Beehives

[LordViykor]

Looks good Mjdtexan, what type of bees are you getting?

I'm picking up a second hive of Trigonias this weekend.

 

[Mjdtexan]

I am getting these bees here. I wont be using the equpment that comes with this deal as I am going to use a Top Bar Hive.

I am offering a limited number of single deep "Starter Hives" this spring. All hive woodenware will be new. They will basically consist of a strong 5 frame nuc (2-3 frames of brood, 1-2 frames of pollen/honey and a young queen that has been laying in the nuc for 3 weeks minimum) installed at pickup in the following equipment:

Deep hive body w/5 additional frames of wax coated plastic foundation
Solid bottom board
Migratory top

The price will be $110.00 picked up in SE Texas (near Houston). The following options will also be offered:

Screened bottom board add $5.00
Rosin dipped woodenware add $20.00
If you prefer foundationless frames (or a combination) they can be substituted for the foundation frames at no additional cost.
Customer specified queen source add $10.00 plus cost of queen(s) (this option may delay the pick-up time depending on availability of the queen(s) specified).

These hives will be available beginning in the 1st or 2nd week of April (depending on weather and other conditions) and will continue through May and possibly into mid June (again depending on conditions). A $30.00 deposit per hive will be required to secure the order with the balance due prior to or at pickup. The new hive equipment will be on-site and the hives will be transferred into the new equipment at pick-up time giving the buyer the opportunity to inspect them as they help transfer them (a great learning experience for newbies).

For folks who want to group their orders together (like beekeeping clubs) I will make special delivery/pick-up arrangements on 100+ units anywhere inside the state of Texas (since the state is quite vast, there may be some additional delivery fee depending on mileage).

These divides will be made up at least three weeks prior to pickup and will be sold only when they are building up and the queen is proven and laying a good pattern

 

[LordViykor]

My second hive is certainly a stronger hive than my original, you can see the brood cells nearly up to the clear inspection panel. When I opened up the entrance hole after setting it up there were bees everywhere.

 

[Mjdtexan]

My second hive is certainly a stronger hive than my original, you can see the brood cells nearly up to the clear inspection panel. When I opened up the entrance hole after setting it up there were bees everywhere.

Have you checked your bees to see if they made it through the snow? That hive looks like they should be able to keep it warm. I am going to make insulate my hives top with some styrofoam.

 

[LordViykor]

Have you checked your bees to see if they made it through the snow? That hive looks like they should be able to keep it warm. I am going to make insulate my hives top with some styrofoam.

No snow in Queensland well maybe very rarely near the NSW border.

 

[LordViykor]

The brood in my original hive is developing well, the second hive has a advanced brood. They were annoyed when I took the lid off to take the photos. also added little platforms for them in front of the openings.

 

[Mjdtexan]

What is going on in your hives there?

 

[LordViykor]

What is going on in your hives there?

That's just how native bees do their thing, they mostly make nests in hollow trees/logs in the wild. In suburbia the like to get into the water meter boxes and telephone pits.

In the bottom photo you can see the spiral shape of the unhatched brood developing well. The roundish bits at the bottom of the same photo are the pollen and honey pots, you leave these alone for the bees to eat. For honey extraction you add a smaller tray to the top of the hive where they will deposit more pollen/honey pots. Once it's full you can remove and extract the honey.

The tendril looking bits of resin/cerumen keep it all in place.