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Post by drthom on Jun 4, 2012 16:55:04 GMT -7
Hi,
Picked up a wine barrel full of bees at a local winery & was wondering if anyone has modified a wine barrel to make it a hive?
I'm thinking of taking off the top of the barrel & putting some top bars on it. Leaving space so they can get to standard Langstroth supers for honey extraction.
Has anyone tried this?
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Post by drew on Jun 5, 2012 6:16:23 GMT -7
If you take the top off all the side pieces will fall in  I can't think of a good way to use a wine barrel, did they build from and end or side, most barrels are stored on there side,is that where the bees built from also? Say leave it and let it ride out.  |
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Cris
Drone
Posts: 71
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Post by Cris on Jun 6, 2012 23:15:56 GMT -7
Wine flavored bees! Awesome!
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Post by drthom on Jun 10, 2012 17:09:55 GMT -7
It was a decorative barrel near their tasting room and stood on end. I was thinking of drilling a good-sized hole in the top and putting a super on it and then a big roof on the super. to keep rain out of the barrel. I have lots of supers, but have run out of deeps after collecting swarms this spring. If you take the top off all the side pieces will fall in I can't think of a good way to use a wine barrel, did they build from and end or side, most barrels are stored on there side,is that where the bees built from also? Say leave it and let it ride out. |
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Post by drew on Jun 10, 2012 21:17:41 GMT -7
Give it a try can't hurt anything. Have the hunch that the bees will not leave the barrel. They have all the room they could ever want  |
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Paul
Worker Bee
And when we go, nature will start over. With the bees, probably. Nature knows when to give up, David
Posts: 121
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Post by Paul on Jun 10, 2012 22:55:29 GMT -7
What if all that room were to slowly disappear? You could fill it up with water slowly to drive them out, or something like sand. Maybe fill it to the bottom of the comb through a new hole, and then add a few pounds a week until the queen moved up into the new box you laid out for her. Another option would be to carefully disassemble the barrel and then do a cut out. The end should stay intact when the side bars are removed. You may even be able to remove a few at a time until it is half gone if you leave one or two for support. I'd sell the honey for a premium. Like drunken goat cheese it has been aged on wine.  |
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