Viewer mail: Bees in a Paris park

A reader writes:

Hey Beekeepers:

Friends traveling in Europe sent the attached from the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. I agree with them that these hives are stylish, and a closer look at the photo above is worth the time. Here's a detail:

Kirk, next time you’re in Paris ask them if those basket-like things are skeps—and what are the tin things in the fire pit?

Cheers,
George B.

The Jardin du Luxembourg (aka Luxembourg Gardens) is the second largest public park in Paris. Amy and I got to wander through it last October, and we came across this very apiary. The public walking path leads right up to it, and there appears to be a very peaceful coexistence between people and bees.

Viewer mail: Bees on display in Taipei

A reader writes:

Hello,

I live here in Los Angeles with one hive and lots of enthusiasm for organic beekeeping!

I recently took a trip to Taiwan, and came across an interesting stand in a Taipei flower market. They were selling local honey, but they also featured the ever popular pyrex bee box. The language barrier made it difficult to figure out much about their beekeeping practices.

They do have an interesting drink they sell that is essentially just honey and water and completely divine. Anyway, I thought it might be fun for backwards beekeepers to see something from Taipei!

Zach

I sure hope they give the bees a chance to leave that box at the end of the day.

Viewer mail: Spreading the word

A reader writes:

I found out your website today... I'm really enjoying, even I don't do beekeeping... We are planning to do it as part of our projects for sustainable living in Zambia and later in Brazil (my country).

I should say that its really impressive how well I can understand what you explain, and gotta say, love your laugh... hehehe It really make me laugh and enjoy your movies... Thanks for all the information, hope we can keep getting it for free, so more people can get to know how to do things backwards in way to keep moving forward... =))

Alexandre L

Thanks, Alexandre!

Viewer mail: Whiskey bees

Chris W in Eastern Oregon writes:

I have been on the swarm list for my area and have had about 10 different calls to come and remove these scarry bees. Most turned out to be yellow jackets and wasps... not interested in them buggers.

I have been reading your site for a few days and you have done what I was looking for. Let the bees bee. I don't need no stinking chemicals near what my family (bees included) may eat. No thanks, have you read some of the stuff they put in there.

Anyhow my reason for writing was I thought you might enjoy one of my hive removal stories. I was called to save a swarm in down town Hermiston. My dad and I arrived to find "The Swarm" was inside of an old whiskey barrel. So dad and I picked it up and took it to my yard. We were trying to figure out how to get the bees out and put them in a Lang. One day I went to check on them, and before I got to the barrel I noticed something not right. I looked over and saw a swarm cluster under one of my trees. Came right from the barrel and hung out.

A couple days later dad brought a new saw with him that just viberates, and has a very small kerf. I cut all around that barrel in about 5 minutes. This is what we saw.

As of today they are doing great in their new home.

Thanks for all your work...

—Chris

Viewer mail: Swarm rescue with heavy equipment

A reader in Michigan writes:

I know that we are a long way from LA, but I have a story to tell that would not have happened without your blog. In the fall of 2010, we began investigating beekeeping. Your blog was one of the first I followed. I borrowed books from the library, my husband watched all the videos he could find.

In the winter of 2011, we ordered two packages of bees and beekeeping supplies. We felt that our chances of happening upon a wild swarm in west central Michigan were slim and we certainly weren't ready to open ourselves to removal of bees—we hadn't even kept bees.

Fast forward to this winter. We decided to order two more packages, one for my husband's mother and one for us in case we ended up with an empty hive. We checked on them went it warmed up and discovered we had two full hives survive a rather mild winter this year. We ordered more supplies so we would be ready, added more hive body pieces to our existing hives and were happily awaiting the arrival of our new bees.

Viewer mail: Charles Martin Simon

A reader writes:

Hello,

I have a question about Charles Martin Simon. I can't thank you enough for introducing me to his work. He's pretty awesome. Anyways my question is about how he was able to collect pollen with bottomless hives?

Thank you so much for sharing your work.

Sincerely,

Travis

Kirk replies:

Thank You for the question. Charles used a Pollen Trap. He placed it at top entrance of his hives. He got so he didn't care too much about honey.

kirkobeeo

"It's not about honey, it's not about money. It's about survival."

—Charles Martin Simon

Viewer mail: Greetings from Denmark

A reader writes:

Dear Backwards Beekeepers,

I am a beekeeper from Kongens Lyngby, Denmark, and very glad to have found your blog and get inspired in ways to make beekeeping simpler, and more about the bees than the equipment, and altogether reflect on why I manage the bees as I do.

Reading about your struggles with rigid and ignorant laws, I feel fortunate that beekeeping has very old traditions and has been more recognized here for a long time. For example: A beekeeper chasing a swarm is allowed by law to tresspas on another man's land in order to follow it. A long history, however, also means that beekeepers here has become a bit set in their ways. (At a screening of the film "Queen of the Sun" a man remarked: "In our school apiary we have been using foundation for one hundred and twenty years, so there must be a reason for it").

This Christmas the whole family is going to celebrate the holiday with may aunt and uncle in Phoenix, AZ. If you know of any beekeepers there I would love to make their acquaintance and trade a jar of honey.

Best Regards,

Asger M.

Any Phoenix readers want to meet a fellow beekeeper from Denmark? Leave your info in the comments.

Viewer mail: Top bar hives

Scott in Illinois writes:

Kirk,

Do you keep any top bar hives, or have you in the past? I am a first-year beekeeper and have 3 top bar hives. I have already made arrangements to add 3 more and 2 foundationless Langstroth hives to my apiaries.

The reason I ask is that it seems like the philosophies of the top bar beekeepers mirror your style of Backwards Beekeeping and vice versa. If you had a preference I would be interested in hearing it.

I also have watched some of your swarm captures and cutouts and it seems that your bees draw out comb much faster than the bees do here in Illinois; do you have any thoughts why that might be?...

We are basically done at the hives til spring here so I don't want to drive myself nuts trying to think like a bee if someone already knows the answer.

Thanks,

Scott P
Kankakee IL

Kirk responds:

I don't have any top bar hives myself. Sam Comfort up in New York State does, and is very successful with them. The top bar hive philosophy is very Backwards; its design was to be simple and cheap so people could keep bees without going broke.

Bees draw comb as needed so it depends on the flow. The last two years have been very good—the two before were the shits. You don't have to think like a bee, the bees do that pretty good. Being Backwards is always more interesting than the conventional beekeeping. Send us some of your pictures would you? We would love to share your knowledge and your success.

kirkobeeo

UPDATE: You can see Scott's YouTube channel here.

Viewer mail

Hi,

I absolutely LOVE your guys approach!!

I am a new beekeeper in Northern California...no, not San Francisco, farther up than that by a few hours.

Anyway, I have a ten-frame Langstroth hive with a super on it and I had some old wood and wire frames that I took apart. I was wondering if I put a few of those broken down frames as top-bar frames using a paint stir stick and some starter wax if you think the bees will build on it considering all the other frames are either wood-and-wire or plastic? If so where should I put them? Super, middle, outer, etc?

Again, what you guys do is wonderful. Peace.


Regards,
Brett W.

Kirk responds:

Well sounds like you are having fun up there. You should put them wherever you want. The bees just like things to build their combs on.

Keep it simple.

"Everything works if you let it"
--Michael Bush

have fun Backwards is the new forwards

kirkobeeo

Viewer mail

Helen writes:

We have just started beekeeping this year. We inherited a hive that had wired wax foundations on the two deeps and one western [editor's note: I'm guessing this means a medium box]. The deeps are pretty full of brood and honey and the western is full of honey so we thought we’d try putting on a second western for honey. We put one on a couple of weeks ago. Since we are sharing work on the hive with a friend and he wanted to use plastic foundations covered with wax and we wanted to use just starter strips covered with wax, we did half of each. Unfortunately they’ve hardly touched either, only sealed around the edges with propolis. I had read someplace that sometimes spraying sugar water on helps, but it didn’t.

Is it possible to successfully introduce frames with starter strips in a hive that has wax foundation in some supers? If so, any thoughts on why the bees seem to be ignoring them? Or what to do to encourage them to start? They do go up and walk around on the starter strips, but they aren’t drawing any comb. We have another hive with just two deeps with wired wax foundations and the bees in that hive have been drawing comb like crazy, so it’s not a matter of not having sufficient nectar & pollen.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

Helen

PS – My husband and I love your site. His favorite saying now it “Backwards is the new forwards!”

Kirk responds:

Well, it probably isn't the starter strips or the plastic foundation. It is probably the time of year. Bees like to draw comb on starter strips and to draw foundation when there is a flow. Also the bees have to "festoon" or hang on the starter strips to draw comb. This means bees—lots of young bees. So depending on what time of year and where you are located has a lot to do with it.

Also if you are up north or where it gets cold that honey is also INSULATION. So if you take the honey you can set them up to freeze and to starve. I have found bees draw comb if there is a flow.

Plastic: I have seen people use all kinds of tricks to try and get bees to draw out the plastic. If you just are a Backwards Beekeeper you will remove most of the confusion you are now experiencing. One other thing. All bees are Backwards the humans just confuse them.....also All Bees are created equal some just work harder than others.

kirkobeeo your pal

Viewer mail

M writes:

I live in Bakersfield, California.

This spring has been unusually cool compared to normal years and we've had 10.25 inches of rain, almosts double normal.
I don't keep bees but find the whole thing fascinating. Perhaps later...

Here's my question: is the 1:4 sugar to water ratio in hummingbird feeders good or bad for bees? Does it depend on the season at all?

Bees have discovered my hummingbird feeders and really, really like to drink from them. The bees are cute with their little bee-butts sticking up, but is it healthy or not for them to drink the sugar water that is in the feeders?

I've got a nice size garden of sages and other native plants, so something is always blooming to provide the bees plenty of other natural sources for flowers. There is also a pond/sump nearby for "regular" water for any wildlife who dares live in an urban setting.

Thank you!

Kirk responds:

Hi there.

Bees are very efficient creatures..........they like to get the most for their effort. The sugar water in the feeders won't hurt them. They probably go there because the sugar content is higher than the flowers right now. As soon as the flowers start up in full bloom, they may change their minds.

—kirkobeeo
all communication welcome

Viewer mail

Brittany writes:

I live in Bluefield, West Virginia, and I'm just starting my first hive. I want to go the backwards way but I'm wondering how to use the starter strip with the paint stick if I don't have my own clean wax. I ordered a beginner's kit that came with foundation but I don't want to use that.

Thanks for your willingness to help. You guys are awesome!

—Brittany

Kirk replies:

Hi Buddy, it is real simple: don't wax them. The bees will do fine—in nature they don't have waxed starter strips and they do just great.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

—kirkobeeo

Viewer mail

John writes:

I watched the honey video where Kirk squashed up the comb, let it drip thru a filter in plastic buckets, and then bottled it. The jarred honey looked cloudy. Is that microscopic bits of wax from the smashing process or what? Does it affect the taste?

Thanks,

John (a new beekeeper)

Kirk responds:

Most times when I crush and strain the honey I let it sit for a few days. That way the air bubbles can float to the top.

There are bits of wax, pollen and maybe even propolis in the honey. This all contributes to the natural goodness.

If you want pure honey you heat it to 140 degrees, pasteurize it, and microfilter it........that way it tastes like GRADE A tinfoil.

—kirkobeeo

Viewer mail

Diana in Maryland writes:

My only colony swarmed yesterday - it looks like about three pounds of bees separated from the rest and decided to found a new home. I was lucky enough that my husband had been at home and had seen where they had gone.

And it was ONLY THANKS TO YOU GUYS that I knew exactly what to do and sprang into action!

The information you posted is absolutely invaluable. I always watched wistfully, hoping I'd find a swarm one day but thinking I probably never would be that lucky. And now, because you guys are so generous to share your information with the world, I now have TWO colonies!

I blogged about it here—you can see pictures and a short video.

So exciting, THANK YOU!

—D

Thanks, Diana!

Viewer mail

James writes:

Hey there,

I'm a new beekeeper this will be my first year and your videos have inspired me even more. I live in Ontario Canada and am starting out with 2 hives. Just wanted to say I'm a fan!

James

Thanks James! Keep going, and send photos and stories about your hives!

Viewer mail

David writes:

I had bees (never more than 5 hives) for over 25 years and had to give them up about 10 years ago. I am ready to get back into them again. I just happened to find your website, and I am very interested in "raising" bees naturally.

I live in Maple Valley, Washington (right up against the Cascade foothills), so the weather is cooler and the seasons are shorter here.

I have been out to Michael Bush's website several times and have corresponded with him a couple.

I getting two swarms in late April and want your advice on a few things.

1. Bush recommends that we have an upper hive entrance rather than a bottom one. Any thoughts on that?

2. I purchased the plastic frames (P-120 I believe is the number) from Mann Lake that has the already regressed size comb for starters. I will use this in the first box and then let the bees build their own on subsequent boxes. I have viewed your video about cutting the comb out, mashing it and then filtering the honey out. If I wanted to extract the honey instead using a honey extractor, would it work? I am trying to save the bees from having to build the comb again.

3. Also, what about a queen excluder. Bush recommends not having one and just pulling out the frames I wish to extract.

4. From my past experience, bees always seem to want to move upward. I am going to use all Western supers for my hive boxes and ones for honey. What do I do in the winter when the queen is probably in the top box? Bush says leave them and they will eventually go down. What has been your experience?

Thank you in advance for your input. I want to be successful at doing this the natural way. By the way, the bees i will be getting are Carnolians.

I'm sure I will have other questions. Hopefully that is okay.

Thanks again.

David P.

Kirk responds:

1- use what ever entrance you want. Top or bottom YOU DECIDE.

2- Michael Bush says on his web site he has extracted his frames with an extractor before. But if the combs are brand new it could be tricky. It is so much easier to do crush and strain. But you can always take the time and money and wire them up. You should always do what works for you.

3- I call queen excluders "Honey Excluders." I use them to roast hot dogs instead.

4-The bees will move down; you can always check them in the spring.

5- Good luck! All communication welcome.

—kirkobeeo

Viewer mail

Angie from Utah writes:

Hi Kirkobeeo!

Love your YouTube videos! I am wondering if I could go with your style of beekeeping in the Cottonwood Canyons of Utah. I use foundations and do extracting rather than crush and straining. Although I originally had planned to do the crush and strain method. The beekeepers in my area said that because of our short growing season, it takes too much time for the bees to rebuild the wax and have enough honey ready for winter.

Most beekeepers lose their hives that are in my area because we are high in the mountains and it gets super cold in the winter. I move my bees against the house to get radiant heat and so far I have been able to keep my hives over the winter. I have snow from mid-October through late May.

Also, do you use a queen excluder? I have been because I am afraid I will lose my queen when I am in the hive to do extraction, but I am pretty sure it is crowding the queen because I had a swarm last year.

Thanks for your guidance!

Angie, NOVICE beekeeper

Kirk replies:

Hay great to hear from you. I have spent many days up Cottonwood Canyons—both Big and Little.

I don't use a queeen excluder. I call it a honey excluder. Most people or other bekeepers who say foundationless frames take too long for the bees to draw in a short season have not observed that personally. The old books' statement that it takes "so much honey to make a pound of comb" is not true in my opinion.

The prime reason not to use foundation is cell size and the pollution in the foundation.

Now that idea you have to move the hives so as to get radiant heat from the house is a real good Idea for sure. Enjoy the blog, join the backwards beekeeping club and most of all keep succeeding with your beekeeping. I'm comming up to Utah to visit my Daughter in August love to drop by. Also would love a story from you and some pictures of your Beekeeping.

your pal kirkobeeo

Wondering what Angie means by "crush and straining"? Check out this video.

Viewer mail

Kurt in Arizona writes:

I am so grateful for the support you have given to aspiring beekeepers. I have learned more from your website and example than any book or other source. Beekeeping goes way back in my life history. I have never kept bees, but have always had the aspiration. When I was very young, my grandfather raised bees on his ranch and he helped me developed a great love and appreciation for them. One of my many great memories of him.

I will be moving from Scottsdale, AZ to Malibu, CA this spring and hope to become a committed participant in the Backwards Beekeepers group. Next month, I am going to make an attempt to travel to Tucson for the Natural Beekeeping Symposium / Lusby event. I hope to meet you in person then!

Sincerely, from an aspiring beekeeper,

Kurt K.

Viewer mail

James in Tennessee writes:

Hey Guys,

You have a great blog, and I am now a follower of the BB blog. I've been around beekeepers for a while. I had always seen people medicating and feeding artificial food. I just never felt that it was the right thing. Thankfully, I have found your site. It has been most helpful. I love the vids and the quick witted humor of Kirk.

I am just getting into beekeeping this year. Actually, I just built my hives this winter and have started my own blog to document my experiences. I've read through most of your post and can't help but wonder how many swarms the BB members catch? I've never seen many swarm pics during a season. Are there that many colonies in CA?

Also, If I may ask another question. Honey Bees can only sting once, and then die. If that is the case, how can a queen emerge from her cell, search the hive for other queen cells, sting through queen cell wall or fight and sting the already emerged queen and still live to carry on her duties?

Thanks so much for your time and your blog.

James B. from Tennessee
www.blakeneybees.blogspot.com

Thanks for the note James! In answer to your questions:

—We get tons of swarms here in Southern California. In spring and summer there are so many that the county vector control (which considers all wild bees dangerous) kills dozens of them every week. Since the advent of the Bee Hotline and the publicity it's received, we're managing to save quite a lot of them. But this area (and Tennessee, I would think) is such a bee paradise that there are always going to be far more swarms than available beekeepers.

—A stinging honeybee only dies when it stings something that the barbs of its stinger get stuck in, like a mammal's skin. A bee can sting other bees over and over again with no harm to itself. The queen's stinger isn't even barbed, so she wouldn't die from stinging in any case. The drone (male) bees have no stinger at all.

Keep us posted about your Backwards Beekeeping!

Top-bar beekeeping in Rwanda

Backwards Beekeeper Kathryn writes:

Last year my husband and I traveled to Rwanda for gorilla trekking. At the entrance to the park was a long stone wall and along the top sat unusual bee hives. They were beautiful and interesting but this was before I had bees so I didn't know what questions to ask regarding how they work. . This picture doesn't show off the construction of the hives due to the awkward angle but I loved how they blended into the surroundings in a natural way...

Apparently Rwanda beekeeping is struggling despite massive amounts of foraging territory. Young people just don't see it as a career path. Sounds like a market in need of more beekeepers...