Gulley's Hive Tour

I noticed on Facebook that Gulley's Greenhouse was having a hive tour.  It's a great chance to look into someone else's hive and ask some questions of a more experienced bee keeper.

Traffic at the hive entrace

I took my veil and hard hat and was joined by about five other people.  Everyone suited up and the beekeepers seemed like a really nice husband and wife team.  They had about six hives on the west side of the greenhouse property.  I'm always surprised to see hives in such close proximity.  It seems to me that it's an easy way for disease and parasites to spread.  They had yellow and blue hives, sitting in pairs.  And they had them elevated on cinder blocks.  It was just about bee-thirty, so there was a lot of activity.

It's interesting to watch people who are brand new to bees and their understandable caution.  The older couple and the two young girls stood off a bit.  But already being comfortable, I got right next to the hive so I could see in.

Healthy "bull's eye" brood pattern in a plastic frame

They pulled the super and pried off the queen excluder.  I couldn't believe how dirty it was!!  My hive being brand new is still so clean.  These hives were a sticky dark mess!  I'm sure this is how mine will look eventually, but I was very surprised.  The bees were healthy, happy, and busy.  The comb was very dark, having a lived in look.  They pulled out a frame and it was good to see the bull's eye pattern of brood.  A healthy queen will lay primarily in the center of the frame, and the workers will fill around the corners with honey and pollen.  It was a good reminder that I need to check my kids next time I'm in the hive.

I also noticed that their frames fit really tight.  I almost have enough room to fit an eleventh frame in my hive bodies.  It was also interesting to see that he was using a 10 inch knife instead of a hive tool.  I like how beekeepers are inventive and resourceful caretakers.  I also asked what they use for smoker fuel, but after seeing how poorly the grass and leaves lit and smoked, I might keep buying the commercial pellets.  Even though they don't last very long, they smoke great, and perhaps I can find something to supplement/extend the smoking time.

Dark honey scraped open

When he pulled a second frame from the edge, it scraped on the one next to it opening a lot of honey.  It was dripping down onto the bees before he could even get it out.  It was a really dark honey, unlike mine which is nearly white in comparison.  Of course they were pleased to share and we all had a taste!  It was delicious!  It definitely had a different taste than mine.  It was a deeper rich honey.  Mine is so light and delicate.  I can't wait to be able to harvest more than a taste!

Honey to taste!

It was so great to be able to ask some of the questions that I have now, since we're half way through the first season.  They said that they only leave 4 frames per body for the bees to winter over.  That seems like way too much to take to me, but I am definitely not the experienced beekeeper.  It was also interesting to hear that they lost about 80% of their 15 or so hives last year.  Last year was especially rough for the bees last year because the fires were so intense.  Smoke makes the bees gorge on honey in the hive as they fuel up anticipating having to flee the hive.  But this also makes them a bit lethargic and they don't forage.  It's a definite recipe for colony failure so I'm glad we're starting this year instead of last.

It was also good to hear that they put the bottom board back in and insulate the hives for winter.  There are just so many little things that you begin to wonder about as you go through the year.  Beekeepers seem to be a really friendly bunch and are always willing to share their knowledge. The plight of our pollinators is something everyone is taking seriously and everyone is working towards educating people.

After the tour, I went back into the greenhouse to find some more Salvia and purple stuff.  My bees are on it and the Lavender all the time.  I got a bunch of stuff and some orange things too . . . since it compliments the purple house.  It'll be nice to get it onto the flower beds and see what the bees think!

All of these pictures are from Gulley's Facebook page.  So thanks to them for posting.