Reverend Lorenzo Langstroth invented the modern framed bee hive. We’ve all seen them: the typical stack of white boxes along the margins of a farm field.
Until 2012, we didn’t have any. We figured that we should probably find out what these things are all about and bought three singles from Dancing Bee Honey. Remember, we’re primarily a topbar operation.
I still prefer working in topbars: the bees are calmer, mostly due to the not having to tear open the entire top of the hive to have a look. Just one bar at a time.
We had one of them in my side yard and it seemed like a perfect place: treed around, but a nice open clearing and out of the way of people. They’ve been doing OK, but haven’t really thrived. It probably has to do with not getting direct sunlight until after noon, so my son helped me move it to a different spot last night.
They’re completely open to the morning sun now and judging by the activity around the entrance this afternoon, they’re happy. It’s supposed to get hot again tomorrow, so I think I’ll swap out that bottom brood box. It’s about done.