The air conditioning is not working.

[Geoff]

It has been a hot day.The latest swarm catch was put into a commercial box in a hurry but there is not enough ventilation through the bottom entrance.



[IMG]http://img1

[Understudy]

Those bees need a top entrance. 

How do you manage to have such green grass in the middle of a drought? 

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[pdmattox]

now we know where the water has been going.   nice shot geoff, it looks like things are off to a great start.

[JP]

Don't know what your set up is but if you're not using a sbb I would. I would also raise the hive up some, maybe up on some cinder blocks. This would allow some airflow underneath, and would perhaps even help combat undesirable insects.

[Cindi]

Geoff, I can't quite see in the picture, what is in the half super above the inner cover?  More bees?  Can you define further what you have done here, I am curious.  Have a wonderful and great day, Cindi

[Geoff]

G'day Cindi,
                The small super is for honey, they call them Ideals. Even though it is only a matter of a few weeks since I captured the swarm they have virtually filled the brood box. They are a very different bee to all my other hives, much smaller and very dark colored but to date have been very calm to work with. It was a rush job at the time as I had no spare brood boxes so bought this one but the bottom entrance is only about 1/4 the size it should be so before the next spell of hot weather I will fit them out with a different floor and modify the one in use at present.

[Kirk-o]

Hey Buddy
wild bees on natural comb can be alot smaller.I find the smaller bees start working earlier and work later.
kirko

[pdmattox]

Not sure they have wild bees in austraila other then the escapees that were brought to the island.