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Because the top bars of my Layens frames touch, there must be some guide for comb building, or the bees will attach the comb in any direction. I prefer to use a 2-3/4" strip of wax foundation as a starter strip, but let the bees build their own comb beyond that. Any time the bees put resources into building comb vs. storing honey, it's going to affect harvest amounts, but I don't think the presence or lack of foundation will significantly affect that. Whenever possible, I prefer to re-use frames of comb after harvest to reduce the amount of new comb to be constructed in the future. Incidentally, the "magic" of 2-3/4" strips is that I can get five mostly even strips from a sheet of foundation at that size. I've tried smaller strips for economy, but a narrow strip of wax can be prone to sag if it warms up before the bees build on it.

If you plan to split the colony, you should do so as early as you can during the nectar flow to give each colony plenty of time to build up. In my climate (Zone 7A in Missouri), a late summer split isn't advisable because that's typically a dearth period, and the resulting colonies (like a late-season swarm) would be hard pressed to prepare well for winter. You should plan accordingly for your location. I don't practice artificial brood breaks; without supplemental feeding, the bees will naturally draw back their brood during dearth periods. There's also a risk when inducing a brood break that the bees might deem their queen defective and start working to replace her. I recently saw a video discussing genetic dispositions for mite resistance and the research, surprisingly, showed that brood breaks are not as effective as previously thought for mite control. You can choose to keep your bees as you wish, but those are my thoughts. As for the OA, I don't use any hive treatments, so I won't say much about that. Depending on the source of your bees, they may or may not have resistance to mites, so the treatment might be necessary for survival.

Thanks SSB for your insights. Will consider dearth time for (zone 6A Washington) for natural brood breaks instead of splitting. All the best to you and yours.

I'm glad you found the information useful; I do think the Layens hives are good for the bees and for the keeper. Good luck with your future beekeeping!

It's certainly possible to house multiple colonies in the hive, and I often do that when making splits. This is a short-term option, however, because during spring and fall a healthy colony can fill much of a 20 frame hive. There could be a heat advantage of having multiple colonies in the hive over winter, but I don't think it would be worth the effort of purposefully moving colonies into the same hive in fall as they're condensed for winter. Having said that, I do have one hive in which I did just that - it was a hive that had flooded (shown in another video) and what was left of the colony was pretty weak. I had another weak colony still in a thin-walled nuc box, so I took them to the site and put them in the other end of the hive. Hopefully one will survive; maybe both colonies producing heat in the hive will reduce the burden on each.

I don't know what fence you're referring to. Do you mean the screen over the hive entrance? That's just 1/2" hardware cloth cut to fit. I added that to some hives to provide a barrier against rodents.

I agree!

During my first winter with bees, I felt like a nervous mother, uncertain if or how the bees would survive. Over time, with more confidence, there is less worry.

@@SuburbanSodbuster thanks me to

When I built my first swarm traps, I tried to find information about the "best" location for the entrance. Besides Thomas Seeley's findings that bees prefer a low, small entrance, I couldn't find any definitive information about whether it's best to have the entrance on the end or side of the trap, so I opted for the side - opposite of the hanger. For catching swarms it seems to be a preference thing for us, but not so much for the bees. As for transferring frames, I haven't seen any issues with moving caught swarms from the swarm trap (with entrance on the side) to a hive where the entrance is oriented to the ends of the frames. I do scorch the interior of my swarm traps whether for my own use or for sale. There is some speculation - although I don't know if there's research behind it - that bees prefer a cavity hollowed by fire. Some think it may provide a more sanitized environment, but I don't know if the bees recognize and appreciate that. For my plywood boxes, I do think it reduces some of the "new wood" smell, and the scorched walls may encourage the bees to coat the interior with propolis. Whether any of this is true or not, there are certainly possible benefits and I know of no downside to scorching the wood.

I understand the use of powdered sugar to stimulate grooming behavior among the bees, but I don't practice or advocate for any external interventions to manage mites. Once the powdered sugar is gone, the bees will return to their natural state, and if they don't have the traits to manage the mites themselves, then interventions must be repeated. This is an unsustainable approach and, as we're seeing in places where treatments are common, supporting weak (susceptible) genetics promotes the spread of those genetics and continues a dependency on intervention. As mites spread around the world, it was a reasonable conclusion that the Western Honeybee, without prior exposure to the parasites, had no way of combating the threat, so intervention was critical for survival. Now we have more experience and have had the opportunity to see how the bees reacted without intervention. In parts of the world where no treatments were used, the honeybees took about 5-7 years to go through a funnel of natural selection. Those bees with genetic traits for managing the mites survived and propagated, spreading those traits, while those without died out. The result is a stronger honeybee with better mite resistance and/or tolerance. Despite what we now know, the old mindset persists, and the "developed" world has been on the treatment treadmill for 30-40 years with no real progress against mites among conventionally raised bees. Rather than interventions, no matter how "soft" they may seem, I advocate for allowing the bees to manage their mites and to let natural selection run its course. Feral bees - those that have lived without intervention for some time - have a higher likelihood of some developed mite resistance. When local bees are caught and kept, they will be better acclimated to the local seasons and nectar flows, reducing stress on the colony. In my own apiary, I keep only locally caught bees, use no treatments at all, and propagate from my strongest and most productive colonies. Losses are quite rare, and my winter survival rates, averaging 93% over the last few years, are better than what I see many conventional beekeepers reporting. While many still hold to the idea that "we have to do something" about mites, I think that idea is misguided and sometimes intervention is more detrimental than allowing nature to take its course. By trusting and allowing the natural selection funnel to take its course, we promote stronger bees and reduce our workload as beekeepers. Here's a video in which I share more about my treatment-free practices: th-cam.com/video/2Q-Ml_3sKhk/w-d-xo.html

There could be several factors involved, and I don't think that the insulation was a contributor. These may or may not apply to your case: Bees are generally stimulated to raise brood when days lengthen and/or nectar flow increases. The first factor, which allows the bees to prepare for oncoming blooms, mainly depends on the bees' genetics for when they produce brood and how quickly they build up. Bees better suited for southern climates (e.g. Italian bees) will build up earlier (and/or continue producing brood later in fall/winter) and produce more brood, which can be out of sync and create issues for the colony in a northern climate. I've talked to many people in northern states who ask me why they have difficulty keeping colonies through winter. In these cases I can usually predict, before asking, that they populate their colonies with packages shipped from the south. The second factor - nectar availability - is something that we can simulate by feeding sugar, and most recognize this as a tool to build up colonies in spring. But feeding over winter can unnaturally stimulate brood production, creating a population that will quickly eat through stores. I heard a speaker (but, regretfully, I don't recall who) express a point I agree with: winter feeding can, ironically, contribute to spring starve-outs when the colony builds up inappropriately early and the population consumption exceeds the honey stores. Some have argued that if a hive is insulated and the bees move around more, then they'll use up honey faster, but that's a hypothesis with which I wholeheartedly disagree. Bees in cluster burn a lot of calories to vibrate their wing muscles and generate heat, while bees out of cluster but with no particular jobs, such as foraging or raising brood, are doing little to require more calories. To my knowledge, bees don't aimlessly snack like we would be prone to do. My observations of my insulated vs. uninsulated hives confirm that the insulated regularly have more honey left at the end of winter. I don't know where you're located, where you got your bees, or how you keep them, so the above may or may not apply. You might be right that weird weather - like late warm weather stimulating out-of-season blooms - might be a factor. Like you, I've heard naysayers explaining why insulation is a bad idea. But I know that my locally caught bees, and the colonies propagated from them, are usually thriving, come spring, with full insulation and no winter feeding. I wish you better luck with your bees in the future.

No, I don't use any powdered sugar in the hives.

As long as the new colony has adequate food resources and a good population of "house bees" there's no need to move them far away. It can be assumed that the forager bees will return to the original hive, but the nurse bees and others that haven't yet started foraging will stay in the new hive. I prefer to move the queen with the split because it simulates a swarm and gives the new colony the benefit of continued laying. They'll soon have their own foragers as the house bees graduate to field duties. Meanwhile the original colony will have the benefit of the current foragers to continue bringing in resources during the break until they have a laying queen.

@SuburbanSodbuster Thank you!!

Sort of. Unlike a cricket, which rubs its wings together, the queen bee vibrates her wing muscles while pressing her thorax to the comb. This uses the comb as a sounding board to transmit the vibration, but the queen's wings remain closed.

The larger Lazutin frames may be a good choice for you. I had originally built a double-deep Langstroth/Lazutin hive, but when I discussed it with Dr. Leo Sharashkin he said that the larger frames are better suited for Lazutin's cold climate (comparable to a USDA zone 4) and are not really needed for our zone 6/7 climate. I don't recall if I shared that in this video - the first that I recorded and posted - so I apologize if I'm repeating myself.

@SuburbanSodbuster You said part of it, I don't think you mentioned zones. Regardless, you hardly need to apologize 😂. I'm so grateful for all this information! Going to start building a Lazutin-type hive so I can move the bees in come spring 🤩. If the bees and I like it, other colonies will be moving too. Thank you so much! Also for replying to comments, means a lot!

I wouldn't mind discussing a visit. Send an e-mail to contact@suburbansodbuster.com to discuss that possibility further.

No, I don't use any mite treatments.

Bees certainly might move in, and if no intervention is done it would be like a wild hive, except with frames. There are some who keep bees with a very low-intervention approach, inspecting the hive just twice a year: once in spring to confirm health and fill the hive with frames and once in fall to harvest and prepare for winter.

I put 1/2" hardware cloth over some of my hive entrances as a permanent mouse guard. Some will argue that a mouse could squeeze through the 1/2" squares, but I haven't had any issues. However, I haven't yet had mice get into my hives without the screen, so whether it's an improvement is uncertain.

Thx for the response. Your Mesh couldn't hurt.

Thank you so much for your comment! I believe that a person who learns about bees can figure out how to keep them, whereas a person who only focuses on methods and steps for keeping bees may never really understand them.

Thank you for your comment! I'm glad you've found the videos to be valuable.

Yes, it's very possible for people to perform manual pollination with a small brush or Q-tip in the absence of adequate pollinators. It's also possible, I suppose, for people to collect nectar (have you ever sucked on the small end of a honeysuckle flower?) but there's less value in doing that.

I use the playing cards to mark my hives for record keeping.

I don't have a video about it, but there are a few methods: One is to use "adapter" frames to hold a Langstroth frame vertically. This makes the frame deeper than a standard Layens frame, so spacers on the hive are required for extra depth. I'm not a big fan of this method because it turns the frame 90 degrees, changing the angle of the cells. I've also heard of some people who had trouble with overwintering on these adapted frames, possibly because the frame is effectively only 9" wide, limiting space for winter honey. There are plans for these adapters on Dr. Leo's website: horizontalhive.com An approach I prefer is to cut the ends off of Langstroth frames, making the middle section of a width to fit within a Layens frame and keeping the best portion of any brood on the frames. Then the Langstroth frame section could be attached inside of an unwired Layens frame by driving screws through the top bars. Another approach could be to use a Langstroth hive with double-deep boxes. Top bars from Langstroth frames could be screwed to the top of Layens frames, the bees shaken into the boxes, and the frames hung in Langstroth orientation. Then, the existing Langstroth frames could be put into a box on top, with a queen excluder between them. There should be enough space between the ends of the lower frames for bees to pass between the boxes. This setup should be done at the beginning of the nectar flow, and by the end of the flow, the bees should have the Layens frames built out. I have a Langstroth hive that I plan to convert this spring; maybe I'll try this approach and make a video.

I'm not a fan of supers in general, as I think they force the bees to build the hive unnaturally, but I do understand that Spanish beekeepers regularly use 12-frame Layens hives with supers. Since I prefer a completely horizontal hive, I can't answer your question from a position of experience so please understand that the following is speculation: If I were to use supers, I think I would alter the top bars of my frames to create a gap between frames, as Langstroth frames have. Leaving a gap at both ends, as you suggest, may help with a more even population of the top frames, but I think allowing free passage between frames would be more beneficial.

@@SuburbanSodbuster Thanks, I aim too master these small Layens hives, I am unable to handle anything bigger. We had bees on the farm in the 70`s man now I get to play with my own bees!!

That is the plan. It's been a few years since I posted this video, and I haven't reviewed it recently, but I may not have explained it well. I do open an entrance on the Layens end of the hive, as far from the Langstroth frames as possible. Using the excluder is an additional preventative to keep the queen from laying on the Langstroth frames again. Since this video, I've used this hive for other conversions and rely on the excluder less.

BTW, I'm in Kirkwood in the STL area. By your accent and some of your other videos you don't seem to be that far away. Love to come observe and provide free labor some day.

When I started, I thought the same thing. The first hive I built (the large white hive I refer to as "Taj Mahive" in other videos) was originally built as a double-deep Langstroth/Lazutin hive. When I discussed the hive with Dr. Leo, he said the Lazutin frames are better suited for a northern climate, such as where Lazutin lived (comparable to USDA zone 4), and that management of the double-deep hive can become complicated. After seeing him work his Layens hive and the simplicity, I was sold and haven't looked back. There are several Layens extractors on the market, and they are compatible with Langstroth frames as well as Layens. An individual Layens frame might cost more than a Langstroth, but I think the costs are offset by the additional equipment, work, and storage space necessary for Langstroth management.

Yes, I'm close to your neighborhood. Please send an e-mail to contact@suburbansodbuster.com. I might lose track of your comment here, but I can flag an e-mail for follow-up.

No, I don't. Moisture is a natural and necessary part of the hive environment. In late winter, the colony will need water as they begin feeding the new brood, and condensation on the hive's walls is a ready source. Winter condensation is only a concern if it's above the colony, and by insulating the lid more than the walls, that's a low risk. There is also increasing evidence that high humidity in the hive during the rest of the year helps to manage mite levels.

Thanks for your comment. Yes, there are frame feeders available for Layens hives and I know of some people who use jar feeders placed in the open end of the hive.

Horizontal hive management is similar, whether Layens, long Langstroth, top bar or some other style. For example, I recently posted a video about how the bees lay out the hive, with brood closer to the entrance and surplus honey deeper in, and that's true for any style (th-cam.com/video/V7HTKF7WqQk/w-d-xo.html). Deeper frames do make over-wintering easier, especially in colder climates, and provide more space for the bees on fewer frames. 7 Layens frames are equivalent to 10 deep Langstroth frames, so a Layens hive can provide the same space as a long Langstroth with less length and fewer frames. The gaps between frames aren't needed unless supers are used - if there are gaps and no super then some sort of cover boards should be used. I hope this is helpful; if you haven't already seen my video "Why I Prefer the Layens Beehive" it may provide more info (th-cam.com/video/xy192a-OWII/w-d-xo.html).

@@SuburbanSodbuster thank you very much

As bees build down, they'll migrate the brood down and backfill the top with honey. This prepares them, naturally, for winter. The size of the box at the bottom doesn't matter; they will end up with the honey at the top and the brood at the bottom unless a queen excluder is used, which would force unnatural manipulation of the hive. Warre hives do a good job utilizing natural comb building - they harvest from the top and add space on the bottom - but that requires a significant amount of unpleasant lifting to manage. What you describe could be done (with an excluder), just as managing the bees to build upward can be done, obviously. Your suggestion would make accessing the brood in a Langstroth hive easier, but at the cost of more work to add supers under the brood. Either approach requires the keeper to take over hive management. My preference, which I tried to demonstrate in the video, is to provide an environment where I just give space and let the bees manage the hive. Thanks for your comment - I appreciate the thought-provoking consideration.