Theyd build all the way down if you only put in 8 to 10 frames, then your divider board. Only have one entrance open. Add frames as they fill the others. They will keep their brood near the open entrance, and honey at other end, so you can remove extra honey without desturbing the brood. Each brood frame will have honey at top for winter, plus leave a honey frame at each end. For winter probably down to ten frames or so, easier for them to keep warm. Looks good!
If you want to have them draw comb on the bottom, you should have restricted the number of frames they had access too. As they ran out of room up top, they would have kept moving down. You have to stay on top of it that way until the comb gets fully drawn
With a starter strip at the top, would it be good to have a starter strip on the second layer as well? With your end board at the end, would it have been a better idea to keep it next to the last fully formed frame? Maybe this would force them to build lower. Then you can add frames as you need them. Just asking. Queen at 8:30 Clock position 1:30 2 inches from center. Green dot
That's actually the way it's supposed to be done. you want to keep a hive at 40% to 80% population load. This way it keeps the hive strong enough to keep moths and beatles out.
I’ve seen so many Layens Hives where the bees stop drawing out comb at that middle cross-support bar. I would love to see an experiment where that bar is removed and some wire is zig-zagged back and forth to the bottom. Seems like the cross bar is a barrier.
Yes, that they have the extra long frames, yet I always find that when you add that middle bar, it interferes with the continuous growth downwards. Removed the middle bars and just make sure you support it with wire or fishing line and you will see the difference.
Hey, if you glue a few wood peices in the shapes of triangles to the bottom of that middle bar, and then paint them with melted wax, they will rock the bottom half.
Hello, can you answer a question for me. I love the idea for this Layers, but already have Langstroths. If I were to glue together a deep Langstroth and one shallow, then nail those two frames together, do you think that would work. I love this idea of having longer frames, especially for wintering.
There are a lot of people experimenting with something like that. They take the langstroth frames and zip-tie them together. Bottom bar to top bar of the frame below and hang them in two boxes. I have never done it, but I know some are trying to emulate what you are thinking of. Look up Canberra bees.
It was placed in there for support originally by the manufacturer of the hive. My understanding is it did not work as intended and Bob removed it. Conventionally these frames are built as you described with wires running from vertically (unlike conventional Langstroth which run horizontal).
Seems like a solution in search of a problem. All the disadvantages of a Top Bar Hive and and Langstroth hive rolled into one. And that hive seems dooms, was there any worker brood at all in it?
I have a question for you. Do you find that honeybees prefer longer frames to work on? Like those in your Layens hive? I have langstroth hive and I had an idea of glueing one of my deep and shallow boxes together and doing the same for the frames to create a longer frame. What do you think of this idea?
The problem with really big Langstroth boxes is when you have to move them. A shallow and deep combined and full of honey would be quite heavy. This is the big advantage to the Layens, no heavy lifting.
@@dougstucki8253 Oh, probably true, yet I don't ever plan on moving it! I'm only going to have two hives on a rooftop garden here in NYC. And they won't every bee moved, except possibly in spring to clean the bottom board, and at that time, they will be empty. I have custom handles on the box as well, so it shoudn't be a problem at all for me. I'm going this route because I got a Flow Hive, because it will make extractions super easy for me in the city.
@@bradgoliphant Yeah, in that case it might be a good idea. I also have a Flow Hive, so I only move the lower boxes when I go in to inspect them. Come to think of it, I never have to move the lowest box, unless I'm going to swap boxes. So with longer frames you could just pull out one long frame at a time. Please let us know if you go that route and how it works for you.
@@dougstucki8253 Yea, I most certainly will. Basically, the bees will work it and use it just like a Layens Hive, yet I will be using modified Langstroth frames that are 17.5" deep. After watching weeks worth of videos on Dr. Leo S, and Michael Bush, I'm sold on longer frames, regardless what kind of hive you have them in. And being chemical free is the way I am going to attempt to go. Not treatment free, but chemical free. My grandfather taught me only to smoke the bees with dried black walnut hulls twice a year to kill mites. Completely free of chemicals and from nature. I'm so stoked to get back into beekeeping. Thanks for getting back with me.
@@bradgoliphant Whaaat!! I've never heard of that smoking method for mites. I definitely want to give that a shot. Thank you for sharing that tidbit of natural goodness.
Just looking at that it looks to me that the smaller hives might be better for most beehives i.e. a 14 frame rather than a 19 frame to encourage them to build down to the bottom of the frames? Or would you say otherwise?
I think you might have something there. After two seasons, they still have not built out all the frames. Kevin has a smaller Layens and they have built out all frames all the way to the bottom.
As I thought about it, the cross bars defeat the whole purpose of the long layens frame. I took your advice and removed all of the cross bars. Let's see what happens.
Checked on them to see progress. They have begun building down on just about every frame. Pretty clear that the cross bar was a hindrance. Nice meeting you at EAS and thanks for the suggestion.
The hive is doing very well. Tons of bees, tons of stores, and hopefully it is on target to overwinter. I just did some quick touch-ups with it as the bees got through a gap in the frames and were above the bars. I cleaned off the propolis and deployed a more functional follower board to keep them contained. Fingers crossed, they are as strong as they looked in this video.
You need to read the book on Horizontal beehives we're keeping with a sleeping with a smile it tells you how to work a horizontal weehive you need to have one end entrance clothes and add frames as I build
I have one of these Layens hives with the same dimension frames. My hive built the frames to the bottom with no difficulty. This is the conventional shape and size that is in widespread use in Europe where these hives originate. YMMV when it comes to bees building comb. Sometimes other factors are at play and no matter what it is a struggle with certain hives. I believe he removed the support bars and over time they did a better job building down the frames after this video was shot.
Theyd build all the way down if you only put in 8 to 10 frames, then your divider board. Only have one entrance open. Add frames as they fill the others. They will keep their brood near the open entrance, and honey at other end, so you can remove extra honey without desturbing the brood. Each brood frame will have honey at top for winter, plus leave a honey frame at each end. For winter probably down to ten frames or so, easier for them to keep warm. Looks good!
If you want to have them draw comb on the bottom, you should have restricted the number of frames they had access too. As they ran out of room up top, they would have kept moving down. You have to stay on top of it that way until the comb gets fully drawn
Exactly!
With a starter strip at the top, would it be good to have a starter strip on the second layer as well?
With your end board at the end, would it have been a better idea to keep it next to the last fully formed frame? Maybe this would force them to build lower. Then you can add frames as you need them.
Just asking.
Queen at 8:30
Clock position 1:30 2 inches from center.
Green dot
That's actually the way it's supposed to be done. you want to keep a hive at 40% to 80% population load. This way it keeps the hive strong enough to keep moths and beatles out.
I’ve seen so many Layens Hives where the bees stop drawing out comb at that middle cross-support bar. I would love to see an experiment where that bar is removed and some wire is zig-zagged back and forth to the bottom. Seems like the cross bar is a barrier.
Yes, that they have the extra long frames, yet I always find that when you add that middle bar, it interferes with the continuous growth downwards. Removed the middle bars and just make sure you support it with wire or fishing line and you will see the difference.
Nice hive! Would love to see more? Amazing! What size are y Your openings?
Hey, if you glue a few wood peices in the shapes of triangles to the bottom of that middle bar, and then paint them with melted wax, they will rock the bottom half.
Yes, and all your reasoning why longer frames are better for the bees is why I am going to do this. Excited.
I think this hive has a laying worker. Queenless I didn’t see any brood all drones. The thick bar in middle stops them building comb
Hello, can you answer a question for me. I love the idea for this Layers, but already have Langstroths. If I were to glue together a deep Langstroth and one shallow, then nail those two frames together, do you think that would work. I love this idea of having longer frames, especially for wintering.
There are a lot of people experimenting with something like that. They take the langstroth frames and zip-tie them together. Bottom bar to top bar of the frame below and hang them in two boxes. I have never done it, but I know some are trying to emulate what you are thinking of. Look up Canberra bees.
You and bob seem to be haveing a good time.
Cut some comb from the top and put it down in the bottom as a lure. The bees do not like start across any sort barrier if nothing is there.
Painting items with melted wax is often a good encouragement for them :)
What's the purpose of the divider stick? Other Layens type frames I've seen use frame wire for strengthening the comb but no divider.
It was placed in there for support originally by the manufacturer of the hive. My understanding is it did not work as intended and Bob removed it. Conventionally these frames are built as you described with wires running from vertically (unlike conventional Langstroth which run horizontal).
Seems like a solution in search of a problem. All the disadvantages of a Top Bar Hive and and Langstroth hive rolled into one. And that hive seems dooms, was there any worker brood at all in it?
Your worker brood identification might need a bit of work as you can see them when frames are being removed.
I have a question for you. Do you find that honeybees prefer longer frames to work on? Like those in your Layens hive? I have langstroth hive and I had an idea of glueing one of my deep and shallow boxes together and doing the same for the frames to create a longer frame. What do you think of this idea?
The problem with really big Langstroth boxes is when you have to move them. A shallow and deep combined and full of honey would be quite heavy. This is the big advantage to the Layens, no heavy lifting.
@@dougstucki8253 Oh, probably true, yet I don't ever plan on moving it! I'm only going to have two hives on a rooftop garden here in NYC. And they won't every bee moved, except possibly in spring to clean the bottom board, and at that time, they will be empty. I have custom handles on the box as well, so it shoudn't be a problem at all for me. I'm going this route because I got a Flow Hive, because it will make extractions super easy for me in the city.
@@bradgoliphant Yeah, in that case it might be a good idea. I also have a Flow Hive, so I only move the lower boxes when I go in to inspect them. Come to think of it, I never have to move the lowest box, unless I'm going to swap boxes. So with longer frames you could just pull out one long frame at a time. Please let us know if you go that route and how it works for you.
@@dougstucki8253 Yea, I most certainly will. Basically, the bees will work it and use it just like a Layens Hive, yet I will be using modified Langstroth frames that are 17.5" deep. After watching weeks worth of videos on Dr. Leo S, and Michael Bush, I'm sold on longer frames, regardless what kind of hive you have them in. And being chemical free is the way I am going to attempt to go. Not treatment free, but chemical free. My grandfather taught me only to smoke the bees with dried black walnut hulls twice a year to kill mites. Completely free of chemicals and from nature. I'm so stoked to get back into beekeeping. Thanks for getting back with me.
@@bradgoliphant Whaaat!! I've never heard of that smoking method for mites. I definitely want to give that a shot. Thank you for sharing that tidbit of natural goodness.
Just looking at that it looks to me that the smaller hives might be better for most beehives i.e. a 14 frame rather than a 19 frame to encourage them to build down to the bottom of the frames? Or would you say otherwise?
I think you might have something there. After two seasons, they still have not built out all the frames. Kevin has a smaller Layens and they have built out all frames all the way to the bottom.
Just a thought, can the cross bar be removed easily, on one frame, to see if the bees will continue to build down on that frame.
As I thought about it, the cross bars defeat the whole purpose of the long layens frame. I took your advice and removed all of the cross bars. Let's see what happens.
Checked on them to see progress. They have begun building down on just about every frame. Pretty clear that the cross bar was a hindrance. Nice meeting you at EAS and thanks for the suggestion.
Bob, I am glad it is working out. Good to meet you too. See you in Maine.
How are your bees doing in the Layens hive?
The hive is doing very well. Tons of bees, tons of stores, and hopefully it is on target to overwinter. I just did some quick touch-ups with it as the bees got through a gap in the frames and were above the bars. I cleaned off the propolis and deployed a more functional follower board to keep them contained. Fingers crossed, they are as strong as they looked in this video.
I use horizontal Langstroth hives as well
I cannot see the advantage in the deep frames and by looking at this hive the bees do not seem all that fussed rather.
Drone layer?
Very cool hive
You need to read the book on Horizontal beehives we're keeping with a sleeping with a smile it tells you how to work a horizontal weehive you need to have one end entrance clothes and add frames as I build
Too much space. They should have a quater of what they have for space if you expect them to fill the frames.
I have one of these Layens hives with the same dimension frames. My hive built the frames to the bottom with no difficulty. This is the conventional shape and size that is in widespread use in Europe where these hives originate. YMMV when it comes to bees building comb. Sometimes other factors are at play and no matter what it is a struggle with certain hives. I believe he removed the support bars and over time they did a better job building down the frames after this video was shot.
Maybe they didn't build down because of the mouse
Layk!!!!in the Russiya Krymea
upper right of the frame at 8:27 you have the queen.
it got a green dot on it
Queen at 8:30 green
Good eye. That's her alright.