Backyard Beekeeping Questions and Answers Episode 234

Your Welcome. . .
Also for the "Supervisor.*" Have you seen, or tried "Warre Hives" ?
*These are Small Box Hives with (Stacked) use of eg x3 Boxes (Brood, x2 Supers on average, but more can be added if necessary.)
All use Top Bars (Natural Drawn down Comb.) But in true style : I've converted mine to take DIY made Midi Wooden Frames (Wired with Starter Strips.) Each Box takes x8 Frames. . . Ideal for a x 8 Year Old Beek. 😉
You can easily Screw "fit" one Warre Frame inside a Deep Langstroth Frame : to get Brood in all Stages. In order to install Bees.
'Emile Warre' was a French Church Minister doing bees a bit like Rev. Langstroth (!)
Warre is the popular choice in France 🇫🇷 (Hobby wise) guess same for USA with the Langstroth Hive.
Warres usually use a "under Supering " re their Honey Supers.
That takes a bit of getting use to (lifting is less heavy) and Honey is taken usually after Winter is well over. (Saves on Feeding.)
However, I use and stack Boxes as Brood, Semi Brood with Resources, and Supers as usual on the Top. Much easier to work. 👍
These Hives use Deep sided Boxes. A Deep Box Top with a Pitched Roof Construction aids Hive Insulation. Nice and sturdy and Wind proof !
You can of course, Strap the Boxes with a Crown Board, some extra inner Insulation, and then the Roof.
In my colder Scottish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 climate, they are the seen'first out, last back' re Bee activity."Viva le Abeille."😎
Can be made easily in a Wood Shop using eg Thick Builders Roof Inspection Planks. Cut down to size.
And scrap timber to make the Frames. A project maybe, to keep the Bee "Supervisor" happy (busy) off Grandpa's own Hives !
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Happy Beekeeping 2023.
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I have wrapped my colony with a reflective sun shade that you use to cover your windshield on hot days, blocks wind from any gapsin the hive.

Really enjoy your videos and trust your recommendations and suggestions. You mentioned you use a microscope to examine your bees. Is there a make/model that would be helpful for the average backyard beekeeper whose focus is on bee health and not revenue generation.

Hello Fred.
Live Watch (via Recorded !)
Tip :
Re Horizontal Hive.
As I mentioned before, my lovely Horizontal Hive has Scottish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Sheeps Wool in its Wall Cavity space. And an Inner (flat lying on Frames) a Long piece of Garden Windbreak Mesh. The Bees have Propolised this (to their Airflow needs)
And they can stick their Tongues through it to get the Dry Sugar left on top of it ! [Winter SoS Feed.] No wet Soggy Paper !?!
Above this I also have a Long Sheet of Black/ Silver Insulation Fabric, and a x1 Inch Space above that : for when Fondant / Pollen Patty use needs that extra height space. (Easy to miss this 'needed' space, when all Shop Wood Work is done. Doh ! Need more height, but didn't Design this in. No retrofit can add that…)
Above this, is a Row of (Front to Back) of "Thick Timber" Cover Boards," with Port Hole viewing Windows (Glass Coaster + Caulking +Spade Bit Hole to each.) Easy to do.
Nice alternative to a Clear Internal Crown Board : Hard to make / use with a Long Horizontal Hive. 🙄

Grandpa Tip : 🤞
Maybe make your "Bee Inspector all of x 8yrs Old" a Horizontal Hive : Where lifting the Hinged Outer Sloping H.H. Roof : To the following : The "Internal" Cover Boards, one by one.
Allows Junior "Beek" to see the Bees according to Brood / Super analysis, . . . Without a Bee Suit being needed. Bees thrive under that Mesh : and Grandpa & Grandson can "Chew the Wax" without any Stings !
Just a thought. 👀
When Bees need full Hive Inspection : Finish that Coffee and then get your Suits and Veils to the ready. . . And Roll that Mesh to the side of the Nest. And enjoy Calm Bees. Works Season round. Has a cut Circle 'Flap' so a Rapid Round Feeder goes, where Fondant or Patties went. Fold flat, closed, & use say a midi Photo Frame Glass to 'stop' Bees getting through at non Feeding times. Bonus Tip !
Hope this helps. 😎
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Happy Beekeeping 2023
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Thank You ✋️. . . Suggested Tip:
Just ordered a Heated "Waistcoat" : (Pronounced 'Westkitt')😄 Scottish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 for what you call a Vest ! Will be Cosy as a Bug in a Rug, Kinda, watching your Youtube Video next Week. Timely Amazon Black Friday : 'Big Discounted' Purchase. 😉
Freezing Weather started Yesterday. . . That way until say early March.
Can I Cluster Tight until then too ? Brrrr… 🤭

Sorry I missed the live but you are my Saturday night vodca and Fred time 😂 I have a little question I have two WBC’s (have lifts which insulate) I also have British nationals and I don’t think they are thick sided enough for minus weather but don’t want to insulate while the weather temp is up and down, so if I wait until we have constant low temp do you think adding a layer of insulation around the hive will do any harm, all insulated above. Thanks Fred x

Hi Fred… man! So many questions 1Hr:50:… photography… love all the work you do to make presentations… so much pioneering. Hope you got the Weedy Garden set up for time exposures… I really appreciate “the behind the scenes work”
Wish I could get to the conference but will be in Philippines and Australia…hope to visit Cedar and David
Cheers, Johno

Sorry I missed this as a live but still found it very informative thanks for all you do and I look forward to seeing you at the North American Honeybee Expo in January. I feel watching your videos has made me a better beekeeper and I am very comfortable recommending your channel to anyone who is interested in beekeeping . I’m looking forward to your plans for your observations hive that was at Hive Life last year I’m planning to build one in the future ❤

Hey Fred!! Loved the live stream!! Maybe start doing one every month? Enjoyed the "conversation" during the Q&A. Here's a possible question for next week……I assume the queen sleeps just like other bees. But have you ever observed a sleeping queen and if so, do her attendants still groom and pester her while she's trying to get some rest? Looking forward to The Expo!!!! See you soon!!

Good Morning Mr.Dunn, about hive insulation, you mentioned some beekeepers using Bee Cozy on their hive without using insulation on top of the inner cover. I live in Pennsburg, PA. This is my first year of beekeeping. I used bee cozy on my hives, have hive alive fondant directly on my frames, then inner cover, then I added Foam Board from Better Bee. Should I also add a layer of double bubble insulation under telescopic cover as well? I followed my mentor's way of winterizing his hives here. This is what he suggested for my hives.

Fred, the bush bee man has a letter on his channel under community. He is quitting.

Pity I missed the live stream. Thank you for doing the live chat. Happy belated birthday.

Love your vdo do you hunt or let people / friends hunt