Beekeepers on a budget with minimal carpentry skills might like these little shelters I made from old yogurt containers to keep wind, rain and snow from blowing through the upper entrances of my beehives. Here’s a three and a half minute video that shows what I’m talking about. (It ends with a 15-minute extended cut for those who like to dig a little deeper.)
Dear Readers (all five of you — Hi Mom!):
I don’t see myself posting much of anything over the next few weeks. But here’s a playlist of personal favourite videos from my archives. Many of the videos are simply attractive shots that could appear anywhere, not just on a beekeeping blog. Slow and calm and pretty. Put it in full-screen mode and let ‘er rip.
I will still post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from time to time, but I also hope to unplug, so maybe not.
Take care and see you next year,
Phillip
I store frames of drawn comb over the winter by building a well ventilated hive in my unheated outdoor shed. Here’s a video that proves it:
The hive full of drawn comb (and some capped frames of honey) is well ventilated on the bottom and top using queen excluders so mice can’t get in. The hive can be built outside on its own too. No shed required.
Hold on to your hats.
An experiment. I’m making hive pillows using old cotton pillow cases. The pillow is full of wood chips and straw. I’ve been toying with these for the past couple of years because moisture quilts — or quilt boxes with upper ventilation — aren’t as convenient as I’d like them to be. They don’t hold in heat well either. My bees in Flatrock, where it’s unusually cold and damp compared to many places in Newfoundland, seem to need all the heat they can get, and moisture quilts, heat-wise, just don’t cut it.
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This is mostly a talking video of me explaining an experiment that involves drilling a hole in the super a few inches below the inner cover — with no inner cover entrance — with the intention of holding more heat in the hive during the winter.
Taking a peek under the hood of my Flatrock hives to see where the bees are clustering.
