The family does Top Bar beekeeping, which is more simple but less common than using Langstroth style hives. They are simpler because when it is time to harvest the honey you just cut the whole comb off (which means that you also get wax in the harvesting process!) instead of saving it for the next honey harvest. This also makes them less susceptable to diseases and pests that like to target old comb. My first project was to help Kwao build 10 square hives (top bar hives are usually trapezoids so that the bees won't stick comb to the sides) so that they can pick up and transport colonies from a seller (they lost a lot of hives during the Hurricane). I had no idea that beeboxes had to be so precise! Bees need at least 3/8ths of an inch underneath the body of the hive so that they can get in. That should also be their only place of entry. We also had to nail tin to the top to make them waterproof. I'm excited to get to see the new colonies once they come in (we'll be dropping off the hives by the end of this week). The boys taught me some valuable carpentry tricks and helped out with the building process a ton while also providing some quality entertainment....
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