Warre hive seed comb moved into 2nd box

Today's weather was perfect for opening the hive and moving seed comb from top box into second box as suggested in the Warre hive conversation--see yesterday's notes.

First, I removed and set aside the top box; many bees on top of bars in second box and bearding down into the open. I sprayed with water so they would move further down and not fly.

Top of 2nd box with seed comb third from right.

Next, I removed the 3rd bar from the right, west side, of the second box.


Then, I opened cloth cover on the furthermost right, west side, of top box and attempted to remove comb. Comb broke off about 1.5" down; fortunately comb was secured to ends of hive so remaining comb remained in place. Unfortunately, this was in the middle of a nursery and one can see three undeveloped bees (white). I thought the end bars might not have brood--I was wrong. This indicates to me that that top box is overcrowded.

Opened top box with seed comb removed--partial comb that is.

Close up of top of broken comb with white, undeveloped bees.

Lastly, I inserted seed comb into third bar space in second box and closed hive.

Seed comb being installed in second box.

Sadly, three bees were crushed in the process when placing top box on table. I used water in a spray bottle to simulate rain which makes bees want to get under cover; prefer not to use smoke which means forest fire and bees gorge on honey as a precaution for evacuation.

Added 1:1 spring syrup at back opening in case they want to use it to build new comb in lower box.

Now I wait and check hive in a few days to see if 'seed' comb brings comb building to second box.

Mid June 2015 status of Bend hives

A couple of things are happening...bees are thriving in both hives, new bees doing orientation flights, drones appearing, and workers foraging and returning with pollen and nectar--just as it should be!

Top Bar Hive: Lowered the bottom board of the top bar hive for ventilation several days ago because of the warm weather and left it lowered. Noticed that bees were staying on the board and not going into the hive; looked again this morning and see that they are building piles of propolis--I'm guessing in an effort to seal the bottom. So, I will clean the board and replace it securely so there is no opening at the bottom and will leave it in place until really hot weather when bees are settling on the outside during the nights.

Bottom board with propolis piles

I see a few mites--not enough to treat at this time.

Also, the bees have greatly reduced their 1:1 syrup intake and I shall stop providing it in a few days I expect. The comb building had reached the 14th bar last week so I added more bars, for a total of 22 now. That should be adequate; however, I will check the hive in a few days to be certain.

Bar 14 comb

Warre Hive: The bees are not moving out of the top box. I have asked for input from local Warre hive owners and was offered an online site to check for information. Although I was unable to login because I'm not a member of Yahoo, I did find another site with useful information about "false bottoms" in Warre hives.  It seems one should 'seed' the next lower box with a comb from the top box. I will do this soon. Otherwise, it will be as the Independence hive--a pollinating and swarming hive, which is fine, too. The bees in that hive never moved down during the three years they colonized the hybrid hive; now I'm thinking it probably wasn't the box--it was just their nature. Wish I had done more research on this earlier. If this 'seeding' works, perhaps I'll put the hybrid hive back in use?!

This is the conversation I found: http://www.beesource.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-270466.html.

underside view of top box; bees not building comb in lower box

These hives, built by Ken in Independence of Western Red Cedar, are garden works of art--they have not warped and look lovely in the yard here in Bend. I added blue vinyl roof covers for a bit of matching color.

All is well.

Bend Top Bar Hive Check...all is well!

May 29, 2015
Still feeding 1:1 cane sugar syrup to the new hive--top bar in Bend. the hive is thriving; occasionally see bees doing orientation flights. Upon lifting the bars toward the end of the hive (left side facing the front) I found bees on all 15 bars up to the follower. And when removing bars from the top of the 'storage' area, I found hundreds of bees there. Seems there is enough space between the bottom of the follower and the lower screen for them to move freely back and forth. So, I removed all the items from the left side of the hive box and assisted bees to leave, with the use of spray bottle of water and a feather. Then I added five additional bars to the main hive space for a total of 20. There was comb filling about half of bar 11. Bees are still using almost a full quart of syrup per day. This is now day 27 since the package was installed so new bees have hatched and are working inside; at about day 42 they will be ready for outside foraging. Good job Carniolans!!

New Bend bees doing well...

May 2 was bee day in Sisters and Bend, OR. I picked up the 3# package of Italian bees with a Carniolan queen. The new emerging bees will be Carniolan and will replace the current workers, which are Italian, in several weeks. See past posts for bee life timelines. Package was installed in the new top bar hive on a warm morning, Saturday, May 2, and the first hive check shows a viable queen in that eggs can be seen in cells on the 4th bar and bees are returning with pollen. 1:1 syrup feeding begun immediately with shipping syrup can placed in hive, too. Will continue sugar syrup feeding until the bees do not use it.

April 10, 2015 Bend hives update--that's hives, plural!!

Today is a warmish day here in Bend, Oregon. Set second hive this week--a 'Ken final design' topbar. He has incorporated all the good things he has learned building topbar hives during the past several years and feels the design is complete--right now I think so, too. However, one never knows what one doesn't yet know...so we shall see. The size seems perfect; the feeder looks great and I look forward to seeing it in use; the bottom board and screen will facilitate hive checking; ventilation options should do well during hot weather--yes, I think we're ready to go! I placed some of the used bars from the hybrid hive that still have a bit of wax and propolis in this hive so it may become an "in place bait hive"--we shall see.

This afternoon I opened the Bend Warre hive feeder box, which is the lowest box in the hive tower, and found it to be very wet on sides of floor and top of sugar feeder as if water is leaking through where boxes join; lots of mold--not sure you can see it here. I think I'll duct tape around outside where hive boxes meet now. Then will vent at top and bottom on really warm days to see if it dries out. Better weather predicted for next week after this current storm passes, so will try the vents then.

As third picture looking up into the 2nd/bottom box shows, bees plentiful in hive although no comb being drawn yet in lower box. Bees on sugar in feeder and others flying for nectar and pollen today at 58 degrees.

Warre hive moved this winter and is now located in upper yard closer to house, where firepit had been, and at the farthest point away from firepit so smoke will not be an issue. New topbar hive situated not far from Warre, topped with the same blue roofing--see how nicely it coordinates with neighbor's outbuilding?!

Spring 2015...summary of hives in Bend and Independence, Oregon

 Here we are--spring 2015! Carniolan colony in Bend, OR survived nicely and has been flying on warm days returning with large loads of golden pollen. Not just dark bees...also Italian looking bees...in this hive--probably a good combination.

The Independence, OR hive is gone...apparently a swarm took off late last summer when I wasn't there. When I checked the hive (hybrid Warre/topbar) during early September 2014, I found it was queen right and there were eggs and larvae, but not enough bees to replenish the honey stores for winter. Although I provided liquid sugar mixture, there were not enough bees to keep colony warm during winter, and I found not many dead bees and some cells of honey remaining when I opened the hive in March after seeing that no bees flew on warm days. Sad for a little while, but then I remembered...I am into beekeeping for pollination and procreation, not honey gathering. Swarms is what it is all about; I know this hive had swarmed several times during the previous season; a neighbor benefited from one swarm earlier in the year because I heard that the bees were gentle and hygenic (clearing out deformed larvae)--that was happening with my old hive.

 So...onwards...Ken and I had experimented with a hybrid topbar/Warre type hive and we decided it didn't work well. Viewing the pictures of how the comb was situated in the bottom box of the failed hive, we could see that the bees kept the comb closer to the 12" Warre hive dimensions and didn't build as wide as the topbar dimensions. However, the older comb from the previous year alighned with the bars and filled the box as it would in a normal topbar. Except for the late swarming, I am confident the hive would have been fine; my mistake was not getting another box under the top two when comb was started in the 2nd box.

Lower box comb

Top box of hybrid hive

We learned...and Ken remade the hybrid hive into bait hives. One has been placed in the Independence backyard jungle (see below) and one in the desert-like yard of Bend. Repurposed box into bait hive; removable lid, used bars, solid bottom, 1.5" opening with moveable cover for sealing during transport to Ken's regular topbar hives. The wax and propolis on the used bars should be an attractant to bees searching for a new hive.

Excitedly awaiting the new inhabitants!

Independence yard

Situated on tall stump in Bend yard.