Bee Hives

[JackLeg]

Anybody ever built any bee hives? I've already hit the web sites about construction of a few types, so what I'm really interested in is your experience. (Wood type, joinery, how long to build one, etc. )

Thanks in advance for any input.

:wsmile:

 

[Mike Davis]

I built two from kits, they were cheaper than buying the wood for me then, but you have all that great Cypress!

I would use the cypress. My kits were pine and finger jointed. If you have a dovetail jig that would be stronger.

If you make the top out of tin they last a long time. Paint the outside with white latex. Don't paint the inside. There are a few little improvements you can do over the kits. Like crowning the top so water drips off faster and away from the front.

 

[Ozzie-x]

My Dad used to build bazoodles of them and had 20-30 stands at one time. As I recall, the type of wood made a difference to the bees. Also there's several design elements that are important for the health of the bees and to keep weevils out, etc. I'll ask him about it this weekend. From what I understand there's also some other "new" threats to bee colonies, and that could also effect the design. There's several on-line bee websites that would probably be a good resource. Bee keeping has come a long way in the past 30 years.

 

[JackLeg]

Thanks Mike and Randy. Yep, I was thinking of using cypress. I also was thinking "box joints?" Think the bees know the difference in a dovetail and a box joint?:nah:

All input appreciated. Randy, I'll be interested to see what your Dad has to say.

Thanx again.

 

[jeff...]

I recall reading something about decline of bees and problems of keeping them healthy here in the US. I personally commend you for taking the effort to have a go at it - we need bees... they are good for everyone

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6326020

 

[Kyle]

I have two hives and supers that are pine.. Brushy mountain sells the pine body and its a box joint. The hive stand with screen is cypress.


I plan on making some out of cedar and poplar in near future..

 

[sawduster]

However you do it , be sure to put the hives far away from areas you frequent. This is very important

............don't want to scare the little critters ya know :rotflm:

 

[redhawknc1]

I am currently running 12 hives. Most of the equipment was purchased from Brushy Mountain and Ross. Again, with their setups, it is hard to make your own for the price. Old fashioned box joints are strong. Cypress or pine is the woods most used. And give some thought to 8 frame mediums in your setup. Your back will thank you. And with all mediums there is a consistency in equipment. Use a good outdoors glue such as Titebond III when assembling and make sure everything is nice and square. It's almost sourwood time in my area, hope the bees do well this year. Have been bottling spring honey for the last couple weeks with another super ready for this weekend. Enjoyable hobby and really benefits the environment. My favorite website for beekeeping is beesource.com. Most of your questions can be answered there. They also have free plans for building your own. I have a friend that likes to build his own and is currently at 23 hives. Have fun!

 

[PeteM]

Are any of you folks with hives experiencing any "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD) issues?

LOML believes it might only affect "traveling" bees and is interested if the "stay at home" hives have the same problems.

pete

 

[JackLeg]

Wayne, thanks for the info. You may be right about buying vs building. Have to see how the time goes. Is there any particular time of year better than others for starting up? Like now, when there's lots of blooms.

If you get any true sourwood, and if you sell it, please put me down for 2 quarts. I'll give you a bottle of my blackberry wine which I'm gonna bottle soon. Good for the tummy, you know!

Thanks again.

 

[junquecol]

Contact your local Ag-Extension office. They used to have a set of plans for hives. (I revised them in the mid 1980's) Rabbet joints are plenty strong, especially when joined with some Titebond. I wouldn't use poplar for boxes, as they will rot out from under your bees. White pine is the material of choice. Often, HD has 6' pieces of 1 X 12, that are almost clear. I used to have fifty hives, in another life time.

 

[Kyle]

Contact your local Ag-Extension office. They used to have a set of plans for hives. (I revised them in the mid 1980's) Rabbet joints are plenty strong, especially when joined with some Titebond. I wouldn't use poplar for boxes, as they will rot out from under your bees. White pine is the material of choice. Often, HD has 6' pieces of 1 X 12, that are almost clear. I used to have fifty hives, in another life time.

If you paint poplar will last a lot longer than white pine.

 

[redhawknc1]

There is definately a certain pleasure in making your own equipment. That was one of the reasons I started my little woodworking hobby a few years ago. But, like I was told, buying from your favorite source is a lot easier and about as cheap depending on wood prices. I have never found a way to make handles that I like on the boxes though. Prefer the factory handles.
All the suppliers seem to be about 2 weeks behind now on inventory. Always best to order surplus inventory during the winter and have on hand when you need it.
Availability of healthy bees is the deciding point on when I would start my hives. Starting over again, I would buy, assemble and paint my equipment during the winter and be ready for spring. I would start with 2 hives. That way you have one to compare to. Then I would purchase 2 4 lb packages of bees. Feed till I had the brood chamber full and super by the time sourwood came in. That's around here though. As a hobbyist 2 hives would be really all you need. Lots of the time I look at my 12 and wish I were back to 4.
Like all other hobbies, sometimes you can find established hives where the owner has lost interst for sale at a good price and ready to go. As long as the woodenware was about new and the price was right, I might do that route. Just make sure the bees are healthy. The initial investment of an apiary is substantial. Hives, protective clothing, smokers, etc. but it can be a lot of fun.

 

[Ray Martin]

I have a neighbor who is a beekeeper. I've built loads of hives, supers, frames, bottoms, etc. He orders kits so all I do is assembly. The hives and supers have box-joint corners. He showed me the catalog he orders from... I couldn't buy the wood for the price of this stuff already milled up. His are just pine and call for nails only. He paints them white and they seem to last for several years.

Ray

 

[JackLeg]

Thanks, Ray. It's beginning to look like buying is the way to go.

 

[redhawknc1]

My little beeyard...

One of my girls on Buckwheat this morning..

 

[JackLeg]

So Wayne, anybody up that way have any hives w/bees for sale? What's a decent price to pay for hives & bees?

 

[sapwood]

Nice, Wayne!
Looks like a bee subdivision :icon_thum
It's been a long time since I've had honey on the comb :tinysmile_cry_t:

Roger

 

[redhawknc1]

There is always bees advertised for sale. From around $85 to $150 per hive. For $150 I would expect a booming hive with almost new equipment.
First, like everything else, different beekeepers do things different ways. The common setup in NC is a deep brood box, a shallow brood box followed by a super. I ran several different variations to find what I liked best. My personal favorite for a hobbyist is a garden hive from Brushy Mountain with Italian bees. This would consist of Cypress Hive stand, screened bottom board, 3 medium cypress hive bodies followed by medium cypress supers. Then screened inner cover and top. I prefer wood frames and wax. I would also buy a hive top feeder per hive. Italians like to rob. Now, as with anything, different people would do different things. And all will work.
Anyone ever up this way with an interest in bees, I would be glad to share what little I know. I would find an experienced beekeeper in your local area for a mentor and join the local bee club. My mentor is a fellow who has kept bees his whole life and his father kept bees when he was a boy. He is also my woodworking mentor. He used to run my cabinet shop at the place I worked for before retirement. He retired a few years earlier than me.
Since I started about 5 years ago, I have found ways I like to do things that he doesn't quite understand. Like the screened inner covers. The diversity is what makes it a great hobby. Remember in the old days, people kept bees in logs, skeps, etc. And all works. What is the best for the bees and you might be different for different people.