Wrapping a hive - 101

[Perry]

There are probably many different ways to wrap a hive (for those that do so). I have found a way that works great for me and really speeds things up when I am out in the yard.
I pre-cut my tar paper to the height of my hives (I run double deeps so I cut mine 19 1/2" tall) and roughly 7' long.
I then cut a piece of lath 19" long, and staple one end of the tar paper to the lath. Roll it up and I'm ready to hit the yards.








Next step, out in the yard.
So, here we are out in "the yard" LOL (actually my basement, but cut me some slack, it's cold outside)!
Walk up to the back side of your hive, unroll the paper, and drape it over the hive.


Tuck in the end without the lath and put in a couple of staples to hold it fast.


Using the end with the lath, simply pull it taught, smoothing out any bulges, and overlap the end you've just stapled, and put a couple of nails in the lath.


That's it! You're done!


If I am in a yard that sees a lot of wind, I will add a heavy nylon string around the hive about half way up, using duct tape on the corners so it doesn't tear the paper as added insurance.

[riverbee]

great post perry for us in the northern climates or tundra lands.....i don't use tarpaper, but i use something called a 'colony quilt' from b & b honey farms out of houston, minnesota, the link is here:

WINTER WRAP B &  B HONEY FARM

what i do is start the wrap from the back of the hive near a corner, staple at the top, then wrap it all the way around loosely, make sure it's straight, staple the bottom, then work my way around, pull to make sure its flat against the hive and staple in place, doesn't take many staples. goes quick!  the wrap comes back around to the back of the hive and overlaps your first staple job, just beyond it, about or near the middle of the hive, just depends on where you started it in the back.  i have used this stuff for about 8yrs?  great protection for our howling winds!

[LazyBkpr]

Nice!!  that would sure beat carrying the entire roll out to the yard every time....




   I do have a question...   How many hives do you have get SHOT every year???  As many hunters get shot wearing orange Id be afeared of painting mine that color!!!!

[Perry]

Kicked over? A couple times.
Shot! Never.
Ask blueblood though. He has a story about that, and it's a good one. 

[blueblood]

I had forgot about that until you mentioned it.  Yeap, here is an excerpt from March of 2012 with pics:

"So, I fully expect the possibility of taking some lead at work but maybe I should keep my kevlar vest on after work when I check on my hives . I noticed one of my watering jugs was unusually low. Upon further examination, I notice an entrance hole and exit hole. I nervously looked at the front of my hives and discovered two hits on hive #2. One to the telescoping lid and one to the bottom brood nest. I dug a 9mm bullet from the lid and found an exit hole on the brood nest. I'm estimating the bullet pierced up to 6 or 7 frames in a diagonal fashion. I followed the trajectory to my neighbor's house. I remembered at this point, the neighbor's adult son had been shooting in the back field. My neighbor is nice enough but his son is somewhat unfriendly . I went to my neighbor's back door, still in my bee suit and victim water can in hand and had a little chat. I was surprisngly calm considering I had worked all day policing derelicts, cleaning pieces of skeets in my yard from the same neighbor before we could mow and finding bullet holes in my hive. Okay, who is about to explode on my neighbor at this point of the story, ha!

He was in a bit of denial at first but I reminded him that they were the only ones shooting in the area over the weekend and I keep a very good eye on my hives and know if something is out of place and when it may have happened. No apologies this conversation. He had to leave for a bit and then returned. I approached him one more time to speak with him about it after showing him the caliber found in my hive body. All I wanted was for someone to accept responsibility. It's a good thing he did because the next step was to contact the Sheriff's department. He told me he was sorry and would contact his son. Not sure if I will see a new deep, frames, lid or water can out of all this. But, I think we both agreed shooting in the back field was not going to be as welcome as it once was by me. They only shoot back there two afternoons a year. I am a firm believer in the freedoms associated with being armed but have zero tolerance for irresponsibility with using them. I think it really sunk in for him when I told him my kids play back in the field all the time and I could have been back there behind hive #2 when that happened. It's nice to know the telescoping lid is good cover...the brood box...not so much..would've taken a shin hit on that one."
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s267.photobucket.com/user/jossenbella/embed/slideshow/hive%20shot"></iframe>

[LazyBkpr]

Oh that sucks..   I am one of those who has zero tolerance for mistakes as well..  I have never shot at anything I couldnt identify..  Once had a black and tan springer spaniel shot at while bird hunting.. the fellow that sot at him saw the white.. thought it was a deer...   I can only say, its a good thing he was in a tree stand..   all 5 rounds in my shotgun emptied in the direction he was shooting from.. I stopped shooting to reload and he was yelling...   He was pretty upset with me until I pointed out the posted signs and that he was on my father in laws property...  closest I have ever come to shooting someone.. thankfully he only had three rounds with him, and fired all three at the "white" patch running through the woods..   I stood and watched as he took the stand down, unscrewed all the steps, and left the property...  Not often I get that mad..   
   I trained handgun owners and did hunter safety courses when I ran my gun shop..  I could NEVER see a reason to shoot at anything you didnt KNOW what it was..   I understand the excitement.. but at the same time...  if you cant control that excitement you have no place owning a gun. Even more disturbing is practicing without knowing what is in the back ground...

[riverbee]

daves hives being shot at?  my HO; wasn't a mistake lazy,  it was deliberate.

[LazyBkpr]

daves hives being shot at?  my HO; wasn't a mistake lazy,  it was deliberate.

   Oh I hope not.. that opens up a whole nother can of worms beyond stupidity or carelessness    :(

[robo]

Great method Perry.   Do you reuse them year after year?   I know Michael Palmer re-uses,  but he also ties around them because of  high wind.   I gave up on wrapping and went to polystyrene deeps.

[Perry]

Yep, I've been re-using them for a while now. I can get 4-5 years out of them if I'm careful. I also use string/twine around mine because of wind. I put a strip of duct tape on each corner so the twine doesn't cut into the paper.