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Author Topic: Pictures of what a hive should look like.  (Read 62411 times)

Offline Shawn

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Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« on: October 14, 2008, 04:18:15 pm »
Not really sure if this should be in this area or in the picture area. I was wondering if someone or everyone could put up pictures of hives and frames what a good working colony should/would look like. Kind of like I posted on my frames that did not have a queen but a laying worker and how Cindi posted her great pictures of mutiple eggs in a cell. I am more of visual learner and Im sure other people are too. Just thought it would be a good post for people to look at and compare to their hives.

Offline Moonshae

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2008, 10:12:26 pm »
Pic pls?  :)
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2008, 11:21:32 pm »
Ok, so I guess ill start. Here are a few pictures of my hive that has a feral queen and the hive appears to be doing good. You can see eggs, altough some cells have mutiple eggs at the bottom, larvae at mutiple stages, and capped worker cells.



Offline tillie

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2008, 11:57:05 pm »
In the first picture, is that the queen at 3:00 about 1 inch in from the right side of the picture?

Linda T in Atlanta, a poor queen spotter at best.

Offline rdy-b

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2008, 01:54:13 am »
yep good call  ;)  RDY-B

Offline bassman1977

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2008, 08:26:25 am »
Good eyes!    :)
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Greywulff

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2008, 08:54:52 am »
I've posted this pic on another thread but I'm sure you won't mind me putting it here :-D

When you have 12 frames like this your hive is doing fine. These are smaller frames than what you use in USA but theres about 1000 cells per frame to give you some idea.



Not hard to spot the Queen when she's marked. It can be really usefull.





Is it ok to post pic this size?

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2008, 11:07:29 am »
Yes it was the queen Tillie. Does anyone have any pictures of drone cells on a frame from a good colony?

Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2008, 11:22:53 am »
Shawn, I think that it may be a bit of a problem for any forum members to send in pictures for you.  You want to see pictures of what a hive "should" look like.  I wonder if everyone is a little worried that they don't have enough of a perfect hive to give you some good examples.  I hope that our forum friends will bring pictures in this topic anyways.  It may be a little bit intimidating to say, yes, "I have the perfect hive to give pictures to this post with", hee, hee.  So, I would say, differently:

If anyone has any pictures that think are pretty good of a pretty good colony, bring 'em on!!!  Do you think this may get more responses this way?  Curious.  I have a picture of some drone on a frame, I think it is a pretty good colony.  Hope this may help.  Have the most wonderful and awesome day, Cindi

Drone cells.  I have lots of pictures of bee stuff, but I wouldn't want to toot that they are "what a hive should look like"  :( ;) :) :) :)



There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2008, 01:17:28 pm »
Sorry for teh original post. I guess what I should have said is pictures of a good working colony. I know no one has a perfect hive but I thought for beginners to see actual pictures from other peoples hive it might help them to know what to look for. I know Michael has some pictures on his website like "can you find the queen" which I liked. Until the swarm moved into my hive I have not ever "seen" capped worker cells or so many bees and known what to look for. I really enjoy all your pictures of your bees because they are so close and the quality is good. I thought your picture of the eggs was a good example for this post. People could even post bad things about what the hive looks like if there is no queen like I did in the picture section. I look back on those pictures of frames and still cant believe the difference. 

Offline Bill W.

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2008, 01:32:59 pm »
Well, it should have eggs:



And larvae:



Healthy hives generally (but not always) have a band of honey, over a band of pollen, surrounding the brood area:





A tight brood pattern is a sign of a good queen:



More at link, although a lot of it is more like, "what your hives should not look like."  ;)

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2008, 02:31:58 pm »
Wow loves the pictures. The last frame is full of worker cells. Thats so cool. Went to the link and those are good pictures. Where are the drone cells usually at in the hive or do they have a specific place?

Offline MacfromNS

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2008, 07:20:24 pm »
Wow , there are some nice pic, so glad you showed us.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling.
And even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!
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Offline greenismycolor

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2008, 10:48:32 pm »
Hi All
GREAT PICTURES!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing, I love to see these!
Believe!

Offline 2-Wheeler

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2008, 12:49:08 am »
Here is another showing brood pattern with a productive queen:

More at this link
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Offline Irwin

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2008, 10:17:02 am »
Thank's for all the great pic's every one :-D
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Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2008, 12:39:42 pm »
2-wheeler, what is all the gray stuff at the top of the frame? I also see the drone cells at the bottom. Is that where they usually are? Your photo is great and very clear!

Offline mudlakee

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #17 on: October 16, 2008, 04:43:16 pm »
Nice Pictures Thanks  Tony`

Offline 2-Wheeler

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #18 on: October 25, 2008, 10:06:27 pm »
2-wheeler, what is all the gray stuff at the top of the frame? I also see the drone cells at the bottom. Is that where they usually are? Your photo is great and very clear!

That gray stuff is the capped honey.  I'm not sure why it looks gray.  I don't use any separate drone-cell frames, I guess they need a bit more room and find it near the edges.
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Offline bmacior

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #19 on: October 26, 2008, 09:53:49 am »
Enjoyed the pictures!  :-D

Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #20 on: November 15, 2008, 11:10:34 pm »
Well, here's some more pictures of what a hive should NOT look like.  The bees sometimes take it into their heads to build some really funny stuff, gotta get a kick out of them when they get really inventive.  Enjoy.  Have a most wonderful day and and life, great health.  Cindi

Queen cells, they haven't even bothered to draw the comb on the rest of the foundation, guess they were in a mighty big hurry to do something, hee, hee.







I think they built this comb first and then proceeded to build comb all the way across the back side of the frame, gotta tell ya, it was some pretty weird designing techniques!!!



This is the comb in the above picture, that then had the comb built behind it, strange....





There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #21 on: November 16, 2008, 06:57:11 pm »
I love the pictures Cindi. I really like the look of the natural comb. I have never seen a queen cell in person so your picture really helped me to know what to look for. If you did not look at the bottom of the comb they built a person might not know there were queen cells in the bottom.

Offline asprince

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #22 on: November 16, 2008, 07:19:58 pm »
Cindi, Was that mess built by the Italians or the Russians? :-D :lol:

Steve
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Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #23 on: November 17, 2008, 11:13:50 am »
Steve, well, well, well, if I could remember which colony it was I would be a happy girl, hee, hee.  I think that it might have been the Italians, I don't have Russians, but do have Carniolans.  I think it was the Italians,  could go into the original folder where that picture originated, I probably have other pictures of that funny comb that may be sitting beside the originating bad girl colony, they were naughty to say the least, hee, hee.  If you want me to check it out, say the word.....My fault actually, I think I put two frames of starter strip comb side X side, should have put a frame of foundation inbetween I bet.  Have a most wonderful day, love this life we all live, love and share.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline 1of6

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #24 on: December 04, 2008, 09:02:17 pm »

Healthy hives generally (but not always) have a band of honey, over a band of pollen, surrounding the brood area...

AAAuughh!!  I lost my bands!!   :shock:

Offline JordanM

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #25 on: December 04, 2008, 10:17:09 pm »
Wow 10f6, that is a beautiful frame  :)

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #26 on: December 04, 2008, 10:41:32 pm »
Wow that is a great picture. So I see the frame is mostly worker brood with some drones at the bottom. IS there drone cells in the middle and at the top? Does the queen have a specific spot for drones? Again great picture!

Offline 1of6

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #27 on: December 05, 2008, 04:22:51 pm »
Thanks very much.  I'd like to take credit, but my bees did this all by themselves.  They started out as a failing Russian Drone Layer colony with some obvious problems as you see in this picture:


...to superceding a replacement Russian queen that I bought and raising a new mutt/monrgel queen.  They got going very late in the year and were really light going into winter.  I limped them through winter and the next year they made the frame I showed you earlier.  This was one of my best hives this year.  The frame I showed was pretty much all worker, just a few drone cells along the bottom.

PS - yes, the eye-color is an example of how your hive should not look.  Notice also the ratio of workers to drones on that frame.  Most of the drones are dinky worker-sized drones also.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2008, 09:37:41 am by 1of6 »

Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #28 on: December 05, 2008, 05:47:24 pm »
Pish tosh!  That isn't eye color, those are goggles!  You finally captured a picture of one of the elusive pollen-jocks!!!  :-D
Rick

Offline JordanM

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #29 on: December 05, 2008, 10:19:57 pm »
I have not found many queens yet but in 1of6's last picture is that the queen, the third bee down on the left side of the picture?

Offline 1of6

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #30 on: December 06, 2008, 09:31:45 am »
I have not found many queens yet but in 1of6's last picture is that the queen, the third bee down on the left side of the picture?

That one isn't a queen (they did still have a marked Russian queen at that point), but you'll have no trouble finding one in this picture. :)  This is a picture of a nice swarm that I gathered and put on new foundation.  This is 7 days after the swarm was collected, and at this point they've already gotten the queen ready to start laying again.


***SORRY, I think I may have said laying worker colony in one of my previous posts...if I did I'll go back and fix it.  I meant to say 'drone layer'.  The queen was there becuase I remember having to pinch her.  Apparently one thought at a time is the maximum that I can handle. :roll:

Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #31 on: December 06, 2008, 11:54:53 am »
That pink-eyed drone is a drone that has been uncapped.  It matured to the `purple eye`stage before it was uncapped and then removed.  It probably was mite infested and that is whey the bees uncapped this dude.  That is a hygienic colony.  Beautiful and most wonderful day, love and live life, health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline ladyhawk

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #32 on: February 17, 2009, 01:06:18 am »
Thanks so much for the pictures I'm a very visual person and seeing how things look is so great!
Be Well, ladyhawk

Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #33 on: February 17, 2009, 12:10:05 pm »
That pink-eyed drone is a drone that has been uncapped.  It matured to the `purple eye`stage before it was uncapped and then removed.  It probably was mite infested and that is whey the bees uncapped this dude.  That is a hygienic colony.  Beautiful and most wonderful day, love and live life, health.  Cindi

Correction of this above statement required.  I wonder why I said that, I think it as wrong and I am surprised that it was not corrected by someone.  This is clearly a drone emerged.  Elaborate upon my initial sentences above please.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #34 on: February 17, 2009, 06:54:09 pm »
Ladyhawk, I too am a picture kind of person and thought this would be a good way to see the good, the bad and the ugly. Ive learned so much from just looking at the pictures.

Offline yippeewahoo

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #35 on: May 07, 2009, 04:43:15 pm »
I am new to beekeeping, I have had my hive for 2 weeks, I was able to find the queen today (I will get it marked next time I think) and the hive looks like they have made many cells, but none are capped, and a few are partially filled, I did see some eggs, I am posting a photo and asking Is this looking right?  Thanks for any help

(it has been cold and rainy for the past couple weeks)


« Last Edit: May 07, 2009, 05:31:52 pm by beemaster »
I absolutely love the BEEs, This amazing wonderworld is an incredible learning experience

Offline Cindi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #36 on: May 07, 2009, 05:51:56 pm »
Yippewahoo.  This frame of bees looks wonderful, and that dark, dark queen surely does stand out.  The colony looks like it is doing what it should be doing, good that you asked Beemaster to put in the photo for you, you are new and this would have had to be done to get the picture to us, yay!!!  Why don't you take a moment and officially introduce yourself to us in the "greetings tell us about yourself forum", we love to hear about new members, and by the way, welcome to our forum.  Have that most great and wonderful day, lovin' our life, health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline Shawn

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #37 on: May 07, 2009, 08:05:08 pm »
Wow! Thats a lot of bees on the frame.

Offline AKs

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #38 on: July 16, 2009, 02:38:17 am »
So Cindi (neighbour!)
I'm confused now about the pink-eyed drone. Did it hatch early at the purple-eyed stage or is it a mutation due to the drone-laying queen/worker? :?

Offline bearpaw

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #39 on: July 16, 2009, 06:15:10 am »
Wow... I'm perplexed now too about the purple eyed pollen jock!

Offline applebwoi

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #40 on: July 17, 2009, 01:24:04 am »
Great pics.  Guess I'll have to figure out how to post some of my own.

Offline 1of6

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More Pictures of what a hive shouldn't look like.
« Reply #41 on: January 22, 2010, 11:06:00 am »
This is probably not what you're looking to have happen over winter...


Offline erbs honey

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Re: Pictures of what a hive should look like.
« Reply #42 on: April 05, 2017, 01:37:32 am »
Hi All
GREAT PICTURES!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing, I love to see these!
How do I get to them???
When you come to a fork in the road.....take it.