# opinions on my hive...please?



## giant pumpkin peep (Mar 14, 2009)

http://s685.photobucket.com/albums/vv215/giantpumpkinpeep/


How is the brood pattern? 

The queen is in the picture with newly drawm frames at the lower corner.


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## Mathispollenators (Jun 9, 2008)

Looks good the me.


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## KeyBeeper (Jun 7, 2009)

I know this is standard practice for Langstroth beekeepers - but looking at this from the point of view of someone who believes in the principles presented by Abbe Warre (preserving nest scent, preserving swarm heat - especially over brood), I 'll never get over how you guys pull these frames so casually and expose them to the elements.


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## mlewis48 (Nov 24, 2007)

Looks good to me. Could not see your hive, please tell me it is scarlette and gray!!!!


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

KeyBeeper said:


> I know this is standard practice for Langstroth beekeepers - but looking at this from the point of view of someone who believes in the principles presented by Abbe Warre (preserving nest scent, preserving swarm heat - especially over brood), I 'll never get over how you guys pull these frames so casually and expose them to the elements.


It's easy. :doh: Reading over Abbe Warre's stuff it is an interesting concept but the crush and strain of comb is a bit savage for my tastes. Additionally, there is nothing to back up the "preserving nest scent and swarm heat" concept. We know the queen continues to give off pheromones and the bees easily generate heat as it is needed inside the nest. While I agree the less you go into a hive the less it will agitate the bees it is still not "harmful" to the bees as they have been kept in Langstroth for over a hundred years now successfully. If I was going from a strictly natural sense I would use a hollowed out log vertical for the bees...now that is natural.

Great brood pattern and they seem to be drawing out new comb well. I did notice a ss cell in your second pic but this is a natural occurrence that bees will build "just in case."


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## KeyBeeper (Jun 7, 2009)

_they have been kept in Langstroth for over a hundred years now successfully._

I guess it depends on how you define successful.


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

That's a nice brood pattern. It's pretty solid. I can see developing larvae, sealed brood, and a little capped honey at the top of the frames.

I did see a little bit of burr comb below the bottom bar. You may want to scrape those off - if the bees attach them to the floor it can be a pain on down the road. 

It's looking good though.


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## alpha6 (May 12, 2008)

KeyBeeper said:


> _they have been kept in Langstroth for over a hundred years now successfully._
> 
> I guess it depends on how you define successful.


A friend of mine makes over 800K a year running Langstroth hives in his operation...I would term that "successful." The bees are still here and living, doing what they do, putting food on the table through pollination and making honey...I would term that "successful." My bees are strong, building up into big colonies, storing honey and pollen, and we have more and more wild flowers in our area every year I keep bees...I would term that "successful." That's just a few examples of how I define successful. :applause:


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## justgojumpit (Apr 9, 2004)

The hive looks good! I don't know if there are any frames of honey that you did not show us, but if there are not, I would consider feeding. With all of that brood soon to hatch, I would be a little concerned about them running out of stores should you hit a period of low nectar availability. Other than that, the brood pattern looks good, not wall to wall like a hive you would select for queen rearing, but definitely acceptable. The pattern is solid, and as the hive grows in size into a larger cluster, you might find that the queen does indeed fill your frames wall to wall with brood. I'd wait and see. The hive also looks otherwise healthy; I don't see any chalkbrood or other signs of disease. I also looked for the K-wing which is characteristic of Parasitic Mite Syndrome, which I don't see. This does not mean that you do not have mites, but they are not at the threshold which overstresses the bees. Looking good!

justgojumpit


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## giant pumpkin peep (Mar 14, 2009)

mlewis48 said:


> Looks good to me. Could not see your hive, please tell me it is scarlette and gray!!!!



It is not. I bought the boxes painted. Boxes for next year I will bye them unpainted and unasembled...For whoever asked there is a frame or two of honey and pollen. I didn't feel like taking a picture of everything. Also I would like to thank my brave my mom for taking the pics. :thumbsup: :applause:


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## wadehump (Sep 30, 2007)

got some painted gray have a gallon of scarlot ready for some that need repainted GO BUCKS


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## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

KeyBeeper said:


> I know this is standard practice for Langstroth beekeepers - but looking at this from the point of view of someone who believes in the principles presented by Abbe Warre (preserving nest scent, preserving swarm heat - especially over brood), I 'll never get over how you guys pull these frames so casually and expose them to the elements.


Let me preface my response by saying that I run 12 Warre hives, 9 top bar hives, 1 Langstroth hive and 1 bee gum and am a strong proponent of foundationless beekeeping. 

That said, it seems that you're simply attempting to stir up an argument in an otherwise innocuous thread. There are other places for "preaching" the benefits of foundationless beekeeping. I don't think sidetracking Pumpkin's thread is the best way to win traditional beekeepers to your point of view. 

Matt


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