Does the HiveIQ work with a standard Langstroth metal frame hanger? Or is the hanger you are using a special size that fits the thicker walls of the HiveIQ (if so, can you please share which one/where you got it from)? Thank you!
Not only do the bees find it better in winter it seems as though they find it easy to regulate the heat in spring and summer as well. This is evident due to the bees bearding less on the hive IQ than on my other hives.
I’ve got a few more comments if you don’t mind. Not trying to tell you what to do, just trying to share my knowledge and experience with any new beeks watching. You’ve got a a very strong beehive here, full of honey, brood and extra bees hanging off the bottom of the brood frames. It’s these excess bees that you can put to work. You’ve obviously experienced a heavy honey flow recently, probably Grey Box and or Red Stringybark. The bees have built burr comb in the lid which is a sign to me that they are keen to build wax, with all the young bees in the hive and nectar coming in. Ideally it would have been better to have this foundation on at the beginning of the honey flow instead of now but with a bit of luck it will keep going and they will draw the foundation out. What if the honey flow doesn’t continue, well they won’t draw the foundation out and if they get hungry they may chew on the edges of the foundation and use the wax elsewhere. From what I saw I think the nectar is still coming in. There was fresh nectar in the brood frames interspersed between the brood in any empty cells that the incoming foragers could find, the sign of a nectar flow. As for the full super, I would look to harvest that honey myself. A strong hive in an insulated box doesn’t need all that to make it through winter. In fact there’s enough honey in the bottom box along for them to over winter in my opinion, so you may as well have the honey for yourselves. Next time you check this hive in 2 weeks, if they are working on the foundation go ahead and harvest that box on top and just leave them with the foundation box. Having too much honey in the hive come spring will be a problem because it restricts the queen laying and induces swarming.
Go ahead! Currently listening to an Erika Thompson podcast who has literally just said there are so many different techniques of beekeeping and we learn from each other so please share!
Thanks so much for your advice! We aren’t doing any beekeeping this weekend, we should be next weekend (weather permitting) so we will put your advice into practice. Your guidance has been invaluable to us so far. We are ALWAYS telling people we never stop learning and it’s 100% true.
The bees seem to be doing great in the hiveIQ. I’m looking at buying some myself. Because they find it easier to keep warm it makes it easier for them to build wax and draw foundation which is a great benefit of these hives. I had the paradise poly hives in the past but because they’re imported it just took too long to get your order. Hopefully not a problem with the hiveIQ. So I’m sure this hive will begin work on the foundation, but if they don’t there’s nothing lost really. It’s just a case of trying to make the most of the current opportunity you’ve got with the honey flow.
So far so good. We’ve had them only since November last year so we will see how they go over the winter. We find that there’s not much room left after the frames go in - maybe a little bit too tight for our liking! Our swarm is rapidly growing in it either way. I’d be interested to hear what you think of yours when you get it! We are also looking forward to an ideal size box in this range.
Does the HiveIQ work with a standard Langstroth metal frame hanger? Or is the hanger you are using a special size that fits the thicker walls of the HiveIQ (if so, can you please share which one/where you got it from)? Thank you!
It has to be slightly thicker as you suggested. I just bought all the stuff I needed from a hardware store. And fabricated one myself.
Do you find the Hive IQ hive does better in the winter time than just a regular wooden hive, nice video .
Not only do the bees find it better in winter it seems as though they find it easy to regulate the heat in spring and summer as well. This is evident due to the bees bearding less on the hive IQ than on my other hives.
thanks for the info@@TwoE77
I’ve got a few more comments if you don’t mind. Not trying to tell you what to do, just trying to share my knowledge and experience with any new beeks watching.
You’ve got a a very strong beehive here, full of honey, brood and extra bees hanging off the bottom of the brood frames. It’s these excess bees that you can put to work. You’ve obviously experienced a heavy honey flow recently, probably Grey Box and or Red Stringybark. The bees have built burr comb in the lid which is a sign to me that they are keen to build wax, with all the young bees in the hive and nectar coming in. Ideally it would have been better to have this foundation on at the beginning of the honey flow instead of now but with a bit of luck it will keep going and they will draw the foundation out. What if the honey flow doesn’t continue, well they won’t draw the foundation out and if they get hungry they may chew on the edges of the foundation and use the wax elsewhere. From what I saw I think the nectar is still coming in. There was fresh nectar in the brood frames interspersed between the brood in any empty cells that the incoming foragers could find, the sign of a nectar flow.
As for the full super, I would look to harvest that honey myself. A strong hive in an insulated box doesn’t need all that to make it through winter. In fact there’s enough honey in the bottom box along for them to over winter in my opinion, so you may as well have the honey for yourselves. Next time you check this hive in 2 weeks, if they are working on the foundation go ahead and harvest that box on top and just leave them with the foundation box.
Having too much honey in the hive come spring will be a problem because it restricts the queen laying and induces swarming.
Go ahead! Currently listening to an Erika Thompson podcast who has literally just said there are so many different techniques of beekeeping and we learn from each other so please share!
Thanks so much for your advice! We aren’t doing any beekeeping this weekend, we should be next weekend (weather permitting) so we will put your advice into practice. Your guidance has been invaluable to us so far. We are ALWAYS telling people we never stop learning and it’s 100% true.
The bees seem to be doing great in the hiveIQ. I’m looking at buying some myself. Because they find it easier to keep warm it makes it easier for them to build wax and draw foundation which is a great benefit of these hives. I had the paradise poly hives in the past but because they’re imported it just took too long to get your order. Hopefully not a problem with the hiveIQ. So I’m sure this hive will begin work on the foundation, but if they don’t there’s nothing lost really. It’s just a case of trying to make the most of the current opportunity you’ve got with the honey flow.
Good sharing
Dude, get out of their way. You are right in front of the entrance! 😂
Thanks for your advice. I am working on rectifying the way I do this.
How are these hives? I have two coming in June.
So far so good. We’ve had them only since November last year so we will see how they go over the winter. We find that there’s not much room left after the frames go in - maybe a little bit too tight for our liking! Our swarm is rapidly growing in it either way. I’d be interested to hear what you think of yours when you get it! We are also looking forward to an ideal size box in this range.