Any beekeepers here?

[Rick]

This is something I have thought about doing for awhile now. A friend of mine that lives a couple hours away has been thinking about it too. We have both been doing our research and talking to others. My friend is a good woodworker so last weekend we got together and built some top bar hives.

Here is mine. I got it painted the other day and will put up some more pics of it. My bees will be here on April 24th.

Entrance:

Lid removed:

Some top bars removed. THe bees hang their comb down from the top bars:

Close up of a top bar:

 

[hibiscusmile]

Wow, Rick that really looks good, where u getting the bees from? I have a guy here I talk to and buy my pollen from, he is pretty easy to work with.

 

[Rick]

Wow, Rick that really looks good, where u getting the bees from? I have a guy here I talk to and buy my pollen from, he is pretty easy to work with.

They're coming from a local guy. There are quite a few places here in the state authorized to sell packages. They sell out fast and I was about to give up for this year until I found someone local. Best thing about local is that I can pick them up and avoid shipping them which you know is stressful. My friend is getting his on the 9th and I am going to assist him in installing two packages which will be a big help when it comes time to do my own.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Nothing like a couple extra hands and a good face and hand suit may be needed too!

 

[Rick]

Nothing like a couple extra hands and a good face and hand suit may be needed too!

A package contains 10,000 bees and a queen. B)

 

[Rick]

 

[hibiscusmile]

Looks great, hope it works out for you! What kind of honey are you going to end up with?

 

[sporeworld]

Beautiful!

 

[blackburnexotics]

Very cool

With a design like that, your neighbors will never know that you are raising bees.

 

[d17oug18]

i think the "flavor" of the honey depends on what they get there nectar from. I heard that some farmers use watermelon flowers and the honey tastes like watermelon after extraction. Rick can correct me if im wrong though.

 

[Rick]

It can taste different depending on where and what the bees forage. I probably won't get any this year, the bees also use their honey as food during the winter.

 

[hibiscusmile]

That's what I was wondering about, do u have a lot of clover around you? I should send you hibiscus seeds, wonder what hibiscus honey taste like? yummm

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yeah, this really looks good, and I wish you the best of luck with it. Perhaps, if other members follow yr example, we can have a "beekeepers' forum".

I know that we have discussed Colony Collapse Disorder in the past. Is it still a major issue in your area? If so, feel welcome to come to S.W. AZ; there are bees buzzing around here all year long. Since we are so close to the border, I wonder what honey made from the nectar of marijuana would taste like!

 

[jcal]

ive been interested in this for awhile but i live in a condo. it might make the hoa mad but if i could build a smaller hive i would be all over it.

 

[PeterF]

I'm not really involved, but our club has bees on order (due next month) for a hive we are setting up. I suppose I will help set up, but mostly as a pair of hands.

However, I though bee keeping involved the "bee gap" or whatever they call it. The space between the racks the combs go in. I don't see separate dividers inside your hive box. Will you be able to collect honey (in the future) with the kind of set up you have?

 

[Rick]

I'm not really involved, but our club has bees on order (due next month) for a hive we are setting up. I suppose I will help set up, but mostly as a pair of hands.

However, I though bee keeping involved the "bee gap" or whatever they call it. The space between the racks the combs go in. I don't see separate dividers inside your hive box. Will you be able to collect honey (in the future) with the kind of set up you have?

This is a top bar hive. The pic with lid removed shows the top bars. These are removable. Look at the third and fourth pictures. Notice how it is open space under the bars? The bees attach their comb to the underside of each bar. The comb hangs down into the empty space below. The centerline of the bars are a certain distance apart. You simply remove the lid and lift the bars to access the comb underneath.

Here is a google image showing comb hanging from a top bar:

http://www.ebrochures.com/brochures/FFC9666495084310871B1B08A1216418.jpg

 

[Colorcham427]

Hey man, can you stick bees in the fridge to slow them down? My mantids love bees lol.

 

[Rick]

Hey man, can you stick bees in the fridge to slow them down? My mantids love bees lol.

I'm sure you're kidding, but just in case. You should never use honeybees as mantis food. Many of the foods you eat are pollinated by bees. Bees are in decline and it has the potential to be a serious problem very soon.

 

[Rick]

Bees are here!