In keeping with my bee theme, I wanted to write some more about my hives and my experiences, so far, with keeping bees. I already wrote about my attempt to save a wild hive that had moved into a derelict mobile home last summer here. Update: the owner of the trailer decided not to burn the trailer. It turns out I could have waited until this spring to move the bees, and maybe they would have stood a better chance.

I wanted to write a little about my failed try at owning an observation hive.

I purchased a homemade one locally and installed it in my living room.As you can see, it needed cleaning. The “bee space” was not correct and the bees were, as bees do, putting comb in the extra space. I decided that the hive needed cleaning and, one nice day, I took it apart. If you don’t know, bees use a material called Propolis to seal and protect their hives. It’s made from tree resin and other such things, and is used to seal cracks and “glue” things together. This material is the reason all beekeepers carry “hive tools” when they work their hives. They have to break the various components of the hive apart. I mention the propolis to explain why I ended up breaking the glass on the hive while attempting to take it apart. But, a quick trip to Loews and the hive was as good as new. Better, actually.

For not really wanting to do the project in the first place, I think I did a pretty good job. I even managed not to lose the queen. The hive survived for another month or so before it died out. The reason for the extinction of the hive was, I think, not because of my cleaning the hive, but due to my inexperience with feeding bees syrup.

As it started getting colder, I started worrying about the hive’s food stores. The queen was a prolific egg layer and the hive was busting at the seams with bees. Being only a four frame hive, there was little room for winter stores (three frames of brood, one frame of honey). So I started feeding 1:1 sugar syrup. I think the combination of a leaking lid, too thin syrup, and the cold weather coming in, doomed the bees. I started noticing extreme condensation in the hose they used to exit the hive. Soon dead bees started collecting in the hose, and within two weeks, the rest of the bees absconded.

As you can see, there were plenty of bees in the hive. It was a vital thriving hive, until an inexperienced beekeeper tried to help. What is it they say about good intentions?

I loved to go outside at night and look at the beard of bees around the tube that fed into the hive. Sometimes it would extend up the window frame a good 12″.