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BarnBrian
Nurse Bee
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Posts: 32
Location: UK, Lancs, Southport
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 Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 11:17 am Post subject: papier mache hive |
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Ok, it might be a crazy idea.
I'm toying with making a papier mache hive roughly replicating a hollow tree hive. My thoughts are to build up layers of papier mache and layers of chicken wire to form air space between each layer until I get a total wall thickness of around 50mm. I would then mount it up a tree about 5 metres off the ground.
I don't want to get inside it, I just want to see if I can attract a swarm and if they would flourish in it.
I've got a nest in my owl box in our roof which is about 1m square with about 120mm diameter entrance hole, the bees moved in over two years ago and appear very strong. |
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stevecook172001
Moderator Bee
Joined: 19 Jul 2013
Posts: 443
Location: Loftus, Cleveland
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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| No reason in principle, I guess, why it should not work. but, you would need to use some kind of waterproof glue/resin with the paper or it would fall apart in the first rainfall. The cost of such glue/resin will not be cheap given the amount you will need for such a project. In which case, in terms of cost, you may as well use timber. |
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BarnBrian
Nurse Bee
Joined: 08 Jul 2009
Posts: 32
Location: UK, Lancs, Southport
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2016 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I was only planning waterproofing the last layer. My thought behind using papier mache rather than timber was to achieve a random shape on the inside. |
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AugustC
Silver Bee
Joined: 08 Jul 2013
Posts: 613
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:57 am Post subject: |
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I can see no reason why it won't work per se. Unfortunately I can also see no reason why you would do it. To do it sufficiently would take a lot of time and work and what you would end up with is something that was almost as good as just using some wood.
There were some post on here a while back about hives made from papercrete. If you are intent on doing it may speed things up a little and give you better water resistance. |
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Tavascarow
Silver Bee
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 962
Location: UK Cornwall Snozzle
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| Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 9:39 am Post subject: |
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Some people have used the peat/papier mache pots as bait hives.
Personally I can see pluses to making hives this way. Recycled news print is free & no more trees are felled.
Personally I wouldn't waterproof the hive but build a cover to protect it from the worst of the elements as used to be done with skeps.
Clome the outside with cow dung & put a galvanised roof over the top.
Something like this or this.
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AugustC
Silver Bee
Joined: 08 Jul 2013
Posts: 613
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2016 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| Tavascarow wrote: |
Personally I can see pluses to making hives this way. Recycled news print is free & no more trees are felled.
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Paper recycled to paper can again be recycled.
Paper recylced to a bait has no future life.
Trees will continue to fall  |
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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