Beekeepers understanding beekeepers

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Robert Silverstein

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Apr 5, 2026, 10:24:13 AM (12 days ago) Apr 5
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Greetings all,
Every year around this time while reading a post I can't figure out what the poster is trying to say. Thankfully, in 2021 Rusty Burlew wrote an article I turn to over and over again. The crux of her post is: Wouldn't it be great if all beekeepers communicated with each other using the same vocabulary. 


Bee well,
Bob

J mcinnes

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Apr 5, 2026, 3:18:07 PM (12 days ago) Apr 5
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Thank you for sharing this. It was very educational but also witty. 

Janet 

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Joan Houston

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Apr 7, 2026, 11:53:35 AM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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I met Rusty indirectly at a bee conference a while back. I was geeking out with a guy about something science-related that had little to do with beekeeping when she showed up. I glanced at the guy’s badge and realized he was her husband. We chatted briefly and she seemed happy he had found someone to talk to.

Mark O'Neill

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Apr 7, 2026, 3:55:08 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Mark O'Neill

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Apr 7, 2026, 3:56:46 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Sorry about the empty email.

Thank you, Joan; I could not agree more!

Mark O'Neill

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Apr 7, 2026, 4:06:58 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Thank you, Joan; I couldn't agree more!

I still get flustered with "medium to honey boxes"? Or is it medium to large, etc.? Actually that was on my mind yesterday. Go to the meeting next Tuesday, and sit and ask the experts (or really smart-smart) beekeepers those questions. Silly as it seems, I probably was told about it some time ago, but I just plum forgot. 

On Tue, Apr 7, 2026 at 8:53 AM Joan Houston <bee...@dripzhoney.com> wrote:
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Gerald Przybylski

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Apr 7, 2026, 5:16:14 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Have a look at this drawing
https://www.beesource.com/threads/build-it-yourself-equipment-plans-in-pdf-format.367102/#lg=thread-367102&slide=0

If  the main purpose of the box is raising brood (eggs, larva, pupa), it's a brood box.
If the main purpose of the box is storing honey, it's a "SUPER". 

"Shallow" boxes are mainly used for comb-honey. 
There's another odd size, called the "California Medium" which is an inch taller than a medium.  In general, don't buy them. 

That slide-show has a lot of other interesting pix in it. 

Anyone with a table saw and reasonable shop skills can build those (expensive) bottom boards, especially if you have a cheap source of wood. 
A full-size sheet baking pan from business-costco is $8 - it does the job of a $$ telescoping cover for so much less. (the hive should have a migratory cover or slab of plywood cut to fit) 
In winter half the heat a hive (a colony) generates is lost through the top, so Insulating the top is a big win.  An inch or two of styrofoam panel will do the job. 

that's my 2¢
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Mark O'Neill

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Apr 7, 2026, 5:26:42 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Gerald,   I'll add three cents to your two, because it was worth it. Thank you.

real...@aol.com

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Apr 7, 2026, 5:51:51 PM (10 days ago) Apr 7
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Simpy look at it on the gravity point ,

 Deep or large on the bottom for stability 
- Then the Queen excluder (some swear it is useless ) i use them in order not hunt for the queen or prevent the queen from laying eggs all over the place all detrimental to honey production 
- Then the Super or so called medium( depend from where the beekeeper is from or located, 
-  or small frame for beekeeper who sell the honey with wax can be round or square. 
- Then the cover 
- Then the roof .
 It is important to insulate the roof in the summer as dependingg where you are it will reach the 120 and higher , in order to cool it down bees vent the beehive , when they do so they are not gathering nectar , a simple piece of styrofoam at least 1” will suffice .

To put a monkey wrench in the concept, I know some beekeeper who do not use deep frame only medium and some who do not super only deep , in a few years they will complain their back hurt the price to pay for being macho ! 

As fas as vocabulary it is like using acronym , is someone use a different name for one part it ids fun to figure out the meaning , so much so that the last Co I woked for , had several pages guide 
No wonder customers waited and waited , but is was cool to use acronyms .


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