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imago Nurse Bee
Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 29 Location: Switzerland, Rhone valley
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Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 1:47 pm Post subject: Multipurpose mini hktbh |
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I wanted to have a small version of the htbh that can be moved and that I could aslo use to host very small colonies. I also wanted to validate the design for the next full size hives I'm going to build.
This is really a luxury hive (it only misses the side window) and some parts could be simplified or skipped.
This one has small plastic feet to protect the side panels. It comes with four rotating entrances in case I want to keep a virgin queen for some times.
The side panel gives access to moveable varroa mesh and varroa floor for inspection and cleaning.
The hive can host twelve bars and there are three removable separators. I'll build vertical feeders if I need to feed them.
This is my third design. I like the deep bottom that can host a mesh and a board, a mesh only or even a drawer for a natural floor. It also allows me to evaporate oxalic acid to remove varroas.
I usually made more complex roofs but this time I wanted to have a simple and "easy" made one, it only has one inch of foam for insulation. |
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imago Nurse Bee
Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 29 Location: Switzerland, Rhone valley
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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This is a prototype vertical feeder.
I usually worked with standard horizontal feeders (I've some feeding bars with holes) but they require an deep roof, this one will be fine for my mini hive with simple roof.
It can bee filled with sirup or fondant.
The entrance holes for bees are too big, they should be only 4-5 mm wide. It contains nearly 1 liter and is made of expansed PVC. |
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TimC House Bee
Joined: 05 May 2019 Posts: 12 Location: Wisconsin, USA
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Posted: Tue May 07, 2019 3:14 am Post subject: |
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imago... Very nice. I really like the idea of a saw kerf holding the follower board. Very clever. As long as the top bars are consistent widths I can see this working better than what I have for followers as the bees seem to get by them and then for some reason are trapped in no bee land. |
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imago Nurse Bee
Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 29 Location: Switzerland, Rhone valley
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Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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TimC wrote: | imago... Very nice. I really like the idea of a saw kerf holding the follower board. Very clever. As long as the top bars are consistent widths I can see this working better than what I have for followers as the bees seem to get by them and then for some reason are trapped in no bee land. |
Thank you TimC but they are in fact not strictly follower boards but instead separators. This little hive has no follower boards.
I'll have to check how this work, but I'm afraid that the bee will glue them strongly, even stronger than follower boards or they'll put propolis in the kerf that will render them useless.
I'll come back in a year if I have an interesting feedback. |
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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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