The Hive

 

Open native bee hive (bottom section) - Tetragonula carbonaria 

These stingless bees build their brood  area in a spiral.

When weighed this native bee hive was over 9.5 kg. This meant that it was full of bees and full of honey.

The hive is made to be split in half to make two hives out of one.

The brood area was built as a spiral which is characteristic of Tetragonula carbonaria. The other stingless honey-producing species is Tetragonula hockingsi whose brood area is more higgledy piggledy. 

Around the brood area are pods made of propolis (a mixture of tree-resin and wax). In the photo some pods are broken showing either liquid honey or yellow pollen.

In this particular hive the honey pods are near the  main entrance (bottom of photo) and the pollen pods are towards the rear (top of photo) - This is the opposite of the usual arrangement. This hive was positioned so that the small rear vent was in a sunnier position for some of the year - the bees then preferred to use vent as the  as a main entrance.

I do not remove any honey from the bottom brood chamber. I only remove honey from the separate top chamber called a honey super.

Weigh in

 

This hive weighs 10.5 kg.

When a native bee hive weighs about 9 kg then it is read to be harvested.

The overall hive dimensions are 200mm x 280mm x 295mm (high). The box is has three pieces. The bottom piece and middle piece form a single chamber for the brood. The middle level (mid box) is sealed at the top to separate it from the top piece (honey super) except for a connecting hole towards the top-back.

The front of the bottom piece has a main entrance (12mm diameter). The back of the mid box has a hole of a vent (7mm diameter). 

The thoney super is a chamber much smaller than the combined chamber of the bottom and middle pieces. Bees enter it by going through the brood chamber to the top-back and passing through the connecting hole.

The position of the entrance between the mid box and the honey super means that the bees are likely to store only honey in the top level.

The painted design on the front is to help the bees find the right hive.

Hinge Factor

 

I changed my preferred brand of clothes peg.

But for all the brands I have used, they all break at the hinge.

Wild Guy

 

I once went bush waking (with a friend) through Guy Fawkes National Park. We camped at Marengo Creek near where it joins Guy Fawkes River in New South Wales : 30.125211 degrees South, 152.301443 degrees West.

I went for a swim in the creek in a large basin. The circular hole was made made by a fallen tree when its roots lifted from the earth. As I cooled off in the water up to my neck, small fish swam up and began to nibble at my skin - it was a strange tickling sensation and very enjoyable.

Thunder days

 

Thunder-days are an old measure of storm activity - The modern measure is lightning flash density.

The first map I used in the 1980's was hand drawn and black and white and old. It also showed Darwin with the highest activity with over 80 thunder days and Brisbane with slightly less.

The modern map shows Brisbane is not nearly as bad as for lightning as previously thought.

Tightening my Belt

 

I have lost some weight and my circumference is less than before.

Consequently I have use a hollow punch to allow my belt to tighten a bit extra.

Measuring Tape

 

As a boy I watched my grandfather use his tape measure - it has a big red button to retract the tape. 

The tape measure was recently given to me. The first foot had a lot of damage and it was hard to use. It also lacked metric markings.

When I looked for a replacement tape blade I found that The Evan's measuring tape was a well loved artifact and is even collected by enthusiasts. Replacement blades were expensive and with freight some offered prices were over $100. And none of the replacement blades were metric.

Instead I purchased a 2 metre metric tape measure with the same blade width for less than $6 from my favourite hardware warehouse. Then I transferred the measuring blade from the new tape measure to the Evan's tape measure.

For curiosity, I disassembled the Evan's tape measure and it is in perfect condition internally - no wonder people collect them.

The tape measure is now ready for another 50 years service.

I also note that the Evan's tape measure has no plastic components and  the $6 tape measure is plastic except the spring and the measuring blade.