Equipment Assembly Workshop

Had a great time over at Dadant today, learning how to make my own hive boxes. It's pretty easy, but it was nice to hear what things are important, and what things you don't have to worry about it. I would have gotten upset over nails poking through the sidewalls. But the guys said not to worry about it, the bees don't care, and as Nate pointed out "It's not cabinet making!"

Added Supers to My Hive

I had to add supers to my hive today. So I ran to Dadant and bought a smoker. Then when I got to my hive the bees weren't very active with it being so cool out. So put the supers on the hive without using the smoker, and didn't get stung.

My Bees Arrive

The bees arrived today at Dadant in Watertown. Randy Schade picked them up for me, came over, and showed me and Barak how to put them in our hive. He sprayed them with sugar water to make them docile and then dropped them onto the bottom brood box. We then enjoyed a beer and he had to leave to populate more hives. Jeff Grode and his sons were there to take pictures and we all stayed around the hive till the bees moved into the box. I put the bottom part of the hive together and left them to make their new home. I'll check back regularly to make sure they have enough sugar water in their feeder, and to see how they are settling in their home. I'll check the top brood box to see how many panels they are occupying. Once they hit six or seven panels, I put the supers on top of the hive separated with the excluder.

Hive Architecture - Setting Up Our First Hive

Barak and I setup our hive in preparation for the arrival of our bees.

Bricks are the foundation for the hive.

Bottom board with a screen small enough to prevent the bees from entering,
but big enough for mites to fall through.

Barak sliding a brood chamber out of the truck.

Aligning the brood chambers on each other.  These two chambers are
where all brood rearing occurs.

The excluder is a screen that goes on top of the brood chambers
and prevents the Queen from entering the supers and
laying eggs in the honey.

An inner cover that's been specially cut to go on top of the excluder to
allow worker bees to enter the supers.

The supers are the two shallow chambers at the top
of the hive where all the honey production
takes place.

An inner cover goes over the top of the supers and under the top
to insulate the hive, keeping it from overheating.

Top off the hive with a metal clad telescoping cover to keep
the hive dry and enclosed.

Put a weight on top of your hive to keep the top from
 blowing off in bad weather.

Barak and our first bee hive.

I can't wait to get our bees!!

The view from our bee hive. Our bees are going to have a nice home!

Got Some Books to Advance My Hobby!

Ran this afternoon to Dadant in Watertown and browsed around. Watched a guy from Iowa buy supplies for his first hives. That was cool! Decided on two books, the Classroom by Jerry Hayes and the Honey Bee Hobbyist by Norman Gary.

Ordering Bees

Went down to Ron's to scout out a place to put my hive. Found a sweet spot at the end of his driveway near some trees near the marsh.

Later, I saw Randy and I was going to ask him where to order my bees. Before I could ask he came up and told me that he had already ordered his bees and placed an order for me!! YAY! Thanks Randy! He's also going to help me seed my hive. Can't wait to get started.

Got a Hive

Went with Randy, Bill, and Roger to Mazomanie to look at beekeeping equipment for sale by J.K. Adams who is getting out of the business. I went to look, but got "stung" with the beekeeping fever and bought a hive.

So it looks like I have a new hobby, and a new blog! Welcome to the Honeycomb Junction.