bee-house and on wood but i don't se the diference when i'm mowing the lawn.
It seams that my bees are calmer than your ;)

Some of us, like me, live in area's with very mean bees. My bees don't mind you mowing as long as you don't take to long. However the weed wacker does seem to cause them to get a little testy.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Mici]

Miško, read my post more carefully, you'll see what the whole topic is about.
and yes, you can mow the lawn around your bee house without problems, because the mass of the whole structure pressing onto the foundations is killing the vibrations, well actually the mass is too big to be disturbed by little vibrations a lawn mower causes. but, when you have only 1 hive on one concrete block, vibration transmision must be enormous.

[Misko]

I'm sory I didn't read all of you post ;) I hope you will build your bee house as soon as posible!

[hooyaman]

John is right.  mowing around your hives first is the trick.  I always make a fast round in front of my hives first and it doesn't bother them at all. Then after I am done mowing I weed eat around them from the back side.  This works well for me. I have never gotten stung.  Hives look good sitting on a newly groomed lawn.

[Michael Bush]

I have a very simple system.  I have top entrances and no bottom entrances and I never mow around the hives.  Actually I never mow anywhere...

[hooyaman]

Michael,
do you think top entrances work better than bottom entrances ? How does that effect the bees keeping the hive clean and would that also hinder inspection. Will you give us a picture of one of your hives. I would like to see it.
                                                                                                            Jeff

[Understudy]

Michael,

That's not fair. I don't have horses to mow my yard.  :-D

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

>do you think top entrances work better than bottom entrances ?

In several ways yes:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#topentrance

> How does that effect the bees keeping the hive clean and would that also hinder inspection.

I don't see any difference.  The house bees haul the dead out the door wherever that may be, when there are enough bees to do so.  They don't when there are not enough bees to do so.

> Will you give us a picture of one of your hives.

There is a web site full of pictures of my hives:
www.bushfarms.com

Here are pictures of top entrances and how I make them:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm

>That's not fair. I don't have horses to mow my yard.

True.

[hooyaman]

Thanks Michael,
i enjoyed your pictures and see how to build the top entrances.  Thanks for the input. 
                                                                                            Jeff