Clean up

[Acebird]

I just spent a few hours stripping out brood comb and cleaning up some boxes.  Jim, I don't think you should be so hard on carpenter ants.  Maybe they are your friend.  While I was stripping comb they were carrying out SHB larvae.  Of course they were in direct competition with the chickens.  The chickens won.  The beak of a chicken is like a heat seeking missile.  They don't miss.
I might have enough equipment to run one or two hives in FL  Just need foundation.

[iddee]

What size foundation and how many sheets. I'll have them waiting when you stop in here.

[Acebird]

Wally, what style do you have?
My frames are all mediums but there are several variations due to me changing my mind and BetterBee changing manufacturers.  I started heading in the groove top and bottom direction even though I think the bees like the split bottom bar version best.
If I bring down 8 boxes I will need 64 sheets.  Because I don't wire my frames I like to install the sheets just before I use the frames.  I have had problems installing the foundation into the frames and storing the frames.  The foundation bows like crazy.

[yes2matt]

What size foundation and how many sheets. I'll have them waiting when you stop in here.

Y'all hanging out in Sophia,  keep me in the loop, maybe I can come up.

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[iddee]

Wax foundation without hooks for groove  bottom. With hooks for the slotted bottom. We have both.
Yeah, Matt, we will keep posting here. may have a get together when he comes down.

[Hops Brewster]

Look out, Ace, they're planning to overwhelm you by shear force of numbers!

[Acebird]

Didn't happen at the Beefest when they were both there.

[BeeMaster2]

I just spent a few hours stripping out brood comb and cleaning up some boxes.  Jim, I don't think you should be so hard on carpenter ants.  Maybe they are your friend.  While I was stripping comb they were carrying out SHB larvae.  Of course they were in direct competition with the chickens.  The chickens won.  The beak of a chicken is like a heat seeking missile.  They don't miss.
I might have enough equipment to run one or two hives in FL  Just need foundation.

That?s not going to happen. They almost wiped out my flow hive. Had to take it completely apart and reduce it down to a single 8 frame box and they did not fill that up. Luckily the queen survived and is in there. Yesterday I added that Nuc or abandoned bees to to help them out.
Removed several hundred carpenter ants and as many eggs from it.
As little Johnny said. GD ants. 

Jim

[yes2matt]

Didn't happen at the Beefest when they were both there.

You won't have as far to travel for Beefest 2019

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[Acebird]

You are right Matt.
Jim, maybe the ants are more aggressive down in FL.  They are no problem up here.  I thought you had grease cups on your stands?

[BeeMaster2]

Ace,
I do. The grass is growing like crazy due to all of the rain we have had. The hives are all very full and are covering the bottoms of the hives. Makes it hard to weed wack it with out stirring up a hornets nest. 
It is the carpenter ants that cause the problems here. We have micro ants in our hives but they are never a problem. I have never had a problem with fire ants in a hive same with sugar ants.
Jim

[Acebird]

It is a little taboo but you could put your stands on a bead of rock or stone and sprinkle a little rock salt on the stone.  Not too much just a little to keep the grass out of the stone.  No one will know they will just think you are a professional landscaper with the stone under your hives.
50% on my job is cutting grass and keeping weeds out of the rock landscape.  I have to use Round up because there are bushes mixed in.  But if there is no other plants to worry about then salt it.

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks for the info Ace. 
Jim

[beepro]

The landscape grass or weed guard fabrics will not work.   Over time the grass will
take over again.   What works for me is the 45 mil EPDM pond liner.   They will last a
long long time without the need to replace every season.   Thick enough to keep the grass and
tree roots in.   

[BeeMaster2]

Thanks Beepro. I will keep that in mind. I will be moving the bees soon and I may rework the stands.
Jim

[Beeboy01]

I redid my bee yard this year and laid down two bundles of old roofing shingles under the hives. So far it has worked great but I"m still having problems with weeds growing along the edges of the covered area. Going to try clearing them out with a electric hedge trimmer instead of a weed whacker.