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.