#comb management

Back In the Beek Saddle . Checking the hive after stings #beekeeping #bees #topbar

I went out to check the hive this morning with more than a little trepidation. Even Neil, the ever stoic, seemed a little concerned after last week’s double whammy of back to back stings with massive reactions. My eyes are just now back to normal even though the sting site on my nose isn’t quite healed. The sting on my arm is still clearly visible and itchy.

Despite is already being near 80…

Hive Organization – Week 12

The death of half of my hive in late May has weighed heavily on me, keeping me out of the hive and away from my blog. Since then the survivors proved their efficiency and the hive has fully recovered. The bees have turned chaos into organization and it is time for me to follow their lead and regain my momentum.

As I read up on beekeeping, each book talked about the “brood nest”,  which I took to…

I've been worried I couldn't see the difference between worker brood comb & drone.http://wp.me/p4z3lD-2L #bees #topbarhive #beekeeping

I check my hive every few days because I am curious and because I am a worry-wart.  I am terrified my bees will be unhappy and leave (though they seem quite content and have lots of room to grow) and I have been watching carefully for signs of an impending swarming.

As I learn my way around the hive, I am pretty sure I would recognize a queen cell, but have been worried that I didn’t really…

      As discussed in my earlier post : Full Inspection: Day 11  I recently discovered two double combs in the hive. By double I mean that there were TWO independent combs built on the same bar. After some research and questions asked on the FB group I recently joined “Top Bar Hive Beekeeping in the Pacific Northwest”, I realized the double combs must go.

So I suited up and headed out. The fist…