Beekeeping or Bee Hosting? Bees & Forest B&B
Beekeeping or Bee Hosting? Bees & Forest B&B Welcome to another update from my ForestBeehive apiary—this time from a newly relocated horizontal Layens hive now nestled in the heart of EarthSong Wildlife Protection Area in Somerville, Maine. Surrounded by almost 600 acres of wild meadows and untouched habitat, this is ideal natural forage country for […]
Horizontal hives, Layens vs. Langstroth frames, wintering clusters
Perfectly circular brood pattern – Layens frame I host USDA Russian honey bees (aka RHBA pure russians) in double-walled insulated horizontal Layens hives – either with peaked roofs or with telescopic roofs. The video shows how 16” deep Layens frames allow honey bees to lay perfectly round brood pattern while conventional shallower Langstroth frames would […]
Water, Minerals and the taste of Honey – Duplicate – [#6188] – Duplicate – [#6258]
Water, Minerals & the Taste of Honey You probably already knew that the honey bees collect not just nectar but water as well. But did you know that the quality of the bees’ primary water source directly affects the quality and taste of their honey? The honeybees that collect clean water and unpolluted natural nectar […]
If Beekeeping=Agriculture, shoud you treat Bees like Cattle??
If Beekeeping=Agriculture, should Bees be treated like Cattle?? Rev. Langstroth, who in 1850s invented conventional vertical multi-box beehive, was a congregational minister who advocated for a “dominion of man over bees”. Langstroth shared the prevailing philosophy of the 1800s, that Man’s mission was to control, dominate and subjugate nature rather than live in harmony with […]
USDA Russians vs. Italian Bees, Horizontal Hives and Funny Honey
Russian Bees vs. Italian Bees Comparison of USDA certified Russian bees and bees with Italian genetics in terms of winter survival in US North East without supplemental sugar feedings. “To feed or not to feed”, that is the question. Summer space management of horizontal Layens hive and what makes funny honey.
Working with Horizontal Layens Hives
Working with Horizontal Layens Hives Feral Hive in a Natural Tree Hollow Layens horizontal hives were designed to imitate how the feral bee colonies live in natural tree hollows. Layens horizontal hives with deep 16″ frames have been in continuous use since the 19th century, as they are easy to manage with minimal disturbances to […]
Vertical and Horizontal Beehives & Math of Overwintering. Honey Bee Clusters, Shapes & Frame Design
Vertical & Horizontal Beehives and Math for Overwintering. Cluster Shapes & Frame Designs The above video discusses the following: The shape of a bee cluster varies depending on the depth of the frame. In conventional Langstroth vertical hives, due to a relatively shallow (just 9″ deep individual frame) the bee cluster tends to take a […]
Vertical Beehives and The Lord of the Rings
Vertical Beehives and The Lord of the Rings OR How Horizontal Beehives Minimize Disturbing the Honeybees This is the 2nd part of the series. The 1st part is here: Vertical Beehives and a Crazy Landlord In Summer we gradually fully fill our horizontal hives with frames – up to 20 frames as the bee colonies […]
Vertical Beehives & a Crazy Landlord or why natural beekeepers prefer horizontal hives
Vertical Beehive and a Crazy Landlord or Why Natural Beekeepers prefer Horizontal Hives Vertical beehives and a crazy landlord This is the 1st part of the series. The 2nd part is here: Vertical Beehives and The Lord of the Rings Let’s see which beehives are more natural – conventional vertical hives (aka Langstroth hives) or […]