Episode-240- Installing Bees The Fun And Easy Way

Here is part 2 of the latest honey bee installation. This one in a top bar hive. Using a top bar hive as the home for this fifth colony of honey bees I am anticipating a yard full of animals. Hive 4 is going strong and I must heed any signs of swarming but for the time being all is good. That means there's room for bees and this package of Russian honey bees from KelleyBees.com has made it's way...

Episode-239- The Easiest Way To Install Bees Into A top Bar Hive

I begin this video with the actual installation of the honey bees. With I hope to show you Easiest Way To Install Bees Into A top Bar Hive. I am also careful and cautious about their condition. The video will show the importance of having respect for animals. They have just traveled 650 miles from the Walter T. Kelley Bee Company in Clarkson, Kentucky. They rode on trucks, mail cars and my car....

Episode-226- Check The Top Bar Hive Before Winter Part 1

Today's video is from November 2nd 2013 when I went into the top bar hive to check on the bees' winter honey supply and to put in top bar of fondant and a sugar patty packed with essential oils and vitamins. The manner in which I planned to introduce the fondant was on a top bar and filling out pretty much the size of full comb of honey. You will see in the video how I prepare the fondant and...

Episode-217- Check In On The Top Bar Hive

The video for today's episode presents the thrive hive which is the sole remaining bee colony on my property. This colony has remained strong from the time it was placed in the top bar hive in April 2013. It was doing so well that I took three top bars full of brood (bee larvae and pupae), pollen and honey in early June in an attempt to rescue colonies B and C. That turned out to be a waste of...

Episode-215- Provide Water For The Honey Bees

             In today's episode I present four of the many ways in which water can be provided for honey bees. If you are a backyard beekeeper like me or wish to become one then a vital thing to consider is how to provide water for the bees. Sure, they could try to find it on their own and they will with possible consequences that may not be received well by the neighbors. Bees need water...

Episode-211- Fruitless Fall Book Review

Fruitless Fall book review: 1. What I learned The difference between the waggle and tremble dances foragers perform upon their return with goodies from the field. Foragers do waggle dances when recruiting others to a good nectar or pollen or plunder site. The tremble dance is what foragers do when in need of receivers of their bounty. If the two are in competition bees will head butt one another...

Episode-202- Where Are The Bees In Colony C – Part 1 – A Backyard Saga

Welcome to Where Are The Bees In Colony C - Part 1 - A Backyard Saga at ToDoListhome.com. This is part 1 of an ongoing story of the troubles this colony has experienced since its installment on April 23, 2012. The episodes in the resources below shows the installation and check for an egg laying queen. However, within a few short weeks it should have been apparent to me that this hive was not...

Episode-197- Inspect the Top Bar Hive At Night

What a cool video I made of the top bar hive at night. The plexiglass window allows me to take a look inside this busy hive for some never before seen shots of how this hive operates. Everyone is working in the hive. This is certainly not a place where they celebrate happy hour. This video was taken two days after I expanded the hive to a total of thirteen top bars. The bees are already drawing...