My New Bee Shed Build

[Bush_84]

It was multiple factors. This last year was the first year I went heavy into splits and queen rearing. Having never done it before, I learned a lot the hard way. My biggest mistake was making up Nucs to weak to late. I should have just left it. That was 3 out of 11. I tried a new heater this winter. It was an oil filled radiator heater. I figured it?d be safer than a regular space heater. It did an awful job. I kept tripping the circuit breaker and my shed routinely dipped into the low teens f when we had an awful cold snap. Before I took action (I didn?t right away another lesson learned) I lost another five. So that brings me to 8 out of 11. The last one I lost I think was weakened and just didn?t have the muster to make it through the rest of the winter. The two remaining were the strongest hives I had going into winter. One is a swarm I hived in a nuc, which is residing in a 5x5 deep nuc. The other is in a triple 8 frame deep. They both look ok. They both have mountain camp sugar left.

So that is what happened. After looking at the first dead outs the first three appeared to simply have clusters to smal to maintain heat. Out of the next five, they all had sufficient clusters and honey remaining. Their clusters all had bees with heads in comb and honey on the frame over or in the box overhead. Some had a small patch of brood. This is precisely why I keep bees in a shed. If I can keep temps nice and cozy, I avoid tight and immobile clusters. In the years previous I have never lost a hive in the winter. With my new space I will have tighter control of temperature and ventilation. I will also have zero electric issues.

As far as what to do about it...I still think I?m going to give it a go. We are supposed to get close to 40f on Sunday. The sun here is quite warm now. That is generally enough to trigger a cleansing flight. I will open the door in he afternoon. Having done this a few times before my experience is that they will all make it back as it either cools or gets dark. I simply just close the doors at that point. This way I can start feeding and adding pollen sub. I want these hives to be huge by the time May comes around.

Bush, nice shed for the bees.  You work hard for the bees, well done.  I like the cat and the snow.
Blessings

/nods
Yeh, looks great to me also. I'll have to go back to read why it 'failed'.
Nice looking pu55y. great to give scale to the shed ;-)))

Bill

(edited) ..carnt believe ol'Ginger there won me a "bleep" in the
post!...heh heh

[Acebird]

This way I can start feeding and adding pollen sub.

Ugh!  How will you feed in temperatures that will not allow it?
I am sure that some people, maybe most will disagree with me but in your area burn the dinks in fall and only try to bring hives that proved their willingness to tackle winter through your brutal climate.  So as I see it no less than two deeps or 4-5 mediums if you are going that way.

[Bush_84]

This way I can start feeding and adding pollen sub.

Ugh!  How will you feed in temperatures that will not allow it?
I am sure that some people, maybe most will disagree with me but in your area burn the dinks in fall and only try to bring hives that proved their willingness to tackle winter through your brutal climate.  So as I see it no less than two deeps or 4-5 mediums if you are going that way.

One thing you have to keep in mind is that I have officially entered into a time of year where I will start to have issues cooling my shed.  The sun is getting warm and is heating up my shed during the day and my heater doesn?t really run unless things really take a cold turn. It looks like we are going to get a low of 4 next Wednesday but it?s supposed to be decent between now and then. So highs in the 40s to even in the 50s on those nice days (in my shed not outside temps). So they will have days when they will be able to take down some syrup, especially with a jar over the cluster. My biggest concern would be their ability to have cleansing flights.

[Acebird]

Just ventilate to keep it down to 40.  Wait until flying weather to feed.

[Bush_84]

Not much of an update but I didn?t want to start another topic and figured it?d fit here well enough. I thought I was down to three hives. I was going to rearrange hives today in preparation for a planned cleansing flight this week. As I was moving boxes I saw bees coming out of the middle hive. I thought they were dead. They shall be dubbed Lazarus. When I opened the door the nuc was excited to get out and defecate. So I just left the door open. It?s not super warm today but the sun feels warm, it?s very sunny, and sheltered from the wind. Mid 30s f. So I figured that?d be good enough and if they think it?s good enough to fly then I?ll let them. I?ll shut the door when the sun sets. It?s supposed to get in the 40s later this week so I?ll open the door again then. Since they are getting some flying days I?ll add patties this week.

As far as the new build I?m going to get the rest of the 2x4s later this week for the second door. Wife and I are going to look at new doors for the house today. Once we get the new doors I?ll install old doors in the new wintering room. After that?s done I?ll focus on running electric.

This was a bit of an egocentric update but I was pumped to see bees in that middle hive.

[Acebird]

Did you see them fly and return in the mid thirties?  I would say that is a bit cool for flying weather.

[Bush_84]

Ya this is what I?d call a normal cleansing flight. Most are just hovering in front of the entrance and going back in. A few are flying off and not returning. I?ve slwaus assumed those were bees that knew they were taking their last flight.

[Bush_84]

A little update but to lazy to post pics. Both walls are built. Need to get the plywood and insulation in but they are framed up. I also have the wiring done. I ran two 20 amp circuits. That way I have the ability to run two heaters if need be. One circuit will have the heater and ventilation on it. The second will have lights and ceiling fan. I can plug in a backup heater to the second circuit if needed. The only thing I don?t have is lights in the larger storage room. I ran out of wire and it?s not necessary for it to function. So I?ll leave it for another day. Also wiring for ceiling fan is ready but fan is not installed as of yet. I am not a fan of attics and am not looking forward to going back in there to wire the additional light in the storage area.

My next step will be to get the plywood on. Haven?t purchased that yet. At some point we will be replacing the doors to our house and those will be repurposed.

The space dedicated to wintering is 4x12. I can easily line up 8-10 hives (depends on how tight I put them) along the wall. I can then stack Nucs on top. So this space should be adequate for my needs for some time. I tool acebird?s advice and made the wall a skosh short and narrow so I can adjust it if needed. I figure that I could move it a stud or two down and fit a second row. However at this time I?m not sure I have time for that many hives. If I had 10 production hives and 10 Nucs that be plenty.

[BeeMaster2]

Bush,
Pictures, got to have pictures. 
Sounds like it is coming along. Keep us posted.
Jim

[Bush_84]

Ok. Not a ton to see but here?s what I got.



In this pic I?m standing in the storage section looking at the wintering section.



Light switch that goes to



A light. Switch is on the left as you enter the first door. I?m just going to install one for now. It?s a small space. I don?t figure it?ll need more than that. Eventually another light or two in the storage section.



One of two outlets. Each outlet is on a separate circuit. Don?t judge my wiring to harshly. All of the wiring is already run as seen here. So I ran what I could in the attic and the rest of the vertical wires just sit on top of the wall. As of now I?ll only put plywood on the outside of the walls. That?s why the light switch wiring is done on top of the 2x4. In hindsight I probably should have run it along the inside of the stud so I didn?t have to do it over again, but meh.

It?ll look more like a proper room once the doors and insulation are installed.

[Acebird]

Sorry I can't help it... there are no jack studs for the door.  No problem it is a barn but why the double plate on the top?  These are not bearing walls otherwise the barn would have fallen down since the walls were not there before.

[BeeMaster2]

Making good progress.
Thanks for the pictures.
Jim

[Bush_84]

Sorry I can't help it... there are no jack studs for the door.  No problem it is a barn but why the double plate on the top?  These are not bearing walls otherwise the barn would have fallen down since the walls were not there before.

I am all for constructive criticism. The picture is an old one. The top plate for the door and jack studs have been since put in. I could have gotten away with a single top plate but in my limited experience I have found the double plate to be more sturdy and easier to work with, especially if I am going to eventually move that smaller wall. I don?t want extra points in the wall that have a little flex and bend.

[little john]

Dan - a little off-topic perhaps, but - you're the only person I know who keeps beehives in a shed ...

In your experience of keeping hives inside a shed - are wax-moths any less of a problem ?

I was mulling over the pros and cons of using sheds this morning, and it occurred to me that if ventilation ducts were fitted with fine mesh screens, and (in less severe climates) the entrances were fitted with anti-robbing mesh, then wax moths would have quite a hard time gaining access.  Not suggesting it would eliminate the problem entirely (as any small crack would provide means of entry) but it might reduce the numbers significantly.

LJ

[Bush_84]

Tbh my use of a shed doesn?t really effect wax moth much. I keep them in the shed during the winter months when wax moth is not an issue. Whether they are inside or outside it is cold and they are dormant. Once the weather gets nice (crossing my fingers that next week is that time) I take my bees out to their summer stands. So my use of a shed doesn?t really effect wax moth at all. However if you were looking at a bee house where they keep their hives in there year round I?d imagine that it?d help.

I generally haven?t had much of an issue with wax moth. The freezing winters help. I also believe that another help is that I seem to always be short of comb. So it?s always in use. This year may be different with my rough winter loss. I have boxes and boxes of comb sitting in my workshop but I?m hoping that all eggs froze over winter and none will be able to get in my workshop. So I honestly haven?t given them much of a thought as I?ve never really had issues with them.

[Bush_84]

A bit of a grave dig I know. I don?t have pics on hand but I did end up getting my shed done. I got busy with life and haven?t made it back here for some time. There were some following my progress and I figured it was worth updating. Whenever I have gone back there things seem to be running perfectly. The only issue is a handful of bees are finding their way out. Not sure. I can stand in there and see not even the slightest sliver of light. They must see something I don?t. Ceiling fan running constantly. I have my ventilation system running more than I thought I would. When I have been in there it always seems to be 35 f. So I figured more ventilation would be a good thing. I believe it is running four times a day and 30 minutes a crack.

I do wish I would have made it a little wider.  I can put one row of hives against the wall with a small walkway. I had 11 going in but two were dead when they went in. I had to stack the lightest two on top due to lack of room. Was not fun lifting by hand. I built the wall to be movable if needed but I?m not sure I?ll do that yet. I?d rather adjust my beekeeping goals for now. I figure if I winter 8 production hives that they can form the bottom row. The rest can be nucs and will be easier to lift and put on top. I don?t really need more than that anyways. I just want to be self sustainable in what I do.

[Acebird]

Why do you assume the bees are finding light if it is only a handful?

[Bush_84]

Not sure how else they would be getting out of their wintering space and on the other side of the wall. It?s probably closer to two handfuls but it?s nothing compared to the normal drop from a hive in winter. I just figure that if they are getting out and coming out more or less in a pile then there must be a crack. If there?s a crack then there?s probably a small amount of light undetectable to my eye. There?s actually two spots. One in a corner that goes to the rest of the shed and another right outside the door. I haven?t stressed enough to really dig. I did jam some fiberglass insulation into the corner where there was a small pile. The door is an old door repurposed. It never sealed well to begin with but I figured it wouldn?t matter for bees. Maybe I should tape up the seem that leaks air the worst. I?d just have to take it down and redo it whenever I go in there, which I try not to bother them much. I?ll get itchy to poke around a bit more when the snow disappears.