New tools for bee mite identification, here’s the bee informed partnership post:
And a direct link:
Happy Mite Identification!
New tools for bee mite identification, here’s the bee informed partnership post:
And a direct link:
Happy Mite Identification!
For the originals go to:
http://www.wasatchbeekeepers.com
and search for ‘top bar plans’ or see images copied below.
These plans from the Wasatch Beekeepers Association in Utah, by David Bench are extremely well drawn with clear dimensions and steps outlined right on the diagram. They also take into account using standard sized lumber, and bars that match the length of Langstroth hives–a consideration that can prove very useful in a mixed hive-style apiary or when sharing bees with friends using different equipment.
Though our design has been slightly modified from these, they were a great starting point. We don’t use their legs, feeder, or top bar designs, preferring rather to simply cut a hole in the back of the hive for a standard boardman feeder to slide into (though we no longer feed our bees…see research on www.wncqbc.com regarding feeding issues). We’ve also modified the window design to create more of a light trap to prevent sunlight from coming into the cracks around the window opening by using glass the full length of the side, also eliminating the need to cut a hole out of one solid piece of wood. This is easier and allows for smaller lumber to be used just cut two full length boards with grooves to hold the window in place.
For the top bar, we’ve found simply cutting an 1/8″ shallow groove down the center of the top bars is adequate eliminating several passes on the table saw for each bar.
A big thanks to David Bench and the Wasatch Beekeepers Association for publishing these hive plans!
While it would be easy to draw that conclusion from these inaccurate assumptions:
Here’s the problem:
What the bigger picture? Honey bees alone are given credit for pollinating one third of all food consumed by humans. These insecticides are directly impacting pollinator’s ability to survive. Without pollination, the global food system is at risk–our ability to feed humanity is at risk.
New York Times:Decline of Pollinators Poses Threat to World Food Supply, Report Says
Another article worth reading from Randy Oliver’s scientificbeekeeping.com:
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/does-the-crushing-of-bees-affect-colony-health/
He poses the question, found in the URL above, “Since I couldn’t find a single controlled study in which the effects of the crushing of bees in the hive was clearly determined, I decided to use some of your donations to run a trial…” and the short answer to his bit of direct research is ‘yes, in winter’.
Control colonies with no crushed bees were stronger after the study ended than colonies where bees were crushed. Colony strength only diverged in the winter however…
This hoop house made from wood caught my eye. Pretty amazing that even in their northern climate, they can keep the green house above freezing completely from passive solar design. Check it out:
https://permaculturegreenhouse.com/