my new TBH

[onymee]

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It has arrived

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Sitting on the old metal fish tank stand

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frames

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varroa mesh

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varroa mesh tray

 

[onymee]

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insulated roof
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complete with roof on

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showing the grain of the timber

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Complete and ready for occupation

My thoughts on this hive? Excellent value for money. It's strongly made from 20mm thick planed timber. It's put together well. It's easy to work out what goes where. It was delivered with 48 hours of placing the order. It looks very attractive indeed (in my opinion). I'd definitely recommend it and would buy another one.
I sited it near the old goat shed in what is my veggie plot. The entrances open west/east but thanks to hedges are not in line for wind blowing straight in. I placed it on the westerly side of the old goat paddock because the easterly side is close to Horrible Henry's field and if he decides to spray, even if there is no drift I'd worry. Also placing it on that side means that in high Summer, it would be in direct sunlight all day long which I worried might lead to overheating. The ground bakes as hard as concrete down there. Where it is sited now means that when the sun is hottest, they are beginning to get shade from the hedge. As you can see it's all open fields behind so I'm hoping they'll like that. Of course I could even put it inside the old goat shed which is very large indeed and would mean they are sheltered from hot sun, icy winds, spray drift etc. The only thing in the shed now are bantams and the ducks sometimes nest in there.One of the feral cats also uses it to sleep in occasionally as he likes to hunt for rats in the surrounding dykes. So, I invite opinions, and suggestions. Could I site it better?

 

[pargyle]

View attachment 7993
It has arrived

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Sitting on the old metal fish tank stand

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frames

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varroa mesh

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varroa mesh tray

Excellent ... I assume that there is a roof/lid for it ?

 

[madasafish]

Looks and sounds fine to me.

I assume you are going to secure the steel contraption (!) on which it sits.. as it could rock over .

You may want to attach wood to the contraption at the front and rear of the TBH and tie the wood to the top rails and sit the TBH snug within the wood so it is secured - stray animals, a bump and hive on ground..

(Apologies if I am teaching about sucking eggs).

Nice to see an insulated roof. In winter I cover the top of the topbars with a layer of cloth carpet underlay. Reduces heat losses. In spring you can tell where bees are by the warmth of the bars...

 

[domino]

Ah that new hive smell.

 

[pargyle]

Thats a really nice looking hive and a sensible roof ... other comments about securing it so that it can't tip over are very important.

 

[onymee]

Looks and sounds fine to me.

I assume you are going to secure the steel contraption (!) on which it sits.. as it could rock over .

You may want to attach wood to the contraption at the front and rear of the TBH and tie the wood to the top rails and sit the TBH snug within the wood so it is secured - stray animals, a bump and hive on ground..

(Apologies if I am teaching about sucking eggs).

Nice to see an insulated roof. In winter I cover the top of the topbars with a layer of cloth carpet underlay. Reduces heat losses. In spring you can tell where bees are by the warmth of the bars...

I tried pushing it to see how firm it was. It seems steady as the legs of the fish tank stand are pushed into the soil. However, it'll be a simple thing to hammer a stake into the ground and secure the frame nd the stake so there is no possibility of it moving.The hive itself has 2 holes either end, presumably to insert poles so it can be lifted and moved by 2 people. Again, I was thinking of using ratchet straps to hook through the holes and secure the body of the hive to the metal stand.With stakes nd ratchets, that hive will be going nowhere lol. There are no animals large enough to knock it as the dogs are not allowed into that part of the land and I would not want my dogs galloping about near a full hive in any case
Thanks for your input though as it confirmed what I was thinking of doing to make 100% sure that it is stable and secure.The stand that I had laying about in any case, saved me some money as I didn't need to buy legs for it. I tend to try to reuse anything useful I have around.

 

[onymee]

what about paint? have some safe wood stain, but I was thinking of buying some gloss paint in a fabulous colour Would gloss be OK? Is there any colour that bees don't like?
The goat shed is currently treated with a forest green wood stain.
Any opinions of placing the hive inside the goatshed?
Please excuse the untidiness as the whole area is currently a work in progress. Polytunnel being built and needing work, old tyres to make insulated growing stacks, old divan bases stripped of fabric , to have polythene stapled to them to make movable cold frames etc and those big Heras fence panels make super pea and bean climbing frames.

 

[onymee]

I forgot to mention that it also has a moveable division/dummy board, and I purchased a little shelf to fit inside which holds a standard 4 pint feeder. I'm now saving up for another one

Hopefully little TONY ( the little bee which came and sat on my hand) will come back and see what I bought for him. Why Tony I hear you ask? (I have very good hearing). Well he was 'tony one flying about that day lol

 

[madasafish]

Gloss paint is a no go in my view: hives tend to collect moisture and gloss paint will bubble up.

Best to use either linseed oil or one of Cuprinol's Garden Shades which breathe.

http://tinyurl.com/bazb4fm

Bees don't care about colour..

Inside a Goat shed? Can't think of any good reason to do so.

It's hardly cold where you live

 

[beebopalula]

Looks good. Re: location, you need to watch out for that lazy wind in the fens. If were mine, I would use OA around Christmas time then close off the open mesh floor. Looks like there is room to slide a sheet of ply, or whatever is to hand between the hive and the metal frame . Pop some corks into the holes until you are ready to use it, to keep unwanted visitors out.

 

[Easy Beesy]

Hopefully little TONY ( the little bee which came and sat on my hand) will come back and see what I bought for him. Why Tony I hear you ask? (I have very good hearing). Well he was 'tony one flying about that day lol

Little TONY won't be flying about anywhere if its a he. Drones are few and far between and wouldn't be any use in choosing a new home anyway. Time to hit the books I think!

 

[onymee]

Gloss paint is a no go in my view: hives tend to collect moisture and gloss paint will bubble up.

Best to use either linseed oil or one of Cuprinol's Garden Shades which breathe.

http://tinyurl.com/bazb4fm

Bees don't care about colour..

Inside a Goat shed? Can't think of any good reason to do so.

It's hardly cold where you live

OK I'll use my animal safe wood stain then. I always believed that bees were attracted to bright colours. Perhaps I was wrong. Certainly wasps seem to be attracted to me if I wear yellow. I gets pretty darn cold here as I am only a few miles from the wash with literally nothing between me and Siberia and when it blows, it's flipping icy.

 

[Suzi Q]

It may be worthwhile checking the triangular battens are firmly attached to the underside of the topbars. I had a brood comb drop off the topbar, the weight of the capped brood had torn the batten away. What a mess.
My TBH is the same as yours, it was fascinating to watch the hive develop through the observation panel on the side. Well worth the extra dosh paid for an obs. panel!

 

[Luminos]

what about paint? have some safe wood stain, but I was thinking of buying some gloss paint in a fabulous colour Would gloss be OK? Is there any colour that bees don't like?
The goat shed is currently treated with a forest green wood stain.
Any opinions of placing the hive inside the goatshed?
Please excuse the untidiness as the whole area is currently a work in progress. Polytunnel being built and needing work, old tyres to make insulated growing stacks, old divan bases stripped of fabric , to have polythene stapled to them to make movable cold frames etc and those big Heras fence panels make super pea and bean climbing frames.

T'ornes use dulux gloss - I know cos I asked them.
All mine are painted, some white, some blue/yellow/green. The bees don't care.

 

[onymee]

T'ornes use dulux gloss - I know cos I asked them.
All mine are painted, some white, some blue/yellow/green. The bees don't care.

oh that's good. I really wanted it to be pretty.

 

[Neils]

I've always been told not to use gloss, use a water based paint. I currently use cuprinol shades in whatever colour looks nice at the time.

 

[Ely]

I wouldn't worry too much about hives over heating in England. I've seen hives in Kefalonia by the 100 in full sun no shade on hills for thyme honey. We don't get anywhere near as warm or as much sun as there. Anyway, the bees regulate the temperature

 

[BeeJayBee]

I've always been told not to use gloss

Me too. When it's wet the bees can stick to it.

 

[village girl]

hi nice hive . I have painted one of my hives pink and I think it looks reay cool
Foxes badgers and deer can knock a hive so better safe than sorry also make sure the ground is firm so legs don't sink
Good luck with your first swarm fingers crossed you get some arive early in the year