Beekeeping | Can This Tiny Tool Save Your Honey Bees??

[@beeamazzzinghives]

Unfortunately, I know very well what you had there after buying a house built in 60's that had every wall covered with wallpaper. uugggghhh! I just wonder if scoring the boxes, then making the girls spend their time gathering and applying propolis is worth it? Maybe letting the girls forage more for pollen and nectar is a better use of their time.

[@beek]

Possibly but there are always foragers for propolis at the same time others are foraging for water, nectar and pollen and other minerals.

[@ArnTheViking]

@@beek from the NAHBE session if I remember right, their research showed negligible decrease in honey. Very few bees collecting propolis, and thus taking almost a whole season for the hive walls to get covered. And then the follwing seasons the fully enveloped hives were doing slightly better. :)

[@MotionArtist3D]

When I once melted all the propolis I collected from cleaned up boxes, there was a layer of wax on top which was heavily infused with propolis. I then scraped this wax and have been applying it to my hive boxes sealing all the corners as well as on the corners in the hive floors. This saves bees all the hard work from having to do it themselves and spend more time building their wax combs, taking care of the young etc... I have also found out that if you paint docarative pictures outside of the hive box(s) bees seem to florish better for some reason. Maybe they respond to the love you put into providing them that king of living environment. 🙏🏼

[@CastleHives]

I'm curious how the new Propola hive bodies will perform, adding that propolis barrier. Good stuff, David.

[@beek]

Thanks Brian!

[@mathgasm8484]

I have 8 of them in my inventory for pending review when I do splits.

[@brianw.520]

I literally just got rough cut lumber from a giant white pine my grandparents planted over 50 years ago. I was about to plane it down to make the wood dimensions 3/4 inch but now I think I'll hold off and leave it rough cut! Thanks David!

[@beek]

Nice!!

[@illumi-Nate]

I have an old circular sawmill so alot of my boxes are rough sawn lumber & I actually like them better.. some of them I made 3/4", & others I made 1-1/4" thick to see if they over winter any better.

[@zalmaflash]

The "TOOL" is called a PAPER TIGER and is used for scoring wallpaper so water can get in to the paste to release the paper from a wall.

[@j.clarkhelton7883]

Going across the grain of the boards will help to fuzz the wood fibers more rapidly and with less energy exerted.

[@beek]

True

[@alanboone9883]

Looks like using a wire brush chucked in a drill would be an easy way to put a rough surface on the wood.

[@williemaykit7940]

Those are good on multi layered wallpaper. You follow the scoring with a spray bottle of a vinegar/water solution or use a Black and Decker wallpaper steamer after the scoring. I may score the inside of my hive and give it a try. Anything to keep them healthier.

[@Jaxiska1]

I was just reading about the propolis envelope in Thomas Seeley's book The Lives of Bees. It seems a propolis envelope helps lower the immune gene expression of the bees, thereby enabling them to devote more energy to brood rearing, comb building, and foraging. Sounds like a winner to me! And I already have one of those scoring tools. I'm on it! Thanks David!

[@beek]

Nice. He was publishing work on propolis back in 1976

[@alexpopa2807]

I wonder if you would get similar results using a drill with a wire wheel, I think an angle grinder with wire wheel may be too aggressive,I don't expect you to make the same video twice but perhaps a quick comparison?

[@bradgoliphant]

David-where can I buy this? And what’s it called? Grateful.

[@davidlaing7684]

I have some foam box hives . I would not be able to score so a tincture would be a solution for them and plastic hives.

[@hannasbees]

Such a cool concept! My mentor has been telling me to make a propolis tincture for the insides of my hives for a while now!

[@wolfgangthaler8494]

It would be cool to do one side of a brood box and show what it looks like after a week or two, but maybe you already made a video like that ☺

[@beek]

I thought about doing 3 side with different scoring devices and leave one as untouched and see the outcome.

[@zoobee4824]

I actually wondered about this when I first started, why the inside of the boxes were so smooth?. Rough wood is more closely what tree boles would be like. I run LYsons now so not sure what I could do?🙃

[@AdamNwesternmass]

I just drove some sheet rock screws through a palm size piece of 2x4. Works great.

[@beek]

Good idea

[@michaelpariera4328]

Could you do a follow up video showing the propolis on what the bees do to the box?

[@beek]

Yes once we get out of a hard winter in a few months

[@paulgroth5414]

Hi David, try making a tincture with the alcohol (high proof grain)I learned this from the beekeeper that retired, I have never been more healthy, few drops orally daily, it's amazing stuff!

[@j.clarkhelton7883]

Yes David. That is a wallpaper scoring tool for the removal process of wallpaper. Good job. You are spot on.

[@beek]

Thanks

[@frogsurfer4403]

Easiest way that I find for scoring hive boxes is to use a wood hand saw. Hold the saw sideways by the blade (not the handle) and drag the teeth across the wood. Drag in one direction at an angle and then opposite direction to create a cross hatch pattern in the wood.

[@beek]

I’m going to try that, thanks. I bet some people have never used a wood HAND saw. That’s all we use to have!

[@brittbochiardy8115]

Have tried a meat tenderizing roller?

[@laurahilger820]

I bought one of these 20 years ago when we took all the wall paper down in our house. I either threw it away or gave it away since it was not being used anymore... oh no!!!

[@ArnTheViking]

That does remind me about last fall, I cut down a cedar tree with my chainsaw (bad for your fruit trees), and I had a couple of bees going "nuts" in the saw chips...! Was very funny looking, digging down in it, sometimes disappearing in under it, lol! :D At the NAHBE they said bees mostly collect propolis from the leaves, but guessing saw chips work as well, unless the liked it for some other reason?

[@sneezyferret6482]

Do you score the supers as well, or just the brood boxes?

[@beek]

Why not, couldn't hurt as they would in their natural habitat of a tree.

[@ScottThorn-v7r]

The Lord is Speaking to me and oddly this beekeeping has become a new interest to me. I was lost for a decade but am now awake and reborn through the blood of Jesus Christ Scott Thorn of 2000-2023 is no longer and I have buried the past whether the world forgives me or not I am comforted with know The Lord and Savior has delivered me though I have a long road ahead I will fear no evil.

[@garyRt23Bees]

Burning the inside slightly has the same effect. The pulp burns faster leaving ridges in the wood. But the black char left behind gets tracked thru the hive and blackens even new comb. I have heard that the smell of burnt wood also attracts bees, but i can not confirm that. Roughing the inside will be a much neater hive !

[@beek]

I used to also burn the inside of my hives.

[@jdhasfun7087]

Hey David I am starting beekeeping this spring and I live in the bottom tip of NH do you have any tips for me to properly care for my bees 🐝

[@beek]

Good for you!! Yes, study and take classes. Especially learn as much as you can about bee biology.

[@jdhasfun7087]

Thanks for the help

[@maryannl7904]

My husband lends me his drill and wire brush wheel to score the inside! Speaking of propolis, I use minute amounts in homemade dog food I give my fur baby with IBD. It appears it’s helping a lot!!!!!

[@beek]

Glad it is helping

[@jonclemons1421]

My question would bee... Is it adding more work to build propolis on the walls when they could be building wax or honey? It's definitely not a bad thing.

[@beek]

One of the study recommends not adding the propolis trap material to the sides as it does reduce the inside brood space.

[@TheBaconWizard]

I am running an experiment by charring the inside of the hive like heavy shou sugi ban to see if they propolize it more. I also have some bodies made with rough sawn red cedar.

[@beek]

Keep us up to date

[@gallowaylights]

Fabulous!😊

[@stephanievanorden1765]

Sounds interesting

[@nathanpotter8569]

Is that a dif wallpaper removal tool? 🤔

[@beek]

It doesn’t remove it but scores it to assist the removal.

[@wolfiemom7648]

Wirebrush?

[@beek]

Try it and report back.

[@rickabrams3422]

10:25 for the tool

[@TheBaconWizard]

What has created so much more interest recently is the work done by Marla Spivak et al, who's faculty have managed to prove that propolis has a notable effect on the bees ability to deal with viruses and other disease, including that in the USA at least they tend to go-for species of poplar for the resin (from buds) in particular.

[@beek]

Yes, I reference her work in my show notes and in the video.

[@murat5103]

Bee Hives producer must watch this video.

[@beek]

I was contacted a decade ago by some doing the studies encouraging us to score the insides of our hives.

[@paulhermes9817]

yeah propolis

[@alecjaquez9194]

Happy belated birthday.. Hello everyone beek squad

[@beek]

Thanks so much!

[@geraltofrivia8529]

I always put propolis back on the crown board in case they want to reuse it, if it's still there next inspection i'll remove it. Taking apart old equipment is a great way of learning how bees work.

[@beek]

True

[@stephenluna7932]

That’s very cool

[@beek]

Thanks

[@RussellSamson-d1t]

How about a ruff sandpaper,scuffing

[@beek]

Try it and update your comment

[@BudFord-t2i]

Look at carpet rakes. Might work

[@beek]

I wonder if they are strong or stiff enough?

[@BudFord-t2i]

Have to get one and try

[@beek]

Keep us posted.

[@BudFord-t2i]

I only have 1 hive. I'm new to this. I checked my hive today and I have live bee's. I put sugar blocks in there. I have our county inspector helping me. That being said I'm getting a 2nd hive this spring. He told me the importance of 2 hives. I'll try the carpet rake then. I'm a maintenance guy. I'll see what I can come up with to make it faster and easier

[@a3skywarrior929]

You can use a carpet stay...or make one with any nails...also a rasp file if you have one.

[@douglaslodge8580]

I'm doing the same thing with rough sawn lumber.

[@beek]

Yes, if you can find rough lumber on one side and place that inside, that's perfect.

[@douglaslodge8580]

@@beek I live in Kentucky and am surrounded by sawmills. We plain the outside smooth.

[@illumi-Nate]

Cool video! Useful info! Thanks David! Appreciate your time!

[@beek]

Glad it was helpful! I appreciate you taking time to let me know you enjoyed the video.

[@ArnTheViking]

@beek great video! Thank you for covering this topic! And great links! And you got some great discussion/comments going, love it! And as you said, I think this is great for the hobby beekeeper, wanting to squeeze out any little extra benefits for their bees! I will definitely try this on my few hives! :)

[@beek]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@trutherjoe5286]

quiz time! how do you pronounce it? A. prōpolis B. prôpolis winning team gets free bees!