Posts

This Long Hive Started Acting Different… So I Took a Closer Look 🐝

-
Image
This Long Hive Started Acting Different… So I Took a Closer Look Some hives just feel different. Not necessarily bad. Not obviously good. Just… different. That’s usually enough reason to open them up and see what’s really going on inside. This one has become one of my favourite hives to work with, but it hasn’t always been that way. Watch This Long Langstroth Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a long Langstroth hive and reading hive behaviour For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Long Langstroth Hives Feel Different This setup changes how you work with bees. Instead of lifting stacked boxes, everything runs horizontally. Frames sit side by side, making inspections smoother and less physically demanding. It creates a more controlled, relaxed way to move through the hive. This Hive Didn’t Always Perform Well When this hive was first set up, it struggled. Just a basic pine box, minimal in...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Baby Hive Is Waking Up… But Did the New Queen Survive? 🐝👑

-
Image
My Baby Hive Is Waking Up… But Did the New Queen Survive? This is one of the most important stages in a hive’s life. Everything up to this point has been preparation. The split, the move, the waiting. Now it all comes down to one question. Did the new queen make it? And as tempting as it is to check… this is where patience matters most. Watch This Baby Hive Update ';"> ▶ See this video about checking a nucleus hive after a queen has emerged For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward How This Baby Hive Started This colony began as a split. Frames of brood, bees, and resources were moved from a strong hive into a smaller nucleus hive. The goal was twofold. Reduce swarm pressure in the original hive and give this new colony a chance to grow. From that point on, everything depended on the bees raising a new queen. Why This Stage Is So Delicate A newly emerged queen is vulnerable. She needs time to mature, orien...
Post a Comment
Read more

There’s a New Queen in This Hive… But I’m Not Opening It (Here’s Why) 👑🐝

-
Image
There’s a New Queen in This Hive… But I’m Not Opening It (Here’s Why) This goes against instinct. You know something important has happened inside the hive. You want to confirm it. You want to see it with your own eyes. But sometimes… the best decision is to leave the lid exactly where it is. This is one of those moments. Watch This Baby Hive Update ';"> ▶ See this video about managing a new queen and when not to inspect a hive For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward What It Means When a New Queen Emerges A new queen changes everything for a hive. She is the future of the colony. Every worker bee that will exist depends on what happens in the next few days. But right now, she is at her most vulnerable. Why This Is a Critical Window After emerging, a queen needs time. She needs to move freely, orient herself, and eventually take mating flights. Only after that will she begin laying eggs. Interrupting th...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Opened My Strongest Hive… What I Found Wasn’t What I Expected 🐝🍯

-
Image
I Opened My Strongest Hive… What I Found Wasn’t What I Expected There is something about opening a hive after a stretch of warm weather. You expect progress. More honey. More activity. Everything moving forward. This hive had been doing exactly that. Strong colony. Good conditions. Plenty of reason to expect a straightforward inspection. But once the frames started coming out, a few details stood out that were worth a closer look. Watch This Full Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a strong hive and checking honey stores For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Warm Weather Changes Everything A few warm days can shift a hive quickly. Nectar flow improves. Foragers increase activity. Honey starts building faster than expected. This is when inspections become important, not because something is wrong, but because things are moving quickly. Reading Honey Frames Properly The first thing t...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Opened My Grumpy Hive With a Torn Suit… Then Found THIS 😬🐝

-
Image
I Opened My Grumpy Hive With a Torn Suit… Then Found THIS Some inspections start with confidence. This one started with a problem. A tear in the bee suit. Right under the arm. And the hive I was about to open? The one that’s always a little more… alert than the others. Not ideal timing. But sometimes you just get on with it and see what the hive has to say. Watch This POV Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about POV hive inspections and reading brood patterns For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why This Hive Has a Reputation Every beekeeper has one. The hive that keeps you on your toes. Not necessarily aggressive, but definitely more reactive, more alert, and quicker to respond to disturbance. This is that hive. When Conditions Add Pressure Normally, you rely on your gear to give you confidence. With a tear in the suit, that confidence changes. You move slower. You think more carefully. You pa...
Post a Comment
Read more

I Tried to Feed This Hive… They Had Other Ideas 😅🐝

-
Image
I Tried to Feed This Hive… They Had Other Ideas On paper, this was meant to be simple. Lift the lid. Top up the feeder. Close it back up. Easy job. But the bees clearly had a different plan. From the moment the lid came off, they were right there. Curious, alert, and just a little bit grumpy about the whole situation. Watch This POV Hive Feeding ';"> ▶ See this video about feeding a hive and working through defensive bee behaviour For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Feeding Matters at This Stage Feeding is not always about boosting production. Sometimes it is about helping a hive build enough reserves to get through tougher conditions ahead. In this case, the goal is simple. Build stores before winter and give the colony a buffer when natural flow slows down. The Setup Is Simple This is not a complicated system. A feeding frame sits inside the hive and is filled with sugar syrup. The mix here i...
Post a Comment
Read more

POV Hive Inspection… Hunting Honey While Saving a Weak Nuc

-
Image
POV Beehive Inspection – Checking Honey and Supporting a Weak Nuc What does a real hive inspection actually look like? Not a polished version. Not a highlight reel. Just the moment to moment decisions that happen when the hive is open. This inspection day has a clear purpose. Check honey stores, assess hive health, and find the right resources to support a struggling nuc. Watch This POV Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about POV beehive inspections and supporting a weak nucleus hive For more content beyond beekeeping, including leadership and real world thinking: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why POV Filming Changes Everything Using a visor mounted camera gives a true beekeeper perspective. You see exactly what is happening as decisions are made. This includes: Frame selection Hive reactions Small adjustments during the inspection It removes the gap between explanation and reality. What This Inspection Is Trying to Achie...
Post a Comment
Read more