Comb Attached To Lid

[Jen]

We spent Sunday evening with friends. The Mr. in this story is the one I've mentioned before who is resistant to anything new about today's beekeeping. He has two swarm hives now that came from my hive. The swarm he got from me this spring went into a deep that he was 'going to' insert frames/found when he got the swarm home. But alas, their house sold and they were busy moving the the frames didn't get installed. Before he took the hive home I mentioned that it would be a good idea to put ona inner cover until he got the frames installed... blah blah blah.

Before we arrived to their house for the evening he called and asked if I would help cut out some comb that was attached to the lid and rubberband them into frames. Of course I said yes.

Good Golly Miss Molly!

[Papakeith]

looks like someone needs an inner cover too!.
All in all it seems that the bees did a neat job of it

[CpnObvious]

Absolutely amazing at how well they can do when we don't go in and try to get them to conform to what WE want...  On the other hand... it looks pretty darn close to what we would want!

[Papakeith]

I did the same thing with a package a few weeks ago. for whatever reason I forgot to put the 10th frame in. It only took them a day to pull about 3/4 of a frame of comb in the empty space

[apisbees]

Had the bees not one frame to build next to the comb in the box would have not been so straight. With only one comb he knew he had to fill the remaining space in the super. Not doing so is him just not caring about the bees, how long or much work would it have been to lift the cover pad put in the frames. I would tell him that from now on he is on his own and wouldn't supply him with any more free bees seen he doesn't appreciate what he has been given.
Nice of you to go and help him sort out the mess that he allowed to happen Jen

[Jen]

Keith, I started out 3 years ago with 9 frames and they weren't pushed together. Over time, Boy! did I have a mess to clean up. Did that this year. They're doing much better. And in my post I mentioned to him that an inner cover would be a good way to go, but as usual he didn't listen ~shrug~


Cpn - "Absolutely amazing at how well they can do when we don't go in and try to get them to conform to what WE want...  On the other hand... it looks pretty darn close to what we would want!"

    Exactly, I love to see hives in their natural state. As time goes by, I will be going foundationless    but for this season I'm working on eliminating the plastic frames.

[Jen]

Apis - "Nice of you to go and help him sort out the mess that he allowed to happen Jen"

     Thanks Apis. He and I have locked horns plenty in the past. I couldn't agree with you more. Not only that but there are bees in his hive with half their abdomen's gone. I know there is a huge mite infestation. I help cause it just pains me to see these hives in such distress. It's hard to walk away even if I can help a little... for the bees 

[riverbee]

"I mentioned that it would be a good idea to put ona inner cover until he got the frames installed... blah blah blah."

inner covers and frames are over rated.......................

great pictures jen!  i like what apis said about him not caring about the bees, not appreciating what he's been given, and awesome of you to help him out to get that straightened out.  some beeks are hard heads.  funny twist, the old timer getting help from the new beek......
gotta love it!!!

[Jen]

Thanks Riv 

[rcannon]

An old lady gave me a hive last year that a renter left on her property. She said they'd been there two years and she wanted them gone. She only charged me a quart of honey.
It was 4 deeps and the only one that had frames in it was the bottom box. Now that was a mess. Comb built in every direction and across boxes. They've turned out to be some good bees, though.

[Jen]

Cool! Actually I wouldn't mind taking down a hive like that, especially if you could do it in stages. I'll bet that made quite a few splits and nucs for you?

[rcannon]

Yeah, it really wasn't a bad job. I just cut between the boxes with a fillet knive, then started working the comb out as best I could. They're a very productive hive with a big fat queen. She's never swarmed and keeps a huge brood nest. She keeps 3 deeps about half full of brood all summer. Matter of fact, that is the hive that made the honey I'm sending you, Jen.
I'm gonna raise some queens from her this year.

[Jen]

Excellent! Send me that non-swarming mojo! 

[rcannon]

I didn't think about that before I said it.  but, then again, I seldom do.