I think your lack of knowledge to start is part of what has made you such a great bee keeper. You didn’t go into it with all these things pounded into your head over years of bee keeping. You approached it with an open mind and ran with it. Honestly my favorite bee videos on RUclips. Keep doing your thing.
If heat is not lost, bees are warm, They do not have to work as hard (vibrate wing muscles) to stay warm. Also with a single entrance, Co2 rises and they go into torpor so very little eating. For a beekeeper, you couldn't ask for better proof that an insulated, single entrance hive works. Thank you again, great video, very informative.
@@frogsurfer4403 bees exhale. With a small entrance, the carbon dioxide will build up and with the cooler temps will help induce a state of torpor. The bees metabolism slows down and they eat less and use less energy. I'm no expert but I think this is why fat body bees survive the winter. (I think it is kind of like a bear fattening up before hibernating for the winter) Search Bees and Torpor. I'm sure there are a few articles out there that can explain it better than me.
I have read a study that mites have a “higher mortality rate” in a non vented hive. ie: only a reduced bottom entrance. I’m two years into keeping and it just seems so obvious to me.. the bees are constantly closing gaps and sealing off airflow. Closer you get to nature the better things will get. Bees don’t need burlap to soak up moisture. It’s not complicated. Moisture isn’t that difficult to understand if you just use your nothing . Love seeing your success getting down with common sense ! Keep up the good work my friend.
A well deserved dance I say! Insulated hives always seemed to be something that was just common sense since they'd hole up in tree trunks in the wild. Don't know why people would think warm bees would eat more honey, when they're cold they're basically shivering non-stop throughout the winter and that obviously would use up more energy than just sitting around if it's warm.
YESSSSS!!!! GO BALBOA!!!! LONG LIVE BALBOA!!!! I was here and started following you when you brought those hives home from your neighbor. couldn't ask for a better hive report. super cool! hit the like button folks!
Etienne and Jim once again vindicated on the science of insulation and energy consumption! Yes! This is amazing on every level! Honestly though, I think the overwinter success is more a testament of your mite treatment techniques than anything. The early spring start and overabundance of food stores is a testament to the hive design! The haters can SUCK IT! Congrats, friend!
Love the mic drop at the end! And remember, if you have 3 beekeepers in a room, you are gonna get 4 different opinions! Keep on experimenting, you are helping the rest of us out!
What an awesome start to the year. As someone who started watching in like 2020 and could see whole years fly by in a handful of videos, the clear takeaway from THIS video is that even the WEAKEST colony in March 2022 is about what a strong colony was in March of previous years. I can't wait to see how the bee yard does this summer and how you modify the Bee Barn with the lessons you've learned the past 12 months…
As someone who has always used insulated hives... I'm not the least bit surprised. 😜 Bees aren't supposed to use most of their winter stores until they start brooding in spring.
After keeping a couple of hives for a few years, we had an unusually cold winter here and I lost both of them. I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel when I discovered your channel. WOW! After binge watching (and driving my wife crazy) I did my best to replicate what you have designed and built. I finished just in time before the two new packages arrived. I've never seen hives grow so much in so little time! A BIG THANK YOU going your way Jim!
Lol…love the victory dance at the end! Fitting!! The quilt boxes, burlap, wood chips, moisture boards, upper vents are such an antique and poor solution for wintering bees. Insulation is a great product!
Jim, nice as always to see new content. It is also nice to see you are seeing the same thing I get out of my insulated hives. I had two colonies overwinter in a 7 frame setup, each one went into winter with three STRONG frames of bees and 4 frames of honey... and they came out of winter STRONGER than 3 frames and of the 4 honey frames 2 were not touched at all and the other 2 still had about 25% of its honey left. Insulation makes all the difference in resource use! In addition to your comment of your hives being 2 months ahead....here in KY I estimate that my insulated hives are consistently a full month ahead of wooden hives. Insulated hives are going to change beekeeping forever
Howdy Jim. . Last year I was also in the group that had lost everything. Was really a sad day. I've truly enjoyed seeing you come up with these designs and watching them overwinter has been GREAT ! ! Keep on keeping Jim. .
Jim, You do not have too much honey in the hive. Once they start brooding up they will go through the honey so fast. Had a hive come out of winter with over 60 lbs. of stores, had the same concern you do now. The hive was so light by the time the flow started that I felt bad because they almost starved and they might have been a little hungry just before the flow. What I saw on your frames was there was enough space for brood and room below to expand, it looks good. My one comment on the design is that you should have 2X the insulation on the top then on the sides, that would solve your moisture on the ceiling problem. I agree bees can deal with the moisture and dead bees get wet after they die; just like wax moth move into dead colonies. Just have to get the condensation to happen on the walls and not the top. A solution that I would like in 2.0 is to make the frame standard so you can make splits to sell bees. I was thinking just stucco on the outside walls, yes there will be a cold spot where the boxes meet, but I will be standard and that is where the excess moisture will condense. Get the mites under control early, before you get your supers on. Best of luck. T.
Happy to see you 12 for 12. I'm patiently waiting for the plans of your barn. I've seen a few other people take your design and tweak it which is good for everyone because it gets figured out quicker.
I tried something new this year with one of my hives in terms of insulation and I totally agree with you. It makes a HUGE difference. Like you! I noticed a massive difference in terms of less honey being eaten through the winter and a huge colony coming out the other side. With that being said, when I tried to share this sort of info with people on a couple of Facebook groups and got absolutely slated for it. It’s kind of tiering because a large portion of beekeepers in the UK are very opinionated and closed off to any new ideas or feedback.
Ha ha… try making RUclips videos about insulating hives for 6 years and wait for the comments to roll in. A lot of people are unreachable, but I don’t really care about them. I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways. I’m just trying to inspire and think outside the box. People obviously notice and if what I do helps them, it makes me happy. I watch others and get inspired. I’m just trying to share it forward.
Vino Farm I absolutely love your videos. You’re always trying new things and you keep an open mind and try to be as analytical as possible. You’re also very good at explaining your thought processes so there are quite a few things I’ve picked up from you and implemented on my own hives. For what it’s worth, I’m grateful for you and your content.
If I may recommend... Apply a layer of 2 part resin to the sides and bottoms of the boards that got moldy (when you replace them, of course). it will make them impervious to the condensation. 2 part resin is often used for table tops and counters so it is food safe. It is hard as hell so the bees can't chew it or anything. So happy for your success...
I live in Maine and love watching your channel. I have had high losses in past years. I insulated my hives this past winter and took some more of your suggestions. So far all my hives are alive!
It's official, it is the Vino Farm videos that I anticipate the most. Great video, great news, great results. Well done. I'm really looking forward to news over the summer, and the improvement to the bee barn. With that level of winter survival, it looks like you will be having to deal with some swarms this year!
I’ve been watching you for a few years now, and from what it seems like, it’s as though the insulation allowed them to be more comfortable through the winter so they didn’t have to fight to stay warm and keep the hives warm. Like people if you’re cold you’re going to need to eat more to maintain heat, but if you’re at a livable comfortable temperature you’re not going to have to eat as much to stay warm.
Those hive look amazing and are going to kick off with a BANG! (watch out for swarming 😊) For a good spacer design I recommend you look up Richard Noel. He uses foundation-less frames filled with a foam board covered in a thick layer of paint to prevent the bees from chewing them away. Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards is also an alternative. I did heavy insulation too, and as of the beginning of March I'm at 5/5 Hives alive. Too cold for an inspection in Canada still but its looking promising :D
It’s absolutely astonishing to see how far ahead your bees are, Jim! Normally the difference between your hives and the Southern beekeepers I watch is in terms of months, and right now, you only look weeks behind. I doubt bees are in my future, but I’m definitely going to make sure our CSA and community gardens are familiar with your ideas.
I've been watching since your loss last year and through your determination of building a hive like they would in the wild. I started laugh crying in happiness when you said 12/12 lived. The amount of honey left over is also Huge! It shows that they had surplus for the winter which aids in the winter and early spring survival! I am looking forward to this hive build being the new hives of the future
The cold (and wind!) here over the past winter was vicious. It's been a long time since I've seen such temperatures, even for here. It's still windy and chilly here today. My daughter was complaining about it at lunch time...
I laughed so hard, Jim! That dance was to die for, especially on top of your fantastic bees! Success! I am super interested in your fix for the mold and also bottom moisture. I know there are beekeepers who watch you to learn and save their hives. The bee barns are now a thing thanks to you! Congratulations! Here's to another fine year!
Your bee barn is 90% there, I like the improvements. One tip that can help your problem: 1. Create a propolis tincture and paint all the wooden surfaces inside the hive including the frames. This will greatly boost the mold and virus resistance inside and will make the bees healthier and more productive.
The ending. 😂 Well deserved. You trusted your beekeeping knowledge and the hives are thriving! I can’t wait for more videos. Also I enjoyed the barn videos if you have more of those coming.
Been watching for awhile now. I'm super happy that your bees are doing so well. It is awesome to watch you learn and grow then spread that knowledge to others. Hope things keep trending up :)
Great news for all your hives 🥳 it makes so much sense how you have improved your hive that they would thrive. I'm so glad that you use scientific methods to back up your findings to show others that your improvements are working Less myths, more science! 👍👍
I love what you are doing. I will be retireing from my electrical career this coming July. I started with 2 nucks in June of 2019, both surving a South eastern Quebec winter (usually 6+ feet of snow until mid April). First time harvesting from hives was last fall 2021 (I harvested from only 10 frames from 4 colonies, total of 10 frames). I had some issues with not being home to catch my swarms. Last summer I tried some splits and ended up with 6 colonies from my 2 original colonies (one didn't make it as they didn't make a queen), so I went into the winter with 4 pretty strong colonies, and 1 6 frame colonie, I really didn't think it would survive but to my surprise, so far it has, although it didn't look too strong last week when I opened to give them sugar. Sorry for the long comment. but I want you to know that I am learning so much from your video content and am going to do my best to try to construct your style of hives and try them out on half of my colonies, likely only in summer 23 but, Just wanted you to know that you are helping so many of us out here. Thank you so much.
Jim, In 2019 I started watching beekeeping videos and came across your page. I started at season 1 and have watched them all. You are one of the reasons I even considered getting into this. You put alot of effort into every video that you upload and it shows. I look forward to every time you post because I know it will be of high quality. Thanks for everything you taught me and I appreciate you're time sir!
*Here's an idea!!* For your follower/divider board replacements - I recommend homasote moisture (wicking) board. This will accomplish 4 goals: (1) NOT warp. (2) Wick moisture. (3) act as a thermal mass to flatten out thermal fluctuations (you can test/prove it with the broodminder data). (4) The rough surface is ideal for the bees to propolize - like the rough inside of a tree cavity - which studies have shown is beneficial the bee health - a place for bees to store a pharmacy-worth of propolis. Keep up the great work! 'Hope you pick my idea! :)
I also made changes to my hives this winter (Wisconsin) after losing all of my hives two years in a row. My added insulation top and bottom, along with screened quilt boxes using burlap covered with wood chips has helped. Five of seven hives are bringing pollen in. Thrilled! Glad to see your success!
Congratulations that your hive build and your pre winter treatment was a success!!! I constantly enjoy you content and look forward to whatever you set your mind on.
I thoroughly enjoy your enthusiasm, and courage to invent. Here in Northern Alberta where it often gets to -30C for a month during the winter we do use full insulation and a top entrance. It's just a piece of 3/4 inch hose that sticks out past the insulation. You drill a hole just below the cover lip. It allows the moisture to escape and often has a lot of frost in it on the cold days. The heat from the beehive allows the frost to melt and drip out on warmer days. The bottom entrance often gets full of dead bees so the top entrance is crucial for ventilation. I remember one year the snow drifted over three fee high in the beeyard and covered the top entrances and the bees died of asphyxiation. Now we keep our bees on a platform so that won't happen. Even here the stronger hives will have less dead bees at the entrance. We usually wrap in mid October and unwrap in March. However, I discovered that a trick to getting the queens to start laying in February is to feed some sugar syrup. I use double wide frame feeders and keep one on the side of the top box all winter long. Then in February when there is a warmish day of about 10C or higher, I fill the frame feeder. I use thick pink glass insulation (R20) and the tarpaper wrap. We use 4 inch styrofoam for the lid. We often have most of the winter feed making it through the winter even though it is an average of -20C here in the winter months. If they are well insulated they use very little feed. In the spring they like those stores. We usually split the strong hives in Mid may when the dandelions bloom.
I love this bee keepers honesty! He experienced a devastating catastrophe redouble his efforts for incredible success this year. And he’s already thinking about next year’s improvements. This beekeeper and his bees have a great relationship.
I am a hobby beekeeper from alabama,i have watched your videos for most of your six years as a beekeeper.i have enjoyed them all and i have learned from them.beekeeping is trial an error.you are an excellant beekeeper please keep making videos.
Loved the ending Jim. 😆 I also lost my hives last year and made lots of changes and was thinking of doing the same as you just to one hive then you did it and with style. Way to go and keep the videos coming and keep the thick skin for g to be hater’s. 🐝 thanks Jim
YAAY! Happy beekeeping dance!! What was so interesting to me was how little stores the bees consumed. I suspected they would definitely survive and do well in the insulated hives (I was rooting for you!) but the fact that they ate so much less, and are brooding so much earlier than normal for MA (We routinely have brood in February in KY where I am)....you are possibly in for a SLAMMING honey season and you might really have to do something to prevent lots and lots of swarms from such healthy populations. It could turn out for you long term that hives like these are a great economical solution for beekeepers - more hives survive, using less stores, and potentially (maybe) produce more honey and more splits for selling as nucs. Higher front end investment for longer and better usage, less beekeeper labor and higher rate of success. Please keep making videos -- super interested to see how they work year-over-year.
Jim, some of these comments create interesting ideas. I have been following you and Etienne Tardiff these past couple of years. Besides insulation I'm also interested in CO2 accumulation, open bottom boards that Etienne uses & your moisture situation. Maybe putting propolis on crown board would work. Also wonder if bees need moisture that accumulates. Please post your design. Winter will soon return here in Minnesota. I'm ready to begin incorporating
Thanks for update. Glad your hive design is working out so well for the bees so far. Look forward to your next hive improvements as you tinker with the design. Great work.
Keep doing what you are doing, something is working. Love your design, modifications will be great. And I would just like to say, your ending to this video says it all, onwards and upwards.
You are an EXCELLENT beekeeper - you learn from your mistakes - like all of us should! Your consistent desire to refine your skills is a lesson ALL beekeepers should come away with from your videos - I give you 5 stars I've been keeping bees for over 10 years now and you set a wonderful example. The haters will hate - DON'T for a second let them hold you back. Congrats!
Fellow, beekeeper from Connecticut by the mass. border. Insulated my hives (not as much as yours) with no upper entrance, they came out of winter same as yours, large cluster size, already with brood, no colony losses, and lots of left over food. Congrats.
Glad to see your Hives made it through this year. This was my third year and the first year my hives made it through an upstate NY Winter, 6 for 6. 2 things I did different. I did not insulate my hives other than Burlap above the inner cover. And I believe the biggest difference for me was throwing the strips away and going with a Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. Whatever it was, like you, my Bees are Booming! Good Luck!
I watch a lot of bee keeping videos. I don't know why, I just find them fascinating. Congrats on your success! I was heartbroken last year when you lost most of your hives. You really seem to have nailed it this year! Most of the bee keepers I follow are located in the south so it's awesome to see a northern bee keeper get your hives through the winter this successfully. And... it wasn't a warm winter. Great job!
LOVE THIS!! I've missed your videos and then, there was a swarm in the neighborhood and one of our local beekeepers made sure they were safe. I knew it was time to get back to bee videos for the 2022 year.
I am so happy that the changes you made for the benefit of your bees have been successful. I actually shared your beebarn video to a friend who keeps bees in a cold climate and she was fascinated. What you did made sense to me and finding out bees that are warm don't need to eat as much makes sense too. I have been wondering how the bees were doing over this winter and was so pleased to see your update. I love how if you try something and something doesn't quite work or warps etc. you make changes to make it better rather than just giving up and saying well that didn't work. I admire such a work ethic and look forward to more videos when spring actually comes to your state and there are resources for your bees!
Great to see your success this season Jim. Obvious delight and excitement in your voice. It was tough to watch this time last year with your loses so your Bee Barn, insulation and hive health care changes seem to be a sweet spot. Really looking forward to seeing how your honey production goes this year with the bee barns. Thanks for your continued commitment. Dean UK 🇬🇧 ❤
Omg just saw yor video as I've been away and missed the premiere day as I usually do. I've been watching from season 1 so thats probably why I feel like a proud parent watching this. Jim I never had a doubt about your barn bee hive design but seeing the results and hearing it in your voice made my day. I really can't wait to see your video on VBB ver 2 as Ill definitely build at least a couple for my apiary. Again so proud to see this video!
Hey just want to let you know I have watched your posts for over three years. I watched to learn from you. Loved when you succeded...hurt when you failed. You are literally just town's over from me. Want to let you know I never once thought you were doing anything except finding the best way to keep bees in New England! Love your victory bee dance! We'll done neighbor!
I have received so many comments about my bees eating more because I heat my hives and every spring I come out of winter with tons of bees and surplus resources in the hives.I can verify your data. The bees don't sit around and snack they just socialize and hang out. Because they don't have to work as hard to maintain hives temps they have no need to consume honey. I can also say, from the two bee barns I have installed so far they are maintaining very consistent temps between them which tells me the bees are choosing their temp and are able to maintain the temp they choose. The heaters haven't come on since I put them in the bee barn as far as I can tell. Great video and great tabletop at the end. You have some moves!
1) Pseudoscorpions ruclips.net/video/y1zdancXRDg/видео.html They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture. 2) Tom Seeley ruclips.net/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/видео.html He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy. 3) Leo Sharashkin ruclips.net/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/видео.html He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.
This puts you in a real production mode. Since you aren't looking to make a new colonies you will be in a position to get lots of 🍯. Be careful about the hives wanting to split/abscond. You will have to be diligently making sure they have space and that they've got any queen cells kept out. Congratulations on a successful winter.
Congratulations on the outcome of the first overwinter! Still some bugs and improvements to be considered, but I have learned a TON about hive fundamentals and health following this journey and greatly appreciate you putting this out there Jim! Going to be an exciting Spring!!
The dance at the end made me giggle, loving your series. I don't keep bees myself, but for some reason I've been following your channel almost from the start and I'm always excited to see what's new. Love that you are open to experimenting and sharing the successes and the failures. You don't sugar coat it when you mess up and you don't wallow in it, you just keep on trucking and that's why I think we all keep watching. Thanks again for sharing!
Excellent news! I'm so happy so see the hive experiment was successful. All of your hypothesis paned out and yes, you've got some moisture on your wood but, nothing that can't be fixed. I look forward to seeing your upgrades and I plan on building my own "bee barn" type hives this year. CONGRATULATIONS
So glad to see the happy dance and the mic drop!!! Well done Sir! So awesome to see your bees are kicking! I too took it in the shorts last year and this year they are looking so good! Thanks for staying the course and not letting the naysayers keeps you down! Great video and look forward to the rest of the season! Keep on keeping on Sir!
Keep trying, innovation does not happen overnight, Thanks for all the information and personal trials that you document. Not everyone would fess up. We learn when you learn. thank you, Brice
Jim, Great video. After last year losses I also insulated my 4 new hives and the top cover here in Virginia. All hives have lots of brood and like you lots of honey left over. Looking forward to bee barn v2.0 and your frame information.
Love this video! For your spacer boards, you might consider StarBoard (used on boats). It can be expensive and is a "man-made" product, but it might solve your issue. Won't swell, warp or rot. Can't wait to see the plans, I'm switching this year to the frame size you've made. My boxes are not insulated yet, but I will be working on a similar system this year. I am starting my 2nd year beekeeping and both of my hives thrived thru winter. I"m in Central Virginia. Thanks for your videos, looking forward to more!
I also want to note I don't understand why there are so many haters You have never ever claimed to be the best. You are learning just like the rest of us except you are just documenting your learning experience and sharing it with us. I personally cannot wait for the bee barn 2.0 and cannot wait to make my own!
Oh Jim I’m as happy as you are that ALL the hives are doing so well. Was ssssssoooooo waiting for your little dance at the end too. So excited for your year ahead. Congratulations from Australia.
Not going to lie, I have been waiting on pins and needles for this video. After last year, I was so dreading the spring check! But look at you, they're all there, all Queen right, all banging! I am so happy for you, I'm so happy for the bees, and the haters can eat it! Hoping for a summer of me content, and barn content. Keep doing what you're doing!
I’m glad to see all the hard work and planning has paid off. And you are excited for your success. I have the apimaye hives over in NY. And they are awesome to use. When I looked at my bees I put in mite strips. I seen a few with mites on their backs. Just had some larva starting. Great 🌸🐝 videos. 👍👍🍿
The end of the video was awesome!! 😂 My daughter requests more dancing on hives. 😂 Congratulations on all hives thriving!!! We’ve always rooted for you throughout the years.
Very nice! Great job, Jim! I truly appreciate your insight and humble approach to bee keeping! Your videos definitely helped me quite a bit in getting prepared for my first year bee keeping! I too, had 100% survival rate here in Minnesota this year-now we just need it to warm up! Thank you for all that you do!
I have never kept bees, I love honey 🍯 and you are a good teacher. I first watched the it’s not for the honey video. Then I developed interest in your method of looking after bees, explanation and experiences. The bee barn is the best. Keep it up.
My first thought would be to seal the plywood with wax, but the bees would start drawing comb on it pretty much immediately. My second thought may sound crazy, but how about something with a non-sticky surface, either as a complete spacer or laminated on to it? The bees will probably hate PTFE as too non-sticky though.
Another question for you: when your bees start booming like they did last year, how are you going to deal with swarming? Are you just going to let them swarm away? Or will you rehouse and sell them?
I love your content and your hive design. Please keep the innovation coming. Some day when I have time I’d love to copy your hive design. I live in upper ND, and over-winter on site in double deep 10 frames with an insulating blanket and candy board. Depending on the winter, my losses vary. Thank you for making this info public.
Allow me to say right up front that I'm not a bee keeper, but I'm trying to absorb as much as I can so I can be as successful as possible when I do start. I had a thought regarding the foam design and the thermal transfer issues. As a woodworker and home renovator, here's my thought: Instead of using foam board, what if you build a jig kind of like a mold form with the inner and outer box sides suspended. Then, used that two-part foam used for setting fence posts to pour between the inner and outer box frames. It expands, so it would eliminate gaps and flow above and over the sides. Then, you can carve or sand the top bevel to shed water and the bottom level to set on the screen frame. The top foam could also be fiberglassed on the outside. To prevent water intrusion perhaps it's a more intensive process, but it may solve the problem with insects intruding into the foam and prevent temperature transfer.
I love seeing your genuine excitement as you went from hive to hive. As far as the spacer what about using a piece of foam board instead of wood. I'm just trying to think of a piece of material that won't warp
Looks like you really enjoyed your victory dance and mic drop. Congratulations! You definitely earned it :). Been watching your channel for a while now and its really cool to see you being really thorough when you diagnose a problem and then investigate the best solution for your local climate. Very cool, keep up the great work!
I have been following your videos since last fall. Everything you have said and done so far has made sense to me. I am located a bit north of you in Central Maine. Thank you for sharing your experiments and knowledge. I don't know if you are aware, but you have gained some attention in the bee world at large. I have even seen you mentioned in a technical seminar. (I did not say what one because I am not sure if that is proper etiquette here.) I would love to test your hive in western Maine in the Mt Abraham area.
Great job!! Best outtro ever!!! *Could you use a piece of extruded foam for your frame spacer/filler? Only down side I see is the bees may chew on it and it might be hard to get out when if they propolis it *for your lid and moisture issues get rid of the top box then make a 4” thick lid that fits to the angled shape of the main box / barn and put it directly on top of your inner cover. Lack of insulation and air getting in at the top is the issue and causing your condensation. *I’m sure your hives are tilted towards the front but you may have to tilt them a little more toward the front especially on the nucs. This may help with the standing water. *Be careful adding pollen patties they are ready to rock and will be in the trees before you know it!! Great job, great design, ready for the how to book!!
Awesome job recovering from a very bad situation. This will be my first year having/keeping bees, but I started designing my insulated hive in the Fall/Winter of 2020. I subscribed to your channel around that time and enjoyed watching your beekeeping experiences. I was distressed for you when you realized what happened to your bees. You just confirmed all of my design choices and have prompted me to "tweak" some elements that you also will remediate. This video supports what I have learned from other virtual mentors I've been following, (none of them commercial beekeepers). They all said the same thing you experienced, which is the bees consume much less honey stores when well insulated and NO UPPER VENT!... Keep doing what you are doing!
Absolutely wonderful! I'm certainly going to begin insulting my hives in the future; I can't believe after all these years that I didn't consider that the flaw of the basic Langstroth design is that it's difficult for a colony to raise at least a little brood during their long months of confinement in winter. And the bees wear themselves out trying to maintain the temperature within the cluster when the only thing separating them from frigid temperatures is a thin layer of cheap pine. Your success is a real eye opener in terms of better hive management. P.S. It's best to brush aside the bees on the top bars immediately over the brood area and place the pollen patty there.
1) Pseudoscorpions ruclips.net/video/y1zdancXRDg/видео.html They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture. 2) Tom Seeley ruclips.net/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/видео.html He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy. 3) Leo Sharashkin ruclips.net/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/видео.html He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.
I think your lack of knowledge to start is part of what has made you such a great bee keeper. You didn’t go into it with all these things pounded into your head over years of bee keeping. You approached it with an open mind and ran with it. Honestly my favorite bee videos on RUclips. Keep doing your thing.
Please read about pseudoscorpions. They hate moisture.
ruclips.net/video/y1zdancXRDg/видео.html
If heat is not lost, bees are warm, They do not have to work as hard (vibrate wing muscles) to stay warm. Also with a single entrance, Co2 rises and they go into torpor so very little eating. For a beekeeper, you couldn't ask for better proof that an insulated, single entrance hive works. Thank you again, great video, very informative.
Thanks, Ross!
Why would CO² rise? Just curious...
@@frogsurfer4403 bees exhale. With a small entrance, the carbon dioxide will build up and with the cooler temps will help induce a state of torpor. The bees metabolism slows down and they eat less and use less energy. I'm no expert but I think this is why fat body bees survive the winter. (I think it is kind of like a bear fattening up before hibernating for the winter) Search Bees and Torpor. I'm sure there are a few articles out there that can explain it better than me.
@@frogsurfer4403 CO2 is heavier and seeks lower areas. H20 vapor is very light and rises.
I have read a study that mites have a “higher mortality rate” in a non vented hive. ie: only a reduced bottom entrance. I’m two years into keeping and it just seems so obvious to me.. the bees are constantly closing gaps and sealing off airflow. Closer you get to nature the better things will get. Bees don’t need burlap to soak up moisture. It’s not complicated. Moisture isn’t that difficult to understand if you just use your nothing . Love seeing your success getting down with common sense ! Keep up the good work my friend.
A well deserved dance I say!
Insulated hives always seemed to be something that was just common sense since they'd hole up in tree trunks in the wild. Don't know why people would think warm bees would eat more honey, when they're cold they're basically shivering non-stop throughout the winter and that obviously would use up more energy than just sitting around if it's warm.
YESSSSS!!!! GO BALBOA!!!! LONG LIVE BALBOA!!!! I was here and started following you when you brought those hives home from your neighbor. couldn't ask for a better hive report. super cool! hit the like button folks!
Etienne and Jim once again vindicated on the science of insulation and energy consumption! Yes! This is amazing on every level! Honestly though, I think the overwinter success is more a testament of your mite treatment techniques than anything. The early spring start and overabundance of food stores is a testament to the hive design! The haters can SUCK IT! Congrats, friend!
The “Vinohater dance” at the end says it all! Congrats Jim! Great job! Looking forward to watching another year of growth in your bee yard!
Yaaa I like the dance 🕺
A little dab’ll do ya!
Love the mic drop at the end! And remember, if you have 3 beekeepers in a room, you are gonna get 4 different opinions! Keep on experimenting, you are helping the rest of us out!
What an awesome start to the year. As someone who started watching in like 2020 and could see whole years fly by in a handful of videos, the clear takeaway from THIS video is that even the WEAKEST colony in March 2022 is about what a strong colony was in March of previous years. I can't wait to see how the bee yard does this summer and how you modify the Bee Barn with the lessons you've learned the past 12 months…
As someone who has always used insulated hives... I'm not the least bit surprised. 😜 Bees aren't supposed to use most of their winter stores until they start brooding in spring.
After keeping a couple of hives for a few years, we had an unusually cold winter here and I lost both of them. I was pretty much ready to throw in the towel when I discovered your channel. WOW! After binge watching (and driving my wife crazy) I did my best to replicate what you have designed and built. I finished just in time before the two new packages arrived. I've never seen hives grow so much in so little time! A BIG THANK YOU going your way Jim!
Lol…love the victory dance at the end! Fitting!! The quilt boxes, burlap, wood chips, moisture boards, upper vents are such an antique and poor solution for wintering bees. Insulation is a great product!
Jim, nice as always to see new content. It is also nice to see you are seeing the same thing I get out of my insulated hives. I had two colonies overwinter in a 7 frame setup, each one went into winter with three STRONG frames of bees and 4 frames of honey... and they came out of winter STRONGER than 3 frames and of the 4 honey frames 2 were not touched at all and the other 2 still had about 25% of its honey left. Insulation makes all the difference in resource use! In addition to your comment of your hives being 2 months ahead....here in KY I estimate that my insulated hives are consistently a full month ahead of wooden hives. Insulated hives are going to change beekeeping forever
I will never put bees in an un-insulated box again. Year-round insulation needs to become the norm.
@@vinofarm I agree. Just need to tweak a few more thoughts.
I lost two of two hives this winter. I will insulate my hives from now on.
Howdy Jim. . Last year I was also in the group that had lost everything. Was really a sad day. I've truly enjoyed seeing you come up with these designs and watching them overwinter has been GREAT ! ! Keep on keeping Jim. .
Jim, You do not have too much honey in the hive. Once they start brooding up they will go through the honey so fast. Had a hive come out of winter with over 60 lbs. of stores, had the same concern you do now. The hive was so light by the time the flow started that I felt bad because they almost starved and they might have been a little hungry just before the flow. What I saw on your frames was there was enough space for brood and room below to expand, it looks good. My one comment on the design is that you should have 2X the insulation on the top then on the sides, that would solve your moisture on the ceiling problem. I agree bees can deal with the moisture and dead bees get wet after they die; just like wax moth move into dead colonies. Just have to get the condensation to happen on the walls and not the top. A solution that I would like in 2.0 is to make the frame standard so you can make splits to sell bees. I was thinking just stucco on the outside walls, yes there will be a cold spot where the boxes meet, but I will be standard and that is where the excess moisture will condense. Get the mites under control early, before you get your supers on. Best of luck. T.
Happy to see you 12 for 12. I'm patiently waiting for the plans of your barn. I've seen a few other people take your design and tweak it which is good for everyone because it gets figured out quicker.
I tried something new this year with one of my hives in terms of insulation and I totally agree with you. It makes a HUGE difference. Like you! I noticed a massive difference in terms of less honey being eaten through the winter and a huge colony coming out the other side. With that being said, when I tried to share this sort of info with people on a couple of Facebook groups and got absolutely slated for it. It’s kind of tiering because a large portion of beekeepers in the UK are very opinionated and closed off to any new ideas or feedback.
Ha ha… try making RUclips videos about insulating hives for 6 years and wait for the comments to roll in. A lot of people are unreachable, but I don’t really care about them. I’m not trying to convince anyone to change their ways. I’m just trying to inspire and think outside the box. People obviously notice and if what I do helps them, it makes me happy. I watch others and get inspired. I’m just trying to share it forward.
Vino Farm I absolutely love your videos. You’re always trying new things and you keep an open mind and try to be as analytical as possible. You’re also very good at explaining your thought processes so there are quite a few things I’ve picked up from you and implemented on my own hives.
For what it’s worth, I’m grateful for you and your content.
If I may recommend... Apply a layer of 2 part resin to the sides and bottoms of the boards that got moldy (when you replace them, of course). it will make them impervious to the condensation. 2 part resin is often used for table tops and counters so it is food safe. It is hard as hell so the bees can't chew it or anything. So happy for your success...
Jim, I am seriously happy for you man! I could see how devastated you were last year, you made some changes and its paying off! Congrats!
The ending of this was completely unexpected but absolutely perfect. Great job
Fantastic result Jim! Well done. Your findings on honey consumption and hive heating could be a game changer. Keep the videos coming.
I live in Maine and love watching your channel. I have had high losses in past years. I insulated my hives this past winter and took some more of your suggestions. So far all my hives are alive!
It's official, it is the Vino Farm videos that I anticipate the most. Great video, great news, great results. Well done. I'm really looking forward to news over the summer, and the improvement to the bee barn. With that level of winter survival, it looks like you will be having to deal with some swarms this year!
I’ve been watching you for a few years now, and from what it seems like, it’s as though the insulation allowed them to be more comfortable through the winter so they didn’t have to fight to stay warm and keep the hives warm. Like people if you’re cold you’re going to need to eat more to maintain heat, but if you’re at a livable comfortable temperature you’re not going to have to eat as much to stay warm.
Those hive look amazing and are going to kick off with a BANG! (watch out for swarming 😊) For a good spacer design I recommend you look up Richard Noel. He uses foundation-less frames filled with a foam board covered in a thick layer of paint to prevent the bees from chewing them away. Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards is also an alternative.
I did heavy insulation too, and as of the beginning of March I'm at 5/5 Hives alive. Too cold for an inspection in Canada still but its looking promising :D
Wax dipping the plywood spacer boards might induce the bees to draw out comb on it.
It’s absolutely astonishing to see how far ahead your bees are, Jim! Normally the difference between your hives and the Southern beekeepers I watch is in terms of months, and right now, you only look weeks behind. I doubt bees are in my future, but I’m definitely going to make sure our CSA and community gardens are familiar with your ideas.
I've been watching since your loss last year and through your determination of building a hive like they would in the wild. I started laugh crying in happiness when you said 12/12 lived. The amount of honey left over is also Huge! It shows that they had surplus for the winter which aids in the winter and early spring survival! I am looking forward to this hive build being the new hives of the future
The cold (and wind!) here over the past winter was vicious. It's been a long time since I've seen such temperatures, even for here. It's still windy and chilly here today. My daughter was complaining about it at lunch time...
I laughed so hard, Jim! That dance was to die for, especially on top of your fantastic bees! Success! I am super interested in your fix for the mold and also bottom moisture. I know there are beekeepers who watch you to learn and save their hives. The bee barns are now a thing thanks to you! Congratulations! Here's to another fine year!
Your bee barn is 90% there, I like the improvements.
One tip that can help your problem:
1. Create a propolis tincture and paint all the wooden surfaces inside the hive including the frames. This will greatly boost the mold and virus resistance inside and will make the bees healthier and more productive.
The ending. 😂 Well deserved. You trusted your beekeeping knowledge and the hives are thriving! I can’t wait for more videos. Also I enjoyed the barn videos if you have more of those coming.
You needed this win after that devastating loss. I am so happy for you and I hope your bees continue to thrive!!
What a great day for a Vino video. Thanks for the update, Jim!
Been watching for awhile now. I'm super happy that your bees are doing so well. It is awesome to watch you learn and grow then spread that knowledge to others. Hope things keep trending up :)
Great news for all your hives 🥳 it makes so much sense how you have improved your hive that they would thrive. I'm so glad that you use scientific methods to back up your findings to show others that your improvements are working
Less myths, more science! 👍👍
I love what you are doing. I will be retireing from my electrical career this coming July. I started with 2 nucks in June of 2019, both surving a South eastern Quebec winter (usually 6+ feet of snow until mid April). First time harvesting from hives was last fall 2021 (I harvested from only 10 frames from 4 colonies, total of 10 frames). I had some issues with not being home to catch my swarms. Last summer I tried some splits and ended up with 6 colonies from my 2 original colonies (one didn't make it as they didn't make a queen), so I went into the winter with 4 pretty strong colonies, and 1 6 frame colonie, I really didn't think it would survive but to my surprise, so far it has, although it didn't look too strong last week when I opened to give them sugar. Sorry for the long comment. but I want you to know that I am learning so much from your video content and am going to do my best to try to construct your style of hives and try them out on half of my colonies, likely only in summer 23 but, Just wanted you to know that you are helping so many of us out here. Thank you so much.
Jim, In 2019 I started watching beekeeping videos and came across your page. I started at season 1 and have watched them all. You are one of the reasons I even considered getting into this. You put alot of effort into every video that you upload and it shows. I look forward to every time you post because I know it will be of high quality. Thanks for everything you taught me and I appreciate you're time sir!
Congratulations Jim. Beautiful to see such amazingly robust colonies so early in the year... Full steam ahead now!
Congratulations on 100k. It’s been amazing since 4000… so happy for you Jim
*Here's an idea!!* For your follower/divider board replacements - I recommend homasote moisture (wicking) board. This will accomplish 4 goals: (1) NOT warp. (2) Wick moisture. (3) act as a thermal mass to flatten out thermal fluctuations (you can test/prove it with the broodminder data). (4) The rough surface is ideal for the bees to propolize - like the rough inside of a tree cavity - which studies have shown is beneficial the bee health - a place for bees to store a pharmacy-worth of propolis. Keep up the great work! 'Hope you pick my idea! :)
I also made changes to my hives this winter (Wisconsin) after losing all of my hives two years in a row. My added insulation top and bottom, along with screened quilt boxes using burlap covered with wood chips has helped. Five of seven hives are bringing pollen in. Thrilled! Glad to see your success!
Any pics of your winter insulation set up?
@@skyhighactiondrones5453 my reply disappeared, but not sure how to add a photo... sorry!
Congratulations that your hive build and your pre winter treatment was a success!!! I constantly enjoy you content and look forward to whatever you set your mind on.
I thoroughly enjoy your enthusiasm, and courage to invent. Here in Northern Alberta where it often gets to -30C for a month during the winter we do use full insulation and a top entrance. It's just a piece of 3/4 inch hose that sticks out past the insulation. You drill a hole just below the cover lip. It allows the moisture to escape and often has a lot of frost in it on the cold days. The heat from the beehive allows the frost to melt and drip out on warmer days. The bottom entrance often gets full of dead bees so the top entrance is crucial for ventilation. I remember one year the snow drifted over three fee high in the beeyard and covered the top entrances and the bees died of asphyxiation. Now we keep our bees on a platform so that won't happen. Even here the stronger hives will have less dead bees at the entrance. We usually wrap in mid October and unwrap in March. However, I discovered that a trick to getting the queens to start laying in February is to feed some sugar syrup. I use double wide frame feeders and keep one on the side of the top box all winter long. Then in February when there is a warmish day of about 10C or higher, I fill the frame feeder. I use thick pink glass insulation (R20) and the tarpaper wrap. We use 4 inch styrofoam for the lid. We often have most of the winter feed making it through the winter even though it is an average of -20C here in the winter months. If they are well insulated they use very little feed. In the spring they like those stores. We usually split the strong hives in Mid may when the dandelions bloom.
I love this bee keepers honesty! He experienced a devastating catastrophe redouble his efforts for incredible success this year. And he’s already thinking about next year’s improvements. This beekeeper and his bees have a great relationship.
I am a hobby beekeeper from alabama,i have watched your videos for most of your six years as a beekeeper.i have enjoyed them all and i have learned from them.beekeeping is trial an error.you are an excellant beekeeper please keep making videos.
Loved the ending Jim. 😆 I also lost my hives last year and made lots of changes and was thinking of doing the same as you just to one hive then you did it and with style. Way to go and keep the videos coming and keep the thick skin for g to be hater’s. 🐝 thanks Jim
Thanks!
YAAY! Happy beekeeping dance!! What was so interesting to me was how little stores the bees consumed. I suspected they would definitely survive and do well in the insulated hives (I was rooting for you!) but the fact that they ate so much less, and are brooding so much earlier than normal for MA (We routinely have brood in February in KY where I am)....you are possibly in for a SLAMMING honey season and you might really have to do something to prevent lots and lots of swarms from such healthy populations.
It could turn out for you long term that hives like these are a great economical solution for beekeepers - more hives survive, using less stores, and potentially (maybe) produce more honey and more splits for selling as nucs. Higher front end investment for longer and better usage, less beekeeper labor and higher rate of success. Please keep making videos -- super interested to see how they work year-over-year.
Jim, some of these comments create interesting ideas. I have been following you and Etienne Tardiff these past couple of years. Besides insulation I'm also interested in CO2 accumulation, open bottom boards that Etienne uses & your moisture situation. Maybe putting propolis on crown board would work. Also wonder if bees need moisture that accumulates. Please post your design. Winter will soon return here in Minnesota. I'm ready to begin incorporating
I know literally nothing about beekeeping, but I am so attached to these balboa bees 🐝 and I’m so happy they all made it through this winter
Thanks for update. Glad your hive design is working out so well for the bees so far. Look forward to your next hive improvements as you tinker with the design. Great work.
Keep doing what you are doing, something is working. Love your design, modifications will be great. And I would just like to say, your ending to this video says it all, onwards and upwards.
Haha! Yes, loved the ending. We got a happy bee keeper dance. Great job this winter!
You are an EXCELLENT beekeeper - you learn from your mistakes - like all of us should! Your consistent desire to refine your skills is a lesson ALL beekeepers should come away with from your videos - I give you 5 stars I've been keeping bees for over 10 years now and you set a wonderful example. The haters will hate - DON'T for a second let them hold you back. Congrats!
Fellow, beekeeper from Connecticut by the mass. border. Insulated my hives (not as much as yours) with no upper entrance, they came out of winter same as yours, large cluster size, already with brood, no colony losses, and lots of left over food. Congrats.
Glad to see your Hives made it through this year. This was my third year and the first year my hives made it through an upstate NY Winter, 6 for 6. 2 things I did different. I did not insulate my hives other than Burlap above the inner cover. And I believe the biggest difference for me was throwing the strips away and going with a Oxalic Acid Vaporizer. Whatever it was, like you, my Bees are Booming! Good Luck!
BOOM! Fantastic to see all 12 hives coming out of winter already ahead of the game. Roll on the 2022 beekeeping year at Vino 🐝
I watch a lot of bee keeping videos. I don't know why, I just find them fascinating. Congrats on your success! I was heartbroken last year when you lost most of your hives. You really seem to have nailed it this year! Most of the bee keepers I follow are located in the south so it's awesome to see a northern bee keeper get your hives through the winter this successfully. And... it wasn't a warm winter. Great job!
LOVE THIS!! I've missed your videos and then, there was a swarm in the neighborhood and one of our local beekeepers made sure they were safe. I knew it was time to get back to bee videos for the 2022 year.
I am so happy that the changes you made for the benefit of your bees have been successful. I actually shared your beebarn video to a friend who keeps bees in a cold climate and she was fascinated. What you did made sense to me and finding out bees that are warm don't need to eat as much makes sense too. I have been wondering how the bees were doing over this winter and was so pleased to see your update. I love how if you try something and something doesn't quite work or warps etc. you make changes to make it better rather than just giving up and saying well that didn't work. I admire such a work ethic and look forward to more videos when spring actually comes to your state and there are resources for your bees!
Great to see your success this season Jim. Obvious delight and excitement in your voice.
It was tough to watch this time last year with your loses so your Bee Barn, insulation and hive health care changes seem to be a sweet spot.
Really looking forward to seeing how your honey production goes this year with the bee barns.
Thanks for your continued commitment.
Dean UK 🇬🇧 ❤
Omg just saw yor video as I've been away and missed the premiere day as I usually do. I've been watching from season 1 so thats probably why I feel like a proud parent watching this. Jim I never had a doubt about your barn bee hive design but seeing the results and hearing it in your voice made my day. I really can't wait to see your video on VBB ver 2 as Ill definitely build at least a couple for my apiary. Again so proud to see this video!
Hey just want to let you know I have watched your posts for over three years. I watched to learn from you. Loved when you succeded...hurt when you failed. You are literally just town's over from me. Want to let you know I never once thought you were doing anything except finding the best way to keep bees in New England! Love your victory bee dance! We'll done neighbor!
So happy for you, Jim! Your hard work is coming to fruition. A couple of design tweaks will have this hive design perfected. Thank You for sharing.
I’m very glad you proved the critic wrong.
The dance was worth watching till the end! Congrats on having a good winter. I lost 1 out 5 hives. I'm super happy with that.
I have received so many comments about my bees eating more because I heat my hives and every spring I come out of winter with tons of bees and surplus resources in the hives.I can verify your data. The bees don't sit around and snack they just socialize and hang out. Because they don't have to work as hard to maintain hives temps they have no need to consume honey. I can also say, from the two bee barns I have installed so far they are maintaining very consistent temps between them which tells me the bees are choosing their temp and are able to maintain the temp they choose. The heaters haven't come on since I put them in the bee barn as far as I can tell. Great video and great tabletop at the end. You have some moves!
1) Pseudoscorpions
ruclips.net/video/y1zdancXRDg/видео.html
They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture.
2) Tom Seeley
ruclips.net/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/видео.html
He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy.
3) Leo Sharashkin
ruclips.net/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/видео.html
He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.
I know a RUclips beekeeper in Michigan that's going to hate that ending! 😂 Great video!
This puts you in a real production mode. Since you aren't looking to make a new colonies you will be in a position to get lots of 🍯. Be careful about the hives wanting to split/abscond. You will have to be diligently making sure they have space and that they've got any queen cells kept out. Congratulations on a successful winter.
Congratulations on the outcome of the first overwinter! Still some bugs and improvements to be considered, but I have learned a TON about hive fundamentals and health following this journey and greatly appreciate you putting this out there Jim! Going to be an exciting Spring!!
This is pure joy... thank you for letting us share!
Really happy for you! Your voice is full of joy, pride and appreciation. Well deserved!
Looking forward to a satisfying honey harvest video this year! It's always great to see videos from you, Jim. Thanks for taking time to share!
Thank you for sharing your hard won learnings so that we ( and our bees) can benefit. Well done !!!!
The dance at the end made me giggle, loving your series. I don't keep bees myself, but for some reason I've been following your channel almost from the start and I'm always excited to see what's new. Love that you are open to experimenting and sharing the successes and the failures. You don't sugar coat it when you mess up and you don't wallow in it, you just keep on trucking and that's why I think we all keep watching. Thanks again for sharing!
So glad it worked out for you Jim. After last year man my heart broke for you. Loved the outro.
Excellent news! I'm so happy so see the hive experiment was successful. All of your hypothesis paned out and yes, you've got some moisture on your wood but, nothing that can't be fixed. I look forward to seeing your upgrades and I plan on building my own "bee barn" type hives this year. CONGRATULATIONS
So glad to see the happy dance and the mic drop!!! Well done Sir!
So awesome to see your bees are kicking! I too took it in the shorts last year and this year they are looking so good! Thanks for staying the course and not letting the naysayers keeps you down!
Great video and look forward to the rest of the season! Keep on keeping on Sir!
Keep trying, innovation does not happen overnight, Thanks for all the information and personal trials that you document. Not everyone would fess up. We learn when you learn. thank you, Brice
Excellent work!! You have done an amazing job and should be absolutely proud!
Jim, Great video. After last year losses I also insulated my 4 new hives and the top cover here in Virginia. All hives have lots of brood and like you lots of honey left over. Looking forward to bee barn v2.0 and your frame information.
Love this video! For your spacer boards, you might consider StarBoard (used on boats). It can be expensive and is a "man-made" product, but it might solve your issue. Won't swell, warp or rot. Can't wait to see the plans, I'm switching this year to the frame size you've made. My boxes are not insulated yet, but I will be working on a similar system this year. I am starting my 2nd year beekeeping and both of my hives thrived thru winter. I"m in Central Virginia. Thanks for your videos, looking forward to more!
I’m looking into several materials. Not afraid of ‘man-made’ things, but sourcing is not easy. And it can be very expensive. I’ll figure it out!
You are a pleasure to watch and thank you so much for the information. Love the celebration...
I also want to note I don't understand why there are so many haters You have never ever claimed to be the best. You are learning just like the rest of us except you are just documenting your learning experience and sharing it with us. I personally cannot wait for the bee barn 2.0 and cannot wait to make my own!
Awesome mike drop! Your happiness seeing healthy colonies was infective.
Oh Jim I’m as happy as you are that ALL the hives are doing so well. Was ssssssoooooo waiting for your little dance at the end too. So excited for your year ahead. Congratulations from Australia.
Not going to lie, I have been waiting on pins and needles for this video. After last year, I was so dreading the spring check! But look at you, they're all there, all Queen right, all banging! I am so happy for you, I'm so happy for the bees, and the haters can eat it! Hoping for a summer of me content, and barn content. Keep doing what you're doing!
I’m glad to see all the hard work and planning has paid off. And you are excited for your success.
I have the apimaye hives over in NY. And they are awesome to use.
When I looked at my bees I put in mite strips. I seen a few with mites on their backs. Just had some larva starting.
Great 🌸🐝 videos. 👍👍🍿
The end of the video was awesome!! 😂 My daughter requests more dancing on hives. 😂 Congratulations on all hives thriving!!! We’ve always rooted for you throughout the years.
Very nice! Great job, Jim! I truly appreciate your insight and humble approach to bee keeping! Your videos definitely helped me quite a bit in getting prepared for my first year bee keeping! I too, had 100% survival rate here in Minnesota this year-now we just need it to warm up! Thank you for all that you do!
I have never kept bees, I love honey 🍯 and you are a good teacher. I first watched the it’s not for the honey video. Then I developed interest in your method of looking after bees, explanation and experiences. The bee barn is the best. Keep it up.
Jim, for your spacers what about using something like HDPE (cutting board material)? It is food grade and will never warp.
Exactly. I’m already sourcing some of that!
My first thought would be to seal the plywood with wax, but the bees would start drawing comb on it pretty much immediately. My second thought may sound crazy, but how about something with a non-sticky surface, either as a complete spacer or laminated on to it? The bees will probably hate PTFE as too non-sticky though.
Another question for you: when your bees start booming like they did last year, how are you going to deal with swarming? Are you just going to let them swarm away? Or will you rehouse and sell them?
I love your content and your hive design. Please keep the innovation coming. Some day when I have time I’d love to copy your hive design. I live in upper ND, and over-winter on site in double deep 10 frames with an insulating blanket and candy board. Depending on the winter, my losses vary. Thank you for making this info public.
Allow me to say right up front that I'm not a bee keeper, but I'm trying to absorb as much as I can so I can be as successful as possible when I do start. I had a thought regarding the foam design and the thermal transfer issues. As a woodworker and home renovator, here's my thought: Instead of using foam board, what if you build a jig kind of like a mold form with the inner and outer box sides suspended. Then, used that two-part foam used for setting fence posts to pour between the inner and outer box frames. It expands, so it would eliminate gaps and flow above and over the sides. Then, you can carve or sand the top bevel to shed water and the bottom level to set on the screen frame. The top foam could also be fiberglassed on the outside. To prevent water intrusion perhaps it's a more intensive process, but it may solve the problem with insects intruding into the foam and prevent temperature transfer.
Oooooohhhh …. I like this idea! This needs to be pondered.
I appreciate the time and resources you've put into your beehives. A very good lesson learned without browsing much on the internet.
I love seeing your genuine excitement as you went from hive to hive. As far as the spacer what about using a piece of foam board instead of wood. I'm just trying to think of a piece of material that won't warp
So glad to see these outcomes, especially after last year's results. Happy for you.
Looks like you really enjoyed your victory dance and mic drop. Congratulations! You definitely earned it :). Been watching your channel for a while now and its really cool to see you being really thorough when you diagnose a problem and then investigate the best solution for your local climate. Very cool, keep up the great work!
I have been following your videos since last fall. Everything you have said and done so far has made sense to me. I am located a bit north of you in Central Maine. Thank you for sharing your experiments and knowledge. I don't know if you are aware, but you have gained some attention in the bee world at large. I have even seen you mentioned in a technical seminar. (I did not say what one because I am not sure if that is proper etiquette here.) I would love to test your hive in western Maine in the Mt Abraham area.
its so wonderful watching all of these bees survive. more beekeepers should really implement your hive design!
Great job!! Best outtro ever!!!
*Could you use a piece of extruded foam for your frame spacer/filler? Only down side I see is the bees may chew on it and it might be hard to get out when if they propolis it
*for your lid and moisture issues get rid of the top box then make a 4” thick lid that fits to the angled shape of the main box / barn and put it directly on top of your inner cover. Lack of insulation and air getting in at the top is the issue and causing your condensation.
*I’m sure your hives are tilted towards the front but you may have to tilt them a little more toward the front especially on the nucs. This may help with the standing water.
*Be careful adding pollen patties they are ready to rock and will be in the trees before you know it!!
Great job, great design, ready for the how to book!!
Awesome job recovering from a very bad situation. This will be my first year having/keeping bees, but I started designing my insulated hive in the Fall/Winter of 2020. I subscribed to your channel around that time and enjoyed watching your beekeeping experiences. I was distressed for you when you realized what happened to your bees. You just confirmed all of my design choices and have prompted me to "tweak" some elements that you also will remediate. This video supports what I have learned from other virtual mentors I've been following, (none of them commercial beekeepers). They all said the same thing you experienced, which is the bees consume much less honey stores when well insulated and NO UPPER VENT!... Keep doing what you are doing!
Absolutely wonderful! I'm certainly going to begin insulting my hives in the future; I can't believe after all these years that I didn't consider that the flaw of the basic Langstroth design is that it's difficult for a colony to raise at least a little brood during their long months of confinement in winter. And the bees wear themselves out trying to maintain the temperature within the cluster when the only thing separating them from frigid temperatures is a thin layer of cheap pine. Your success is a real eye opener in terms of better hive management.
P.S. It's best to brush aside the bees on the top bars immediately over the brood area and place the pollen patty there.
1) Pseudoscorpions
ruclips.net/video/y1zdancXRDg/видео.html
They live in symbiosis with bees, eat varroa and hate moisture.
2) Tom Seeley
ruclips.net/video/T7CB8E7jKBc/видео.html
He is beekeeper, scientist and just a cool guy.
3) Leo Sharashkin
ruclips.net/video/Sdr1iRrjA5I/видео.html
He spend $0 for bees and $0 for chemicals.