[B4Ranch]

When searching for their hives, take note of storm damaged trees where a large limb has split from the trunk. That part of the tree will often rot and then other birds and bugs will further damage the tree, hollowing it. Bingo, an ideal place for a hive.

If the hive is a small one leave it alone for a couple of years. The bees eat the honey during the winter months, so be sure not to take all their food supply. Then as it expands you should be able to remove 1/4 to 1/3 each year without doing major damage to the hive. The’ll rebuild it each year.

If the weather is tough on the orchard flower crop, resulting in a major reduction of pollen, that is a good year to leave the hive unmolested.

Have fun, enjoy the pure honey.

[beef]

I take all the honey supers off and feed them sugar syrup in the winter. Seems to work well for me, but then again I only have a couple of hives. My theory is that beekeeping is a lot like socialism. I provide free food, housing, and health care, but if they manage to make any honey it belongs to ME.

I am not convinced about the cell size argument. Those sizes were worked out a long, long time ago and apparently they were not a problem before. I think it’s the mites or maybe some other pathogen.

Have any of you beekeepers tried a top bar hive?

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/main.htm

I want to put in a third hive next year, and I’m thinking about trying this.