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Administrator
I need find something heavier or adopt the Helensburgh system or something like it for the association's polyhives. We have the slabs under the hives, but no wire as yet. I think that Murray just sticks a weight on top - must ask him. I had one decent stone or two smaller ones on top. One lid, and one lid plus the feeder had blown off but D had it in hand and they were back on. The bees had retreated down the way a little. Not sure if the small clusters are going to make it.
At my own apiary I had assumed that the shelter might mean that they were no-brick (wooden) colonies. Not so. Two had been blown right off their stands and were upside down with the clusters exposed. Righting a brood box with frames out of place and a strong cluster objecting to the disturbance wasn't easy, but I didn't get stung. The second was a lot weaker and didn't complain.
The orchard has lost another old tree and there was a mature oak down in the garden of a cottage nearby. Forgot to take a camera.
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Senior Member
Hope they'll come through alright Gavin. A no-brick colony? I have a heavy stone on every hive in all weather and all locations.. So does everyone else down here. Even though it's rarely needed, it gives some peace of mind. And I don't have to sit up in bed in the night in a cold sweat wondering if I'd added a brick or not.
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It’s a very busy time of year for me so I only got to check my hives this morning (before anyone asks I’m not Santa). Thursdays storm was severe even by Orkney’s standards. At it’s peak a low-lying wind turbine nearby recorded 100mph sustained wind speeds and a gust of 138mph. Having suffered storm damage in the past I make sure my hives are well prepared for winter, so up here it’s not a 3 brick colony but a 3 stone colony. Luckily my apiary was unscathed as you can see in the attached photos.
Nice photo on the front of this months Scottish Beekeeper but I think a few more bricks are needed.
Attachment 872Attachment 873Attachment 874
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Ah! That lovely Orkney stone which lends itself to everything from building neolithic villages to battening down hives! The apiary on the cover would have had an extra brick each, or even a stone, had the hives not been so waterlogged. If we get a stretch of dry weather (stop laughing, Gavin; it does happen!) I'll go round with extra weights. They are pretty well sheltered, though; the biggest danger is falling trees!
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Senior Member
It's blowing a proper gale again.
Will have to check lids again tomorrow.
No snow yet.
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Administrator
It sounded as bad out there as it was last Thursday and the road and rail bridges around us were completely shut, so I called round in the dark and the driving rain with a torch to check on the bees. All still upright and with their tops on.
That's some covering of stone you use in Orkney. Maybe you should go the whole way and just make your hives from rock.
I'll look forward to Trog's next picture of heavily weighted Mull hives slowly sinking into the mire. Don't rely on big trees for shelter - it didn't work for mine.
Last edited by gavin; 13-12-2011 at 09:43 PM.
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Still only one brick, Gavin ... and they're sitting on bedrock with a slab underneath and only one brick high on top of that. The shelter belt is drystone wall, woodland, sloe hedging, willow .... the big trees aren't shelter - only a threat if they fall that way!
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Senior Member
Lovely pictures Lindsay.
My hives all had 3 bricks on but 1 was blown over... it now has 4 bricks on it. I'm going to put a ratchet strap around each too after they've been moved.
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Administrator
I'd recommend the ratchet strap before you move them
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