Bee time

Just looked at the bee's and one hive is still going through the winter.

Install today

Yup, today we're going to do our install.  Don't know if I'll get any pictures but I'll at least get it on film.  Wife is helping, she doesn't want to mess with the camera.  HAPPY HAPPY

UPDATE:  A little cold and windy after work today so the insatll did not happen.  Looks like Thursday may be the day it's going to happen.  It's not really the day tempreture, it's the night.  Want it a little warmer to help them get acclimated and settled in. 

A little help and Package Bee's

Nephew came over to give me a hand with the hive boxes and the hive stand.

Polishing the telescoping top.

Painting

Painting

Here a package of bee's, the estimate is 3000 bee's per pound and the box has 3 pounds.

Under the little board on top is a can of sugar water and the little flap thing sticking up is where the Queen is kept in a separate cage.

The bees are crowding around the Queen and the sugar water.

We're going to wait till Monday to do the install, hopefully the weather will be a little warmer.  We've had the bee's now since Friday and are keeping the warm and safe in the basement.  After their trip from Georgia it's best to settle down for a day or two before they go into the hive.
Here's the hive in the yard awaiting the bee's.

I'll post some pictures of our mentor doing her bee package install on Monday.

HAPPY EASTER !!!!!

Hive stand

Now I painted the hive I'll need something to put it on.  It doesn't need to be to high off the ground, cinderblocks will work but we wantred something a bit higher and nicer to look at.  The reason the hive needs to be off the ground is to stop any varmints or critters getting in.  If something climbs up it will expose it's underside and the bee's will sting away.



Cutting all the pieces I'll need



Laying out the legs, front and back

Sides going on



Top end finished, the hice will sit on the outer boards with support from the legs




 

All done, pretty simple design



With the bottom board sitting on it, this is where the bee's enter and exit the hive (on the wide flat part that hasn't been painted yet)



Pre-cutting for another hive, we're going to have two of them

It's nice to have leftover boards and stuff from other projects, cuts down on the costs.

Beginning bee keeping

We started taking a bee keeping class about 6 or so weeks ago (weather being a factor) and have two classes left.  Very interesting to learn about.  While trying to digest all the new information I figured I needed to get started on the hives.
We bought a beginner kit so there was some work involved, you can get everything already done but what's the fun.
First was to paint the parts:  from the left to the right, the telescoping top, bottom board, hive body, inner cover and somewhere hidden the entrance reducer

Next up to put the foundation into the frames the frames (frames were pre-built)

Wired foundation

Foundation and Frame

Cleat that needs to be removed

I ran my knife under the scored edge through the cleat to the middle on the frame to remove the cleat

Notice the indent/groove, this is where the foundation will rest

The foundation has wires that are bent at a 90deg.  They will rest in the indent with the wires facing out

Lay the cleat along the length, from where you removed it and "clamp" the wire foundation between the frame and cleat

Press against the foundation and nail into place with a 5/8" nail

One on each end

Foundation pin/holder, this will help keep the foundation ridged in the frame

Completed frame

My stack of ten frames that will go into the hive body, tedious work but a feeling of satisfaction.  The size of hive body we have is a ten frame.