Tuesday, February 9, 2010

A Lot I Know



This is how my hive looks and I waqs very happy with it. Then I was at LA Honey and as I waited I was talking to another Backwards member and pointed to the piece I used as top cover and referred to it as a something she might need. Ahem came the cough from Larry behind the counter. "That is a fume board not a cover, they are at the end of the shelf." Oops, at least I had admitted to be a new beek so I was not really embarassed but I did add a cover to my purchases.


When I got around to replacing the top with a proper cover last night it was later than I really wanted but I knew rain was in the forecast so I did it anyway. There were only random bees flying into the hive and they were quite calm as I took time to shoot a couple pictures. The bees are expanding their work in the upper hive box. I do not plan on looking deeper until they are better established at that level.



When I was checking last week (in better light) they seemed very happy doing their work. I like the way they line up along the edge to watch.



When I put the real cover on a good number of bees gathered on the front porch but they were all back in by the time I had removed my bee suit.


Now the bees are properly covered and the new cover extends down over the sides of the upper super. I will hang onto the fume board. I do not expect to need ir for its designed purpose but it does leave the bees a little extra room when I use it and i do home to capture a swarm and added a second hive this Spring.. The fume board has a soft inner liner on the top. I believe it helps to remove or get rid of excess fumes during some processes when medicals are added or there is too much smoke. Since I don't use any medical products in the hive it is useless for that.
As with all of this, my education continues and the bees have better housing.

3 comments:

Steven C. said...

I guess it goes to show you how adaptable bees are to their homes! :-)

One question for you - the blue grate all around your hive - is that to keep the humans / animals away, or is it to help the bees fly up earlier?

Thanks - Steven
http://stevensbees.blogspot.com

Dennis In The Dale said...

It was put there to keep the dogs away but they do not need it any more. They are Cairn Terriers with a rather thick coat and it took only one bee or two being stuck in the coat to get their attention. They were not stung but they no longer go to the fence. The girl dog does not come close at all. I left it there because there are possums in the area and I have heard they like to scratch at the hive to get bees to come out and enjoy a sweet snack. The fence keeps the away, at least I have never found evidence of them being there and have seen them on the block wall.

Brownie Recipes said...

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