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I have no experience with the layens hive. Here in Virginia the bees overwinter just fine in top bars, and several of my friends have started Long langstroths this summer. The long langstroth would be your easiest bet to avoid heavy lifting, if you went with the layens, you could use this style...

No experience with it... first impression is that one would have to be a pretty skilled beekeeper to achieve good results. For example, here in Central Va our summer flow frequently crystallizes in the comb and is unextractable. There are flow groups on f book.

Michael Bush says- expect nothing, and then be pleasantly surprised if you do get some! It is totally dependent on your location, and your aptitude as a beekeeper. Your local bee club can usually give you an idea of a per hive average...

Once you've got her in the queen catcher securely, you take your index finger and bring the foam plunger up ever so slowly until she lines up with the slots in the blue gate. When she lands up, you bring it up another 16th of an inch to trap her in the slot and hold her securely while you mark...

The blue gate is supple, like vinyl. You pull it down with your thumb so that the circle is open. Pull the foam plunger down with your index finger, to give the queen plenty of room . You hold the frame with a queen on it in one hand, and you put the open circle over the queen with the other...

Getcha one of those thingys, and the right uniposca pen for the year color you want to use.

Thanks, Latestarter! Sorry about that post, Happy Chooks! I forgot what this thread was about in the first place. :rolleyes: Seriously, if you practice on drones next drone season, you'll get the skills to manage your Queens without putting them in danger.

Why mark your queens? Are you raising queens? Practice marking drones.:D =D I'm home sick today, so forgive me if I sound peckish :hide

The times I've seen queens outside of the hive on their own initiative, they've always had a cohort. 'Course I'm still green as grass w this whole bee keeping thing...:weee

A silly old bear explains everything just after the 1:00 mark...

Possible usurpation swarm...

I'm in the middle of extracting, I've pulled four five gallon buckets so far. Still haven't gone through the top bars yet.

My point is - for whatever reason, the 'hive mind' has shifted from expansion mode to survival mode. Sometimes they can be coaxed back into a building phase by feeding them syrup.

Beekeeping is so very local... here in Central Va the dearth has been coming on for the past 3 weeks. It has really clamped down this past week, lawns are drying up and the ground is cracking open. We didnt get any of TS Cindy's moisture. I noticed my bees backfilling the broodnest two weeks...

That was over 13 months ago... ;)

Autololcorrect... fireweed

Poppies, bugloss, firewood and phacelia

Topbar catching sunlight in the kitchen window...

Our flow is slowing, the bees are switching to clover and assorted wildflowers now.