[jwcarlson]

For you folks who have "log hives" in your yards. How do you go about sealing the end of the logs up? The side that was cut is straight forward. The side that broke off from the tree is uneven and damaged. The comb goes all the way to the end.

Should we chainsaw the ragged edge off and screw a piece of plywood to it? There's enough cracking and damage that it doesn't seem like this would close it off very well. Or is there a better way that I'm not considering? The tarp is not going to cut it.

My brother said "shrink wrap" but that doesn't feel like the right way to do it. I was thinking maybe a piece of canvas nailed around the log and possibly waxed for some water resistance?

 

[mathesonequip]

put them in a regular hive, do a cut out.

 

[WWW]

Chainsaw the end off and nail a board over it or do a cutout as already suggested.

 

[jwcarlson]

put them in a regular hive, do a cut out.

I'd prefer to keep them in the log and do a trapout/take starts if they survive. Avoiding a cutout if I can.

Chainsaw the end off and nail a board over it or do a cutout as already suggested.

I think chainsawing is going to be the best course of action, unfortunately. Hate to further disturb them but they probably aren't too keen on the tarp covering.

 

[BeePappy]

This is what I did with a log hive I had last year. Planned on using it for trap outs this year. I stood it up and put this "rain roof" over the top of it. Chainsaw to a flush flat end with a board on it as suggested might be best. Depends upon where their entrance/exit is I guess. I had planned to build a trap out section to attach, but this past brutal winter had other plans.

Guess you could build a wooden box with a top that slides over the end of the log. Have an entrance or hole on it. Something that you can tap into when you want to do a trap out. Put screws through it into the log to keep it secure in place.
Just a thought.

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums... from Missouri/Log Hive roof/Loghiveroof2.jpg

 

[jwcarlson]

This is what I did with a log hive I had last year. Planned on using it for trap outs this year. I stood it up and put this "rain roof" over the top of it. Chainsaw to a flush flat end with a board on it as suggested might be best. Depends upon where their entrance/exit is I guess. I had planned to build a trap out section to attach, but this past brutal winter had other plans.

Guess you could build a wooden box with a top that slides over the end of the log. Have an entrance or hole on it. Something that you can tap into when you want to do a trap out. Put screws through it into the log to keep it secure in place.
Just a thought.

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums... from Missouri/Log Hive roof/Loghiveroof2.jpg

This is actually a limb not a trunk (so horizontal not vertical) with the entrance at the bottom "knot" you can see in the last picture. I can see the comb when I look up into it. And can see the comb from both ends obviously. If/when I do trap outs I'd wrap that knot and somehow connect the boxhive there.

 

[rweakley]

This is actually a limb not a trunk (so horizontal not vertical) with the entrance at the bottom "knot" you can see in the last picture. I can see the comb when I look up into it. And can see the comb from both ends obviously. If/when I do trap outs I'd wrap that knot and somehow connect the boxhive there.

I sent you a private message with what I have done in the past and has worked very well. The fact that it's a limb and the proper orientation for the comb is different than if that was a main part of the tree may work to your advantage. By standing it up and forcing them to exit thru a hivebody with comb in the proper orientation, sooner rather than later they will move the queen up in there to lay and you can trap her in there with a queen excluder. 30 days later remove the log and cut it open to remove the comb for wax or honey or have a heck of a bonfire.

 

[Saltybee]

There is a lot of reasons people went to hives with removable frames rather than logs. If you are going to stick with the log then I would cut it off flush and add on a log extension. Mini frame sizes in the extension would let you pull frames to start QCs without much work if they survive.

 

[sqkcrk]

Call your State Apiculturalist and ask him or her.