Inside the hive
The Brood Box
This is the most important part of the hive. It's where the queen lays the eggs and the nurse-bees raise the baby bees - they are aclled the brood. Usually the brood is in a ball shape in the centre and there are honey stores, nectar and pollen in cells round the edge. See below, the roof is off and you can see the frames in the brood box.
This is the most important part of the hive. It's where the queen lays the eggs and the nurse-bees raise the baby bees - they are aclled the brood. Usually the brood is in a ball shape in the centre and there are honey stores, nectar and pollen in cells round the edge. See below, the roof is off and you can see the frames in the brood box.
Honey bees generally don't sting - if they do, it's only to protect the babies.
But if you're going to take the roof off their home and look inside where the babies are, it's best to be careful!
But if you're going to take the roof off their home and look inside where the babies are, it's best to be careful!
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When I take off the roof to inspect the hive, I wear a bee suit and gloves -
But while making the video on the left, I had to leave my gloves off to use the buttons on my phone. That's the only reason I'm talking about being stung. When I make little videos where I don't take the roof off (like filming the bees coming back and forth), I don't bother. |
If you have any problems playing the video or to view it on my YouTube chanel, click here.
The frames
In the wild, bees will 'draw comb', that is they will make comb from wax, wherever they have chosen to live.
The comb will fit whatever shape their hive is.
Beekeepers however will want to harvest some of the honey the bees make. That's MUCH easier to do if the comb is build on regular frames. So the beekeepers gives the bees frames with the comb already started.
This saves the bees time - they can start building comb more quickly AND it's all nice and regular.
In the wild, bees will 'draw comb', that is they will make comb from wax, wherever they have chosen to live.
The comb will fit whatever shape their hive is.
Beekeepers however will want to harvest some of the honey the bees make. That's MUCH easier to do if the comb is build on regular frames. So the beekeepers gives the bees frames with the comb already started.
This saves the bees time - they can start building comb more quickly AND it's all nice and regular.
So first thing the bees do is build deeper comb - can you see they've started on this one?
Then the Queen can lay eggs in the little cells or the workers can store honey and pollen.
Then the Queen can lay eggs in the little cells or the workers can store honey and pollen.
Below is an excellent photo if I say so myself. it's a very good example of a typical frame in a brood box:
In the centre is the brood - most of the cells have wax caps to protect the babies while they develop.
The caps are permeable so the babies can breathe.
Around that you can see all the busy workers and nurse bees.
Then at the edges you can see the honey stores - the honey caps are flatter and whiter.
In the centre is the brood - most of the cells have wax caps to protect the babies while they develop.
The caps are permeable so the babies can breathe.
Around that you can see all the busy workers and nurse bees.
Then at the edges you can see the honey stores - the honey caps are flatter and whiter.
Below is a close up of pollen and capped honey - and I think some babies (though it could be the light).
Below you can definately see some eggs. Once the babies/eggs have been fed, the workers put wax caps on the cells and the babies develop inside. You can see capped cells on the right of the picture below - they are more raised than the flat capped honey cells on the left.
Below you can see what happens when the bees don't have frames!
This is a hive where we only had a few frames and I forgot to come back and add more.
The bees went 'freelance' and created their own shaped comb - it's perfect for what the bees need and very beautiful BUT it was stuck to the sides of the box and itself and not possible to move or work with!
When the brood box is full it means the hive has created a strong workforce and they are ready to start making honey. At that point we put a Super on top of the brood box. The bees will make and store honey in their.
Below is a frame from the Super - so it's ALL capped honey stores (the babies are in the brood box below).
Below is a frame from the Super - so it's ALL capped honey stores (the babies are in the brood box below).