The morning after a big rain storm, the hive’s front porch is littered with bee corpses and other debris. But the workers have already started the cleanup, and before long the place is spotless. Here’s a look at what they do. Video by Russell Bates. Find more at www.BackwardsBeekeepers.com
Backwards Beekeeper Kirk Anderson (aka Kirkobeeo) shows how to make starter strips and put them in your hive frames. Starter strips are the Backwards Beekeepers’ alternative to the wax foundation traditionally used in beehive frames; the wax sheets sold commercially usually come from hives that use chemicals and fungicides. Letting your bees draw their own comb also means that they’ll build cells that are the size they want, not the size you tell them to build. This means you get bees that …