This hive started out as an emergency backup hive on April 18, 2013. It was the fourth or fifth swarm to come out of my log hive. I fitted it with bars that would fit my Warre hive just in case.
I added a quilt box on top complete with screened air holes and myrtlewood sawdust from my Bee-atrice log hive which was under construction at the time. When I realized I wouldn’t need that backup hive, my wife and I decided to leave it in the tree during winter as a sort of trial to see if bees could come through our mild winter without any intervention. I’m happy to say it came through the many wind and rain storms without me treating or feeding it. It threw three swarms (two at once) that we know about and is still going strong as you can see by the video.
Adventures in Natural Beekeeping 
I like that idea to simply have a few boxes hanging around the trees to help out create feral swarms.
I’ve been reading your posts from time to time, Che, and I see you believe in natural beekeeping too. I’m curious…do your bees swarm every year? My bee hives swarm several times, not just once. Last year my three hives swarmed into 8 hives with three left over. My wife is asking me, “What if those 8 hives swarm a couple of times (or more) each? I don’t have any answers. I only wanted 4 or 5 hives total.
This is so interesting! I love your blog and all the information about bees. Thanks!
Thanks, Vickie. While I have learned a few basics from the beekeeping classes, I’ve learned to hold back a little when being advised to jump in with a quick fix. I love it when the bees prove they can survive on their own. I’ve never used foundation. The bees build all their own comb with no extra sugar supplements from me…well that’s not completely true. I fed the Warre hives last winter, but I’m not feeding anymore. I think I can get away with it because of our relatively mild winters.
Love reading about your bees. I miss having a hive as I did in Vermont. Not brave enough to risk the Africanized ones here. Guess I will just live vicariously through your blog. I really liked your mushroom post too. It’s so dry here in Tucson that I have all I can do to keep my compost worms hydrated and my raised planting beds from drying out.
Tucson must be so different from Vermont. I feel for you about bees…I love watching my bees, but would definitely have concerns about keeping bees where they might be Africanized.