A Thing of Beauty

The beehives are finally completed! The model we're using is called a top bar hive. In a top bar hive there are bars set across the top of the trough-looking thing that is the hive. The bees build their combs hanging down from the bars and fill them with babies and honey. It is suppose to be easier to take care of the bees and extract honey comb. We got the traditional stacking beehive boxes last year which has been doing well, but the boxes are so heavy and low on the ground, it will be nice to stand to do the work.

We built two beehives and placed two new queens and her armies in them. Both were doing great until the divide board fell out of place in one box, due to a silly mishap on our part, and the hive left. We are hoping they have moved into a box in a nearby neighbors shed so we can get them back (if that is possible). The comb they left behind is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL golden yellow in perfect structural form. It made me tear up to see it. I will have to get a picture and post it. (The camera was lost and now the battery is dead. One day I will remember to recharge it.)

Enjoy the pictures and explanation below of what we (and fellow neighbors) have been up to on our little farm lately. (Note: The pictures were taken at Layne's home during the transfer of bees. Their pictures turned out great!)






Our bee friends Shawn and Brian, along with Gordon. (Pictures taken at Layne's house who is also in the "bee club.")

Making space to let the bees enter their new home.

We sprayed the bees with a thin sugar syrup, because then they start cleaning each other off and it calms them down. Calm bees are good.

They loosened the metal can lid and began to dump the bees in to the hive.

And shake them some more.

Now they could reach in a get the queen who is place in a little screen box. See how she is protected by fellow bees? They had to sweep them off.

Picture of the Queen Bee in the box.

The placed a little marshmallow in the hole of the Queen's box. Once placed inside the hive the bees will surround and protect her until they feel she is safe. At that time they will eat the marshmallow and release their leader.

So next the Queen box is attached to a bar.

Place her and the bars in the hive.

Let the last of the bees enter their new home once they realize the others have left. And slide it all together, with the divider on the end. We're closing off half of the hive and concentrating them on one end for now. That way they'll focus on building comb on one end instead of spreading it all over the place.

This is the feeder we have to stick some sugar syrup into to tide the bees over until the flowers start blooming.


Place the sugar water.

What a beautiful sight of the bees swarming, protecting the queen and starting comb!


Done! Doesn't that just make you smile with reverence for nature like it does me?