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Bump. A very educational thread.

Thanks for your replies. I'm inclined to believe it's a swarm, although right now the cluster has broken up and the bees are just buzzing around the entrance. In any event, my problem is that I am...

Update: the cluster remained outside after dark. It's not really raining anymore at the moment, but it's still cool.

Michael, there's plenty of room. The hive dimensions are 19"Wx11"Dx36"L. When I opened it two weeks ago, there were at least 10 top bars that had not been drawn out. Also, at that time, I moved...

I have a top bar hive in which I installed a 3 lb package March 31. Things have gone well in terms of comb-drawing and population buildup. It's rainy and 56 degrees F here today, and it's been...

Jim, you might want to post your question about nail guns at www.woodcentral.com. Lotsa helpful woodworkers there, and I know some of them are beekeepers. I know you'll hear from people with...

While it's true that a disclaimer or waiver cannot keep anyone from suing you, it could very well keep them from winning the lawsuit. I don't know why newguy says disclaimers and waivers don't...

I was able to purchase 3 yards of 36" wide 1/8" hardware cloth for about $1.79 at Pleasant's Hardware here in Richmond.

Dennis, I don't have a digital camera, but evidently I can snailmail pictures to Barry for posting, so I'll try to take some pics and send them to him. It ain't nothing fancy, and who knows whether...

Jon, I'm intrigued by your message. What is the oldest unpainted pine hive you have? I am finishing up a TBH made of cheap white pine from Lowe's, and I was planning to paint it. But the...

Dennis, when you say that "the swarming bees prefer a bottom entrance of about 1 1/4" in diameter," do you mean a circular entrance? If so, what sort of landing pad, if any, would such an entrance...

As I previously reported, I'm building a tbh modeled on Steve's tbh. This weekend I built the hive body and bottom board, attic and attic floor, and added a skirt to the body. I have two questions....

I read somewhere that bees are partial to blue, so that's the color I'm going to use.

Thanks to everyone for this informative and useful thread. I'm getting ready to build a tbh modeled on this one built by Steve:
http://www.xscd.com/tbh/

I was inclined against putting in the...

Ian, you might want to post this on the FGMO board. Dr. Rodriguez is sure to see it there.

Thanks very much Glenn. Good thing there's a picture. If there was only text, I would have really bogged down on the word "carpophore." According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English...

I saw a reference to an alternative hive design created by a man named Todorov, but I can't find anything about the design itself. Anyone know any details? No real need to know, I'm just curious. ...

Thanks, Dennis, those are very useful links. Don't have a camera yet, but maybe oneday.

[This message has been edited by harlond (edited January 17, 2003).]

In addition to rhododendrons and azaleas, my yard contains a gnarled old mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia. In her "A Book of Bees," Sue Hubbell says that honey from mountain laurel is poisonous. ...

Thanks for replying, Glenn. I'll look into the association. And I'll keep an eye on the hummingbird feeder.

Glad to hear that hollies are good. The spot I have preliminarily settled on for a...

I plan to build a top bar hive (kinda like this one: http://www.xscd.com/tbh/ ) in my backyard in Richmond, Virginia. If I'm not already too late, I plan to stock it with package bees. Would...

Thanks everyone, that alleviates my concerns.

I'm thinking about putting a beehive in my backyard. I've been planting the yard with plants that are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. The anise hyssop is very attractive to hummers, and...

A router with a pattern jig could do this job. Make the pattern from a piece of 3/4" or 1" plywood or MDF with a half-moon cut into it the shape of the desired handhold. Bevel the pattern with your...