DE Hive Update:

[dcwilliams_29id]

Well I guess its about time to post an update on my DE hive.  I am up to 3 deep supers which are all totally drawn out now.  I have added a honey super to the mix, and also stopped feeding the bees about a week ago.  They are getting nectar from somewhere, there is gobs of clover, queen anns lace, black eyed susans, and other wildflowers in bloom here.  When I did my last inspection the color of much of the honey that was not capped has turned from clear sugar water color to a light amber color.  The hive is PACKED with bees, although I have experienced no bearding or signs of crowding (I have been adding additional space when the prior super is 70% drawn out).  The queen is laying in all 3 supers, and moving between them all.  They are storing honey on the outermost frames, and were trying to fill the center frames of the topmost deep super, but the queen got there before they could finish filling the frame with honey, so they too have brood in them.  On a few frames, the bees did not draw out the bottom corners of the frame, or sometimes the edges.  Is this normal?  Also on some they discovered the wire in the foundation and chewed all around it in several spots, I guess trying to remove it from their hive.  Other than these small things the hives are doing great!  I haven't had a single problem with propolis on frames, and have had virtually no brace comb.  The only propolis in the hive is where the supers come together.  There is never any propolis gluing the frames to the super, and I have not had to use the hive tool to pull a single frame yet.  I am very happy with the design of these hives, and the results thus far.  I would like to perhaps get a langstroth hive next (just a few boxes), and see the differences first hand.  I think when I buy my next DE hive, I will only use deep supers though.  They are square shaped, and with the way the sides are designed, fairly easy to handle for an average sized man.  

Chris

[Mchero]

Sounds Great!  

[lobstafari]

Chris,
  Thats incredible!!  As I recall, I think this is your first year with them?  I could be wrong.  My first year with two Langstroth hives weren't even close to that, also my main nectar source is far away (2 mi.).  It was more like they ALMOST filled 2 deeps before winter, and no supers added....gave them all the honey. Good luck to you, Id like to give the DE's a try if I had more money/building plans. Thanks for sharing the info--------Jeremy

[Beth Kirkley]

That all does sound great! You've done well. If you do get a langstroth, you might hate it in comparision. They get the frames really glued down to the box - bad! I find that just amazing that you don't have any frames stuck. Really cool.

Beth

[dcwilliams_29id]

I will try to post a few pics of the inside of my hive after my next inspection which should be sometime next week.  I will try to get some detailed photographs of the propolis and where they put it, and show the lack of propolis on the frames.  The only addition I think I may add to my DE hive is to make a slatted bottom board.  Beth, mabye I will just go check out someone's langstroth hives rather than buy one.  In all honesty though, I have never needed the hive tool to pull frames.  The only propolis on the frames, is right along the top edge of each frame on a plastic spacer that they use.  When the next super sits on top of the first, the bottom inside edge of the hive body rests on these plastic spacers, which fit together without any gaps, on both sides of the frame top bar.  It does manage to stick the supers together a little, but never the frames.

Chris

[Lesli]

You're making me want de hives! My two Langstoth's have been in service since June23, and the girls are already gumming down the frames and inner cover.

What about bridge comb? They seem to like to build that as well.

[dcwilliams_29id]

Well, A lot has been going on the past few weeks.  My wife had our baby, and I didn't get a chance to check the hives until yesterday.  The bees have totally filled up 3 deep supers and are working on a honey super, but I think the queen is pollen and honey bound already.  I found about 8 swarm cells.  I dug all of them out of the bottom of frames, and rearranged the hive so that the pollen and honey frames were evenly distributed throughout all 3 hive boxes, and towards the outer edges of the supers.  I then followed the advice of beekeeping for dummies and created a swarm for them. I dumped all of the bees one frame and super at a time about 2 yards from the front of the hive until 99% of the bees were in front of the hive, with the exception of the queen whom I left in the hive.  It was awesome, like a giant wave of probably 60 or 70,000 honey bees moving back towards the hive, what an awesome sight.  I don't have another hive to split them into for the moment.  I want to get another by next spring, and perhaps a third by next summer.  The way these hives have been building up I could easily start a third and have it survive in July as long as I stole stores and frames from one of the other hives.   I hope my hive doesn't swarm but it may be too late.  I guess I will find out whether the method in BFD really works.  On another note, propolis is still pretty low, only gluing together the supers, and the hive top, but still very little to deal with on the frames themselves.

Chris

[Finman]

I then followed the advice of beekeeping for dummies and created a swarm for them.

I dumped all of the bees one frame and super at a time about 2 yards from the front of the hive until 99% of the bees were in front of the hive,

Chris

I do not know what you exactly did?

Easy way to split the colony and stop swarming is:

Put super or two with foundations on the old place. Give queen to that foundation hive and one frame from old hive.

Move old supers  2-3 m from old place.

So bees fly them selves to old place and colony will be splitted to flying bees and broods.  So they have lack of power to swarm.  Brood colony will get a new queen and it starts new life.

Systems go on: When fever of swarming is over after two weeks, colonies will be put together so they carry honey better.