Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[froggy]

Hi, this is my first TBH, a little small , maybe I can still use it? maybe a swarm? sorry its upside down

[Barbara]

Hi

It looks ideal to use as a bait hive or nuc box.
Has it got a solid floor or mesh? If the latter, I would either fill the bottom 3 inches with moss, leaf mould and broken twigs/wood chips or place a plank of wood inside on top of the mesh so that there is little or no gap. My experience is that swarms do not like hives with open mesh floors.
If solid, it should be fine.

Now you just need to build a full size one to transfer into once you catch a swarm.

[froggy]

many thanks

[Smorning]

Barbara is right to keep a swarm in a box or to attract one a solid floor is preferred by the bees. If you want to use as a bait box it's good to get some old brood comb as that will encourage a swarm in and ideally place up a tree and fingers crossed maybe you will be lucky in the spring. But once filled I think you will need to transfer very soon to a full hive so woodworking time again !

[ingo50]

Very neat, well done. What does the roof look like? Have you put molten wax or starter strips on the top bars? I agree with the advice given by Barbara and Smorning. If you get the old comb from another beekeeper, make sure it is disease free. You will hopefully get a swarm next May.

[froggy]

Here is the roof and starter strips

[ingo50]

Thanks for posting fotos, excellent work.

[trekmate]

As already said, looks ideal for a bait hive.

One suggestion - use a lot less wax to prime your top-bars. The more wax the bees are allowed to attach the better it will stick. They've had a lot more experience doing it than we have! I just rub a little wax along the apex of the comb guide (three or four strokes) and find that's plenty.