# Just about as natural as you can get



## ikswokjag (Aug 14, 2013)

That is one amazing log hive! Did you do the carving yourself? Beautiful! I want one now.


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## Patrickshmoe34 (Jul 21, 2014)

Great story and one very cool hive. Just what i needed... another project i want to do.


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## Solarbeez (Apr 20, 2012)

ikswokjag said:


> That is one amazing log hive! Did you do the carving yourself? Beautiful! I want one now.


Well, I carved the INside...For the outside, I contacted the resident chainsaw carver in town. (I had my wife's permission)  He's the one that came up with the idea of a pivot hat so I could get inside if I wanted. A very talented guy. I'm hoping he will carve a third log hive that will have two faces...one for summer and one for winter.


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## Solarbeez (Apr 20, 2012)

Patrickshmoe34 said:


> Great story and one very cool hive. Just what i needed... another project i want to do.


You will absolutely never regret it. I figured I would use it to throw swarms which I could either keep or trade for biodiversity. It's also a great yard ornament. I carry around pictures of it to show whenever the conversation turns to beekeeping, which it somehow always does. Hmmm, I wonder why...?


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## cryptobrian (Jan 22, 2012)

Very cool ... and very lucky to catch it in action. 

Love the hives!


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## Solarbeez (Apr 20, 2012)

cryptobrian said:


> Very cool ... and very lucky to catch it in action.
> 
> Love the hives!


They don't call me bee brain for nothing. I had my camera ready.  I just wish I could have shot the "lift off." I was close, but since it was after 2 pm, I figured they wouldn't be going that day. The whole thing took only about 10 minutes. I could have been in the house or working in the shop and missed it completely.


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## Daniel Y (Sep 12, 2011)

I have had the opportunity to stand in the midle of two swarms this season. It is a particulary unique experience. I did not get the added benefit of watching them enter one of my hives. You have an amazing hive there. Thank you for sharing it.


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## Patrickshmoe34 (Jul 21, 2014)

it the Bee-atrice log hive any different in design? I would be interested in see some pics of that one too. Thanks


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## Solarbeez (Apr 20, 2012)

Patrickshmoe34 said:


> it the Bee-atrice log hive any different in design? I would be interested in see some pics of that one too. Thanks


I've got the details here...
Carving out the inside: http://solarbeez.com/2013/04/26/pats-new-log-hive/
Carving the face: http://solarbeez.com/2013/04/27/bee-atrice-the-carving/
Torching it out and getting the quilt box and top bars ready: http://solarbeez.com/2013/04/27/preparing-bee-atrice-log-hive-for-prime-time/
The swarm I dropped in on April 27, 2014 was a cast swarm. The photo makes it look huge, but it's just the camera angle. That little bunch of bees never really built up. The comb they built was only about 8-9" long. In the December cold snap we had, they didn't make it. So Bee-atrice was basically yard art until June 6th when the big swarm blew in. I wish I could have seen it, but I was out of town, and like I witnessed last Saturday, it only takes about 10-15 minutes for them to get themselves settled in the hive.

Brian Vorwaller, the chainsaw artist is pictured in "Bee-atrice, the Carving. He also carved my first log hive as can be seen in this sped up video his wife, Zada, shot. http://solarbeez.com/2012/02/11/the-making-of-a-log-beehive/


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## Solarbeez (Apr 20, 2012)

Daniel Y said:


> I have had the opportunity to stand in the midle of two swarms this season. It is a particulary unique experience. I did not get the added benefit of watching them enter one of my hives. You have an amazing hive there. Thank you for sharing it.


Yes, there is so much energy from the bees when they are flying around and around. It's almost like standing in a vortex. Them going into my empty log hive was truly unique. A very thrilling experience.


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