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Author Topic: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)  (Read 3918 times)

Offline mattiaccio44

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New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« on: September 08, 2010, 06:08:41 pm »
I am going to try a new style of hive this spring on a farm pollination contract. This will be a side by side type of hive consistiting of a 20 frame hive with wood dividers verses deeps being placed on top of each other. the theory being that only ten frames will be exposed initially and once the hive is in full swing, the remaining frames will be exposed. the divider with an entrance closure for the left or right side will be used to deny the bees access to one side of the hive until sufficient brood has taken hold on one side. The honey supers fit right on top of the hive perfectly. This keeps you from having to stack multiple deeps and supers on a hive. I am tinkering and experimenting here and wondering if anyone has done anything like this before. I am looking to see if there is any difference or effect on swarming or honey production. Thoughts, comments?

Offline caticind

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2010, 11:03:00 am »
Yes, I use custom-built long hives that resemble that.  Each is a 4-ft rectangle box of the correct width and rabbeting to hold standard deep lang frames.  We have follower boards cut to fit inside that can slide to change the size of the area available to the bees.  Lang supers fit well on top.

So far I've found that this hive builds much faster than the lang next to it, but that may be due to other factors.  This is its first year in action and the hive is only about half full, so I'm not sure what the effect will be on swarming or honey production.

Two comments: 

1) Make sure you have thought carefully about how you will cover the hives and how the covers will line up with your dividers.  If you're not careful you can unintentionally create extra entrances.

2) Consider how you will move them.  Langs are much preferred by pollinators precisely because they can be strapped together and moved by one person with a dolly.  Even a 20-frame long hive may be too awkward to move by yourself and probably won't fit on any of the smaller hive lifting tools available.  Depending on the size of the contract, this could be a great way to blow your back out.

Best of luck and do update us on your design ideas as you work it out!
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

Online Michael Bush

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2010, 07:30:32 pm »
A double wide actually will hold 22 regular frames and 24 1 1/4" frames... I have several.  I can't say they were any more or less productive but if you want to run deeps for brood it saves lifting so many heavy boxes.
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Offline Pete

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2010, 12:51:32 am »
My bee mentor is too old to lift supers and therefore reducing hive numbers. But a long hive on a stand at perfect height for frames would be ideal.

Do you guys have any pics of these hive we might able to use a guide?

Offline tecumseh

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2010, 08:23:53 am »
a young fellow showed one of these at a fairly recent bee club meeting.  his dad who was the beekeeper appeared to have something of a disability and the flat nature of this long box hive seemed to be an excellent remedy.  I think (speculating for sure) than even someone wheel chair confined could use this design successfully.
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Online Michael Bush

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Offline mattiaccio44

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #6 on: September 28, 2010, 09:32:38 pm »
Here is a photo of the hive. It holds 36 frames. I went a little crazy here. I dont think I will build another one this large. I will make the next one smaller.

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #7 on: September 28, 2010, 11:32:02 pm »
I did this (long hive) this year using mediums.  I agree, they do build up much faster, which leads to a lot of swarm cells.  I split 4, yes FOUR hives off my one long hive.  I had more trouble with my tops for this hive.  Hard to get on and off without killing many more bees than with the Lang.  I may use it again next spring to raise some queens off a really nice feral I have.  Oh, my hive never stored the amount of honey the Lang. hives did.  They were too busy splitting on their own even though I tried to keep the brood chamber open. 
Stephen Stewart
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Offline caticind

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2010, 12:04:39 pm »
Here's a brief video showing one of my long hives during a major orientation flight:

Feeding the bees

The box is 4 feet long and wide enough to take deep Lang frames.  The bottom is screened like a TBH, then we set the whole thing on two courses of concrete block.  You could easily make the stand higher or lower to suit someone in a wheelchair.  The long hive is also great for anyone who doesn't want to prove the truth of the adage that all old beekeepers have bad backs.

We'll see how they do next year on swarming, but I can tell you they build up just fine.  This hive was started as a 5-frame split from a Lang on June 20 and now has 15 full frames.
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

Offline AllenF

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2010, 04:38:18 pm »
In the springtime when they are building up, I would like to see how they build in a longbox, frame by frame.   It would make some good shots.

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2010, 10:27:15 pm »
What's in the pan??????
Stephen Stewart
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Offline caticind

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2010, 11:26:33 pm »
AllenF, assuming they make it through the winter, I'll be glad to get some shots for you.   :)


ArmucheeBee, it's sugar syrup.  I was feeding that day and had a ziploc baggie leak on me.  I caught about a 1/4 cup of syrup in that dish (actually a plant pot drain) while pinching off the leak, and set it out for the girls while I went inside to transfer to another bag.

Since the girls were out orienting, and it was at the beginning of the dearth, they cleaned it up in about 15 minutes, before any robbers could get wind.
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2010, 11:01:46 pm »
Hate to hear your dearth is starting.  I thought you would have a few more weeks up there.  We are at the peak of golden rod which was hurt by a 5 week drought. 
Stephen Stewart
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"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

Offline caticind

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Re: New style of hive (side by side deep -vs- deeps on top)
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2010, 11:47:05 am »
No, the video is from July.  Our dearth has come and gone, and the fall flow is on.  Not sure what they are bringing in - no goldenrod stench, but I am in town, so there are a wide variety of ornamentals around.
The bees would be no help; they would tumble over each other like golden babies and thrum wordlessly on the subjects of queens and sex and pollen-gluey feet. -Palimpsest

 

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