That's a great tidbit right there at the end about shaking the bees. The fighting foragers will fly back to the old hive and the nurse bees will march in like they own the place. Love it. I might have to try a horizontal or top bar hive one day just for fun.
K&L, thanks for the video! I don’t have a horizontal hive but this has assured me that I’ve been doing the right thing to keep swarming down! It’s a never ending battle this time of the year.
Kamon, I split all my horizontal hives this year. Took most of the winter honey from them. Thanks for helping others with you knowledge of these horizontal hives. What a great queen!!!!
Great video on the long hive. You might consider her for grafting . I spent the past two days in my hives. I'm located in southeastern Pennsylvania. I was equalizing my colonies and when I would shake frames there was nectar coming off. I did find a swarm cell in one colony and I'll deal with that tomorrow morning. The queen was isolated to the bottom box with three frames of brood , empty comb, and food. She'll be moved tomorrow morning to prevent the swarm from taking place (I hope). There is only one swarm cell almost complete and one cell started. The season has definitely arrived here and I'm hoping I have it ready to go. I reduced all my colonies to a bottom box with three frames of brood and the queen. A queen excluder separating the upper boxes. Next Saturday will be ten days and I'll be moving the lower boxes with queens to the side and Queening the upper boxes. I'm hoping this set up works and I can place the old queen up top and build it to a two queen system. I can't lift heavy boxes anymore so it looks like cut comb this year.
Thanks for the video! Hopefully, I'll be in better shape to prevent swarming next year. My goal was to make it through my 1st year and have my hive survive . . . which I achieved, but then lost 1/3 of the hive in a swarm. I just found out about checkerboarding 2 weeks before the swarm, but I suspect I didn't do everything correctly. After the swarm, I ended up splitting the remaining hive, leaving 2-3 swarm cells in each hive, with maybe 50,000 bees (8 - 9 deep frames) in the original hive and 20,000 bees in the new hive. As you might suspect at this point, I hadn't really understood that my hive had over 100,000 bees in 3 deeps after my unsuccessful checkerboarding attempt. I wish I could have kept them all, but hopefully, I'll do better next year. I'm getting 3 VSH nucs in a month, so with luck I'll be going from 1 hive to 5 by June. You can be sure I'll be working my way through your videos, since you seem to be one of the genuinely successful honey focused beekeepers out there. FWIW, I'm about to go look to see if you have a video explaining your use of horizontal Langstroth hives.
just wanted to say. thanks for everything. I had a double swarm happen today. Just started finishing up with the first swarn and looked up to see a swarm start to form and collect on a latter about 10 feet from the first swarm. Was able to handle it with some focus. Thank to your videos. awesome stuff man
I have 2 HZ hives that I built and I am heading into my 2nd season with them. I really enjoy keeping bees in them, but there are a few differences that you have to pay attention to as Kamon mentioned. I highly recommend giving a HZ hive a try in your apiary if you are thinking about it. Great video!!
Just finished my long hive and ready to move my major mamma hive into it tomorrow. She's 2 years old and still slamming. I've raised many queens from her. Anyway gonna get started on my 2nd horizontal and then my 3rd as I'm down to my last 3 vertical hives. 5 top bar hives full with 2 empty in repair and then fill back up. Time to get nucs started to sell when I pull the queen cells from these last 2 verticals. State inspector comes next week.
It could be nectar from Nellie R Stevens holly trees. Here in Dandridge / Sevierville Tn. the Nellie R Stevens holly trees are in full bloom and are covered in honeybees. Great video.
Hey Kamon , a horizontal hive would be basically a good resource hive . I would pull at least a six frame split from the horizontal hive . I split four hives today . And may have to split the last four tomorrow. They’re strong . Caught a swarm a little over three weeks ago and gave that swarm a double deep full of drawn brood comb . That queen has laid out six frames in the bottom and seven in the top in three weeks. I’m going to have to watch this one . That queen is in overdrive .
Love the video. I have just gone to horizontal hives. Mainly because I am older and can't life the boxes when full. Did you make your horizontal hives? Do you have plans for those hives that I can buy? Thanks
K&L you touch on it a little, but what does a normal frame layout look like for a horizontal hive? Do they still have the honey frames on the outside frames?
With all your hard work that honey is not free.... Check out Ian's last video, he has a little wind... also, I am looking for a young vigorous queen...lol😉
Hey brother again I just love your videos and I’m hoping I can make it to next year’s convention. Like I’ve mentioned before I’m in Northern New Mexico. I had a question maybe you know the answer. I been stung countless of times. Face, arms, legs. I got stung on my neck a day ago one got into the vail. It took me about 2 minutes to get hive back together and go in to a mirror. I literally had to call 911 because I started feeling my throat swell I broke out in hives all over and I mean all over. I kept calm but this has never happened. My thought is I left the stinger in to long till all venom went in me. Do you have any thoughts? Again thank you for your knowledge.
Great filming Lauren. I have been thinking about getting a horizontal hive to play with. Are the honey excluders effective on these hives? Thanks for video. See you at Hive life 2023
I was shaking bees down to make splits the day that you filmed this I think, and the wind was crazy. Bees were getting blown everywhere if i shook above the super. I was shaking nectar too, but I'm not sure what they're hitting right now.
New foundations should be coated with enough wax. I like to buy from premier and acorn for my foundation as they are more generous with wax than some of the other brands
2 questions; #1- what do you mean by waiting until the honey flow starts to then add an excluder? I noticed you had brood all the way down them frames so you must not of been using an excluder. What is the reasoning for doing this? #2- how do I know when the honey flow has started to then add an excluder for her? Thanks so much!
I have a question Kamon, I really struggle to overwinter big cluster hives. I live in Kosovo and winters are not so strong, the coldest we get is -13 sometimes. Our bee type is Carniolan 80% and i think 20% Caucasian, the biggest hive cluster overwinters with 5 frames of bees, and the others with 2 and sometimes with even just a fist size of cluster. My question is this, do you think the overwintering size has to do with the bees type or the wrong preparation for winter? And should I switch to Buckfast bees? :D
My bees like to sting me. How do you make them so gentle? No gloves? Amazing ! I just stand 10 feet away and they attack me. Do you have any advice please?
@@calebhollen5316 do you think it is possible that my bees are aggressive because the hive recently swarmed and the old queen left? This was about mid March.
What I like is that the videos are put up timely....not 2 weeks later when the current weather does not apply
He's about two weeks ahead of me. You're right. His timing is everything for us. Just adjust to your region.
That queen is definitely the fastest moving queen I have ever seen, excellent video’s kamon.
I’m so impressed you can tell which nectar like some wine connoisseur!
Your girls look awesome we just installed a swarm into our long Lang last Tuesday
Bees are looking good, Kamon!
That's a great tidbit right there at the end about shaking the bees. The fighting foragers will fly back to the old hive and the nurse bees will march in like they own the place. Love it. I might have to try a horizontal or top bar hive one day just for fun.
Beautiful looking queen! Busy too!
K&L, thanks for the video! I don’t have a horizontal hive but this has assured me that I’ve been doing the right thing to keep swarming down! It’s a never ending battle this time of the year.
It is a constant for sure! Pulling bees back and giving the bees more room for the queen is paramount! Roll Tide!
@@kamonreynolds Do they say “Roll tide!” in TN? 😊
I do!
@@kamonreynolds 😊👍‼️
@@kamonreynolds what is a swarm cell, please? Thanks 🙏
Another great video. That is a very nice hive.
Kamon, I split all my horizontal hives this year. Took most of the winter honey from them. Thanks for helping others with you knowledge of these horizontal hives. What a great queen!!!!
All that brood…wow!!!
"Look at all that bees" should be on a t-shirt lol
Great video on the long hive. You might consider her for grafting . I spent the past two days in my hives. I'm located in southeastern Pennsylvania. I was equalizing my colonies and when I would shake frames there was nectar coming off.
I did find a swarm cell in one colony and I'll deal with that tomorrow morning. The queen was isolated to the bottom box with three frames of brood , empty comb, and food. She'll be moved tomorrow morning to prevent the swarm from taking place (I hope). There is only one swarm cell almost complete and one cell started.
The season has definitely arrived here and I'm hoping I have it ready to go.
I reduced all my colonies to a bottom box with three frames of brood and the queen. A queen excluder separating the upper boxes. Next Saturday will be ten days and I'll be moving the lower boxes with queens to the side and Queening the upper boxes.
I'm hoping this set up works and I can place the old queen up top and build it to a two queen system.
I can't lift heavy boxes anymore so it looks like cut comb this year.
that is an amazing amount of brood this early!
That colony looks awesome! Enjoy getting tips from you on managing the horizontal hives.
Great video buddy!!
Thanks for the video! Hopefully, I'll be in better shape to prevent swarming next year. My goal was to make it through my 1st year and have my hive survive . . . which I achieved, but then lost 1/3 of the hive in a swarm. I just found out about checkerboarding 2 weeks before the swarm, but I suspect I didn't do everything correctly.
After the swarm, I ended up splitting the remaining hive, leaving 2-3 swarm cells in each hive, with maybe 50,000 bees (8 - 9 deep frames) in the original hive and 20,000 bees in the new hive. As you might suspect at this point, I hadn't really understood that my hive had over 100,000 bees in 3 deeps after my unsuccessful checkerboarding attempt. I wish I could have kept them all, but hopefully, I'll do better next year.
I'm getting 3 VSH nucs in a month, so with luck I'll be going from 1 hive to 5 by June. You can be sure I'll be working my way through your videos, since you seem to be one of the genuinely successful honey focused beekeepers out there.
FWIW, I'm about to go look to see if you have a video explaining your use of horizontal Langstroth hives.
just wanted to say. thanks for everything. I had a double swarm happen today. Just started finishing up with the first swarn and looked up to see a swarm start to form and collect on a latter about 10 feet from the first swarm. Was able to handle it with some focus. Thank to your videos. awesome stuff man
Glad I could help!
I have 2 HZ hives that I built and I am heading into my 2nd season with them. I really enjoy keeping bees in them, but there are a few differences that you have to pay attention to as Kamon mentioned. I highly recommend giving a HZ hive a try in your apiary if you are thinking about it. Great video!!
I need a queen like that
Thanks Kamon! We have a couple of second year long hives that look about the same. Looking forward to our honey yields this season.
Just finished my long hive and ready to move my major mamma hive into it tomorrow. She's 2 years old and still slamming. I've raised many queens from her. Anyway gonna get started on my 2nd horizontal and then my 3rd as I'm down to my last 3 vertical hives. 5 top bar hives full with 2 empty in repair and then fill back up. Time to get nucs started to sell when I pull the queen cells from these last 2 verticals. State inspector comes next week.
It could be nectar from Nellie R Stevens holly trees. Here in Dandridge / Sevierville Tn. the Nellie R Stevens holly trees are in full bloom and are covered in honeybees. Great video.
thanks for the information I had about giving up on the long hive but due to physical limitations I cannot work reg hives
Hey Kamon , a horizontal hive would be basically a good resource hive . I would pull at least a six frame split from the horizontal hive . I split four hives today . And may have to split the last four tomorrow. They’re strong . Caught a swarm a little over three weeks ago and gave that swarm a double deep full of drawn brood comb . That queen has laid out six frames in the bottom and seven in the top in three weeks. I’m going to have to watch this one . That queen is in overdrive .
Love the video. I have just gone to horizontal hives. Mainly because I am older and can't life the boxes when full. Did you make your horizontal hives? Do you have plans for those hives that I can buy? Thanks
K&L you touch on it a little, but what does a normal frame layout look like for a horizontal hive? Do they still have the honey frames on the outside frames?
Yes. They still put the majority of the resources to the edge of the brood nest.
With all your hard work that honey is not free.... Check out Ian's last video, he has a little wind... also, I am looking for a young vigorous queen...lol😉
Hey brother again I just love your videos and I’m hoping I can make it to next year’s convention. Like I’ve mentioned before I’m in Northern New Mexico. I had a question maybe you know the answer. I been stung countless of times. Face, arms, legs. I got stung on my neck a day ago one got into the vail. It took me about 2 minutes to get hive back together and go in to a mirror. I literally had to call 911 because I started feeling my throat swell I broke out in hives all over and I mean all over. I kept calm but this has never happened. My thought is I left the stinger in to long till all venom went in me. Do you have any thoughts? Again thank you for your knowledge.
Great filming Lauren. I have been thinking about getting a horizontal hive to play with. Are the honey excluders effective on these hives? Thanks for video. See you at Hive life 2023
I was shaking bees down to make splits the day that you filmed this I think, and the wind was crazy. Bees were getting blown everywhere if i shook above the super. I was shaking nectar too, but I'm not sure what they're hitting right now.
Did you forget the queen excluder. Or is that done later
That will be done later when we pull more brood combs and add more honey space. Do that in a week or 2
12:40- far left was a cup.
Hey, do new foundations need to be coated with wax?
New foundations should be coated with enough wax. I like to buy from premier and acorn for my foundation as they are more generous with wax than some of the other brands
Do you let your comb be robbed clean before storing it for the winter?
yes
2 questions;
#1- what do you mean by waiting until the honey flow starts to then add an excluder? I noticed you had brood all the way down them frames so you must not of been using an excluder. What is the reasoning for doing this?
#2- how do I know when the honey flow has started to then add an excluder for her? Thanks so much!
I have a question Kamon, I really struggle to overwinter big cluster hives.
I live in Kosovo and winters are not so strong, the coldest we get is -13 sometimes.
Our bee type is Carniolan 80% and i think 20% Caucasian, the biggest hive cluster overwinters with 5 frames of bees, and the others with 2 and sometimes with even just a fist size of cluster.
My question is this, do you think the overwintering size has to do with the bees type or the wrong preparation for winter?
And should I switch to Buckfast bees? :D
what will you do with your old frames and how old are your old frames
I’m scared of bees and i’n watching videos to face my fears and i last 30 seconds XD
I was terrified my first time in a hive!
Major takeaway point: don’t try this at home folks if the temperature is too cold. Ok to do in warmer months
My bees like to sting me. How do you make them so gentle? No gloves? Amazing ! I just stand 10 feet away and they attack me. Do you have any advice please?
@@calebhollen5316 do you think it is possible that my bees are aggressive because the hive recently swarmed and the old queen left? This was about mid March.
@@calebhollen5316 thank you for your time and help and for sharing your wisdom
@@calebhollen5316 I hope I have a new queen bee. I heard that’s not always guaranteed to happen.
@@calebhollen5316 I thought about doing that but didn’t know about the sugar water. Amazing idea. Thank you!
No one is using those hives. It’s neat, but not sure if I can watch for 24 minutes on the off chance I can learn something here..
The same principles we used to produce on our langstroths is the same we use for these. They are more alike than they aren't.