Is this mould?

[TomH]

they usually fly straight in to the 'lobby' then straight up into the hive without landing at all.

Just looking through some of my iPhone ‘live’ pictures where it turns the photo into a short video.

Seems mine mostly land just in the entrance. Looking at the video maybe the best landing board should be exactly one bee length

 

[Finman]

Seems mine mostly land just in the entrance. Looking at the video maybe the best landing board should be exactly one bee length

It depends, how heavy load the bee has, when it arrives to home. With heavy load much bees drop down to the landing board and run to the hive. If weather is cold, then they drop somewhere and walk into the hive.

At least you may look yourself, how bees use the landing board. You do not need ask from bee forum.

And the landing board can be two feet long. It is better to bees than one inch long. It is bad idea that bees fly under the hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

That is not a tree hive.

If you put the box onto ground, is it a "ground hive"

 

[RogerIvy]

Looking at the video maybe the best landing board should be exactly one bee length

Would that be an Imperial or Metric bee?

 

[TomH]

Would that be an Imperial or Metric bee?

I would propose the 'bee length' is a very important standard unit, which would of course vary depending on location and how you measure it!

Joking aside, I like putting landing boards on my hives, whether they serve any purpose or not. Makes it much easier to take pictures!

 

[Finman]

Would that be an Imperial or Metric bee?

It is Royal = Imperial= Brexit.
Since Ice Age born on icy tundra.
.

 

[user 819]

If it was such a big issue not having a landing board I would see a fair amount of dead bees but this isn't the case, my colonies are on a slab so if they miss will simply take off again or walk up the stand & hive to the entrance. Though this doesn't occur that often.

Watched my garden colony today no issue with there whitish ivy pollen loads or those filled up with Balsam nectar, flight is direct as JBK has mentioned straight to the UFE and up in to the colony.

 

[alancooper]

I assume this black stuff is mould?

if so … do I just leave it or open things up and clean it out?

View attachment 28444

And was there any dampness in the hive?

 

[RogerIvy]

And was there any dampness in the hive?

Not that I can see. Seems to be just where they come in

 

[BBC]

I built a landing board for my hive that didn’t have one, it was quite windy today but the bees were pretty active. Usually in wind this hive becomes inactive. Before I attached the board (yesterday) I noticed that when it became crowded many bees dropped to the grass while trying to get in. It wasn’t windy yesterday but the board seemed to help them queue more effectively. My opening is about 5-6cm wide.

I’ve experienced the same in my first year. So I knocked up a landing board for one hive to monitor the difference. I’ve not reached a conclusion yet.
However, I would be interested to know whether a landing board would act as a nice platform for a big pile of snow. Would that matter?

 

[Finman]

However, I would be interested to know whether a landing board would act as a nice platform for a big pile of snow. Would that matter?

It is, but usually there is a gap between snow and the wall.

I use im front of bee box 15 mm wide entrance. So have Canadian hives too.

Upper entrance ensure air movement inside, and bees get always air. The lowet emtrance can be blocked with dead bees from indide.

Bees love to use round entrance in the wall. It is hard traffic via it. Wide main entrance is important when there is a good nectar flow and bees dry up the yield.

 

[Swarm]

If it was such a big issue not having a landing board I would see a fair amount of dead bees but this isn't the case, my colonies are on a slab so if they miss will simply take off again or walk up the stand & hive to the entrance. Though this doesn't occur that often.

Watched my garden colony today no issue with there whitish ivy pollen loads or those filled up with Balsam nectar, flight is direct as JBK has mentioned straight to the UFE and up in to the colony.

Directly into the landing board area that version of under hive entrance provides.

 

[user 819]

My UFE's don't have a built in landing board as in JBM's design.

 

[Boston Bees]

My UFE's don't have a built in landing board as in JBM's design.

So, there's no horizontal piece of wood bracing the bottom of the entrance area, as shown here?

 

[user 819]

No. The top horizontal section is ex 50mm as is all the rest of the materials, the bees simply fly in and up or climb up once they land on the rear of the opening, the UFE isn't exposed entrance & exterior open landing board on other hives so winds are less of an issue or no issue to them also it gives some protection from the rain.

It's that quite blowy and showery today, they appear cope without an issue.

 

[Martimart]

Oil attracts mould spores and all will go black eventually (as I discovered years ago).

Oil and mould can be removed by using washing soda and hot water.

Cedar has natural oils and needs no treatment, ever.

I oiled my new cedar hives in the summer, already going black, it’s the worse thing I did. In the depths of winter and they are quieter I’m going to clean the exteriors off with washing soda.