Posts Tagged ‘carved verticle log hive’

The Grand Kids are Back

Posted in Bait Hives, Grand Kids Log Hive, Log Hive, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 24, 2015| 11 Comments »

Grand Kids Log Hive

October 8.....Grand Kids Log hive might be showing signs of a comeback.

October 8…..Grand Kids Log hive might be showing signs of a comeback.

About a month ago, I was in despair about this hive.  The temperature had dropped, I saw drones flying out of the hive, and the number of bees around the entrance had declined.

Sept. 3...The temperature has dropped to 87˙F. I've seen this happen before. The temperature drops indicating there is no brood up here. It could just be that the eggs are being laid in a different section or that no eggs are being laid at all.

Sept. 3…The temperature has dropped to 87˙F. I’ve seen this happen before. The temperature drops indicating there is no brood up here. It could either be that the eggs are being laid in a different section or that no eggs are being laid at all.

Sept. 3.....I've been seeing more comb now. I'm not happy about it because it means there are fewer bees. What is happening?

Sept. 3…..I’ve been seeing more comb now. I’m not happy about it because it means there are fewer bees. What is happening?

Sept. 17...Then I saw a drone exiting. I took it to mean I had a laying worker. Not good. This hive is 'going down.'

Sept. 17…Then I saw a drone exiting. I took it to mean I had a laying worker. Not good. This hive is ‘going down.’

Sept. 21...The bee population is dwindling. What more evidence do I need that this hive is history.

Sept. 21…The bee population is dwindling. What more evidence do I need that this hive is history?

Oct. 4...Temp has risen 2˙F. What is happening?

Oct. 4…Temp has risen 2˙F.   That’s interesting.

Oct. 6...Are there more bees here?

Oct. 6…Are there more bees up there?

Oct. 17.....I had just visited a big hive that had gotten robbed out. I was worried these might be robber bees because when I looked inside the hive, the bees were running around on the inside of the hive.

Oct. 17…..It looks like there’s a lot more traffic here.  I hope they aren’t robber bees.

Oct. 23.....WOW! Look at all these bees inside!!! The hive must have superceded, but why had I seen a few drones last month?

Oct. 23…..WOW! Look at all these bees inside!!! The hive must have superceded, but why had I seen drones last month?

Note:  I asked this question on beesource web site.  Harley Craig answered  “…those drones could have been from anywhere in my limited experience when you see a lot of drone interest in a particular hive they typically have a queen getting ready to mate or just had one return.”  Maybe drones were already sniffing out a new prospect. 🙂

November 4...New comb has been built. This new queen is ambitious, but is November a good month to be building new comb?

November 4…New comb has been built. This new queen is ambitious, but is November a good month to be building new comb?

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Grand Entrance for Grand Kids Log Hive

Posted in Bee Video, Hives, Log hives, Swarms, Videos, tagged , , on May 15, 2015| 10 Comments »

I was beginning to think the swarms were not going to materialize. I thought maybe I wasn't trying hard enough to entice a swarm to look over the log hive. I decided to step up my game plan. Kids like honeycomb and I know bees like honeycomb. I cut off a small piece for each kid.

I was beginning to think the swarms were not going to materialize. I thought maybe I wasn’t trying hard enough to entice a swarm to look over the log hive. I decided to step up my game plan. Kids like honeycomb and I know bees like honeycomb. I cut off a small piece for each kid (after sampling it myself first, of course).

My wife was busy working in the greenhouse.  She could hear the swarm coming from over the trees.  She ran into the print shop to alert me.  I grabbed my camera while they were descending in the area by the log hive.  I groaned…”not another little swarm” as that’s exactly what it looked like.  But that was only the advance party.  As they started landing on the log, more and more of them floated down, landing on the log hive, but waiting to enter.  My wife wondered if the honeycomb was in the way.  Ha ha, I agreed and popped it into my mouth. 🙂

5-13-15...Big news today: A ginormous swarm is moving INTO my Grand Kids Log hive today! I don't know if it was because of the honeycomb or spacious accommodations, but I think this is the swarm I was looking for.

5-13-15…I don’t know if it was because of the honeycomb or the spacious accommodations, but this  swarm came to stay.

It was unclear exactly when this second swarm came along, but it wasn't much later, probably less than half an hour. It was another big one. At first I wondered if the first one had decided to back out, but I checked the probe thermometer which showed 76F.

It was unclear exactly when this second swarm came along, but it wasn’t much later, probably less than half an hour. It was another big one. At first I wondered if the first one had decided to back out, but I checked the probe thermometer which showed 76F.

Internal temp at 76F at 5:20 pm. That means the original hive is in there.

Internal temp at 76F at 5:20 pm. That means the original swarm is still in there.

The next day, the second swarm is still 'hanging out.' They hung around until about 3:15 pm when I was collecting a big swarm from Bee-atrice log hive. (When you're hot, you're hot!)

The next day, the second swarm is still ‘hanging out.’ They hung around until about 3:15 pm when I was collecting ANOTHER big swarm, this time from Bee-atrice log hive. (When you’re hot, you’re hot!)

Temperature at 80F (26C). After they, I spotted wax flakes. (The bees were all ready to build comb in this hive, I felt bad for them)

Temperature at 80F (26C). After the swarm left at about 3:15 pm, you can see wax flakes.  (The bees were all ready to build comb in this hive, I felt bad for them)

Brian Vorwaller, you did an beautiful job sculpting my grand kids faces on the log.

This video shows the play-by-play of the Grand Entrance of the swarm into the Grand Kids Log Hive

The set up…before bees

Bee Beard Log Hive is BACK!

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Grand Opening for Grand Kids Log Hive

Posted in Hives, Log hives, Natural Beekeeping, tagged , , , , , , on April 22, 2015| 25 Comments »

April 17, 2015...I wonder if I should hang a sign declaring,

April 19, 2015…I wonder if I should hang a sign declaring, “Top Bar Log Hive Ready for Immediate Occupancy.”

March 30, 2015...Brian Vorwaller, the wood carver is on the right...you know who on the left. We're both happy it's delivered and set up.

March 30, 2015…Brian Vorwaller, the wood carver is on the right.  We’re both happy the log hive is on site in time for swarm season.

The very beginning of the Log Hive  or when I was still calling it The Three Kid Log Hive.

January Progress Report  Not being an expert on the chainsaw, I had been worrying about how I would be able to make the vertical cut.  I wanted it to be straight.  I didn’t want the cut to widen out in places while being narrow in others.  I used the weather for an excuse, but eventually I had to face up to the challenge so I could get the log back by April.  It worked out well.

February Progress Report

Brian Vorwaller talks about sculpting the grand kids faces

March 17 visit to see the log hive

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Facing: the Challenge

Posted in Hives, Log hives, Videos, tagged , , , , , , on March 16, 2015| 11 Comments »

March 10, 2015...Here's the roughing out of the faces for the Grand Kid Log hive.

March 10, 2015…Here’s the roughing out of the faces for the Grand Kid Log hive.

Images of grand kids for Brian Vorwaller to compare when carving the faces.

Images of grand kids for Brian Vorwaller, the wood carver.

March 16...The sun came out so I was able to get some time outside. The pencil lines line up with the top bars on the top of the log hive.

March 16…The sun came out so I was able to get some time outside. The pencil lines line up with the top bars on the top of the log hive.

March 16...The sun came out so I was able to get some time outside. This shows the first few cuts in the quilt box. I'm using an electric chain saw plugged into my solar system with canola oil to lubricate the chain. (I don't want any hydrocarbons in my hive)

This shows the first few cuts in the quilt box. I’m using an electric chain saw plugged into my solar system with canola oil to lubricate the chain. (I don’t want any hydrocarbons in my hive)

This was so easy I made a bunch of cuts...

This was so easy I made a bunch of cuts…

...and then pushed them out.

…and then pushed them out.

Then I enlarged it outwards towards the pencil line.

Then I enlarged it outwards towards the pencil line.

I cleaned up the sides with the "Sa-burr" wheel on the handheld grinder.

I cleaned up the insides with the “Sa-burr” wheel on a handheld grinder.

The #8 screen will hold the quilt and the sawdust at the top of the hive. This will enable the bees to regulate the temperature and ventilation of the hive by plugging up or eating through sections of the cloth.

The #8 screen will hold the quilt and the sawdust at the top of the hive. This will enable the bees to regulate the temperature and ventilation of the hive by plugging up or eating through sections of the cloth.

I took a photo of this old 'quilt' taken from a Warré hive. You can see where the bees have chewed spaces (I assume) for ventilation into the box above that's full of sawdust. The upper box has another 'quilt' to keep the sawdust from falling into the interior of the hive. When you let the bees build their own comb (I don't use any wax foundation or heaven forbid any plastic foundation) they are free to decide where to put holes in the comb for whatever purpose they want, be it ventilation or for just passing through the comb.

I took a photo of this old ‘quilt’ taken from a Warré hive. You can see where the bees have chewed spaces (I assume) for ventilation into the box above that’s full of sawdust to hold the hive scent. The upper box has another ‘quilt’ to keep the sawdust from falling into the interior of the hive.

I’ll take the quilt box to the wood carver so he can shape up the structure on top of it.  I think he’s going to carve a type of birdhouse top that will shed water.

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