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Rick, I let them fight it out :-)

I agree with beepro! It's more than just keeping them warm. Queens tend to not lay more then the nurse bees can handle. You will either need to add bees from a package or combine. I combined three...

Thanks to everyone for the excellent responses. They are all very helpful.

Michael,

I guess I have that same question. If the queen happens to be in the second box, will she just climb right back in the entrance of the bottom box after having been shaken on the ground?...

BMAC, this makes sense. I suppose without needing to shake bees one could take a third box and add brood to it and place an excluder between the 1st and 2nd and 2nd and 3rd box and do the same. This...

CaBees, they are all double deeps. The queens in everyone so far have been laying in both deeps. It's amazing.

Michael, let me see if I understand this.
1. Shake bees off some brood comb and place that in an empty box along with honey stores. This becomes the new bottom box.
2. Place a queen excluder on...

I just returned from helping a friend bring back 90 hives from the California Almond Pollination. His hives are overflowing with bees. Kind of looks like a beer mug poured to fast. We have enough...

I love pierco frames. Opening a box of pierco frames and dropping them into a honey super takes all of 20 seconds.

I am curious how long the almond bloom usually lasts? Any guesses what date it will last through in the Bakersfield area?

Jim, you make a great point. I hadn't thought of that. This year was my first bad experiance with mites. I had looked for them, but had not test for them and sadly when my hives were at their...

I use a spray bottle! I initially purchased a syringe to measure the number of times I had to pull the triger on a given spray bottle until I reached 5 ml. I prefer to pull the frame and spray each...

Perhaps this is a crazy idea but what would happen if one did the following for a mite infested hive.

1. Remove all the brood comb and freeze it.
2. While the comb is freezing, treat the hive...

I believe God made all things for His good pleasure and part of that pleasure is that we delight in His creation! We were given the reasponsilibity to watch over and tend His creation and that is the...

Michkel, what's the location of your bees? Your status says Placer county california! What town are you near? Oops! I see you posted this already.

Be warned, it's very addicting :-) and a bunch of fun!

One of the best resources I have found for learning alternative ways of beekeeping is using google translate and youtube. The old eastern block countries came up with some of the most inexpensive...

I agree! You need to treat for mites. I had know Idea how bad of a mite infestation I had this year. I had 35 very strong hives in August and by the end of September they were all weak. I initially...

You two are just not ok! :-)

You will be!

Very true! I suppose it is partly dependant on resources. I've seen school buses with a handicap lift go for 3,000! Of course, one day when I am successful, I'd love to have a huge shop.

I've thought of doing the same thing in a converted school bus.

BotBees,

Now that's what we are talking about! How are your boxes holding up, such as years with out dipping again? Do you have pictures of the dip tank you are using? I am considering having a...

LOL! Good one! That's even funny several years after you posted it!

Steve, thanks for the info on the micro wax. I picked up some and am looking forward to building a dip tank.