😡 👨🏾‍🍳 🎏 Types and arrangement of beehives 🧜🏾 🎷 🏜️

Beekeeping is a rather promising area of activity. Firstly, it is able to provide a very valuable food product with healing properties, and secondly, the cost of honey is increasing every year, so you can make good money selling it. However, this type of activity is fraught with many difficulties. It is very important not only to provide proper care for the bees, but also to make good hives. With the latter, many beginner beekeepers have the most problems. And this is not surprising, because when designing a structure, many nuances must be taken into account. Let's figure out how to make a beehive so that it turns out to be of high quality and ideally suited to the climatic conditions of your region.

Design Features

Let's dwell on this aspect in more detail. The design and features of hives can be very different, but all types have some basic elements. Among the mandatory parts, the following can be distinguished:

Body. It is a wooden box that does not have a bottom and a roof, which in shape can be square or rectangular. On the side faces on the inside there are special mounts designed to fix the hanging frames. The latter can be placed parallel or perpendicular. In the first case, good thermal insulation is achieved, so this method is best suited for cold regions of the country, and in the second - excellent ventilation.
Roof. It is worn on top of the main structure and is responsible for protecting the bees from negative environmental factors and other insects. Experienced beekeepers equip it with tin sheets and roofing material. Such a device for bee hives is more durable and allows you to maintain better living conditions for honey insects.
Bottom. It can be either removable or stationary. The first option is more common, since it is much more practical and convenient to use. The bottom part is a wooden shield, which is made from ordinary boards. In its front part, as a rule, a small tray is provided.
Frame. The most important part of the hive, responsible for performing many functions. It is with their help that the beekeepers breed a new offspring and collect ready-made honey. The device framework is fairly simple hive. They are a rectangular structure consisting of four perpendicularly connected beams. The upper one is slightly longer than the others, and also shoulders are placed on it, responsible for fixing the frame inside the case. Dimensions of the structure can be different, but 435 x 300 millimeters are considered standard. A wire with a wax, which acts as the base for the honeycomb, is attached to the finished frame.

For many centuries, all the houses for bees were made using the same technology and had a similar design, which includes all of the above elements. But over time, they underwent many changes and improvements. Modern hives for bees can have such additional devices as:

Extras. They are an analogue of standard cases with a lower height. Designed to increase nesting during the honey collection period. Their distinctive feature is a simpler frame removal and a honey pumping system.
Ceiling. It is installed under the roof as an additional protection for bees from negative environmental factors and bad weather. In most cases, it is made of hammered boards, but many beekeepers, in order to save money, replace the ceiling with ordinary plastic film.
Arrival board. The hole in the bee hive may have a small protrusion for planting insects with collected nectar, which is a piece of a regular wooden board. Some beekeepers prefer to make it removable so that you can detach the landing strip for the winter.
Lateral diaphragm. This is an ordinary wooden shield, the thickness of which can reach 1.5 centimeters. Dimensions of the structure correspond to the inner chamber of the housing. The design of the diaphragm must be designed so that it divides the hive into separate chambers. It is used to increase the thermal insulation characteristics of hives or to keep two different families in one nesting place.
Awning. It is an intermediate part between the main body and the roof, which is made in various sizes. The main purpose is to improve air permeability in insulated hives and increase thermal insulation characteristics in the winter.

When planning a do-it-yourself hive for bees, you need to take into account the basic requirements that a finished design must meet, namely the productivity of the family, the convenience of collecting honey and durability.

Classification

For many centuries, beekeepers used to breed bees and collect honey frames. The invention of these structures gave a powerful impetus to the development of beekeeping and allowed to bring this type of activity to a whole new level. The main changes concerned only the size of the case and their number. Today, there are various types of beehives that differ from each other in the following ways:

By design features - collapsible and stationary. The first type is becoming more and more popular with beekeepers every year, since it is much more convenient and practical to use. It is possible to replace internal parts without any problems, as well as reduce or increase the nesting space.
In the direction - vertical and horizontal. The latter will be more preferable for beginners, as they are easy to maintain. Vertical - characterized by their compactness and allow you to more effectively manage the living space of the bee family.
In terms of functionality, they can be used for breeding bees in order to obtain honey, for hibernating uterus and conducting scientific research.

Depending on what the device of beehives will be, the designs are also divided into the following types:

Dadanovsky;
hive root;
Alpine;
cassette;
hive sunbed.

Each variety has certain key features, and also has its advantages and disadvantages. So that you can choose the type most suitable for yourself, let's dwell on each of them in more detail.

Dadanov hives

What are they and what is their feature? If you are a beginner beekeeper and are looking for a hive for the simplest device, then this type will be the ideal solution for you. It has good roominess and ease of operation. For manufacturing, in most cases, coniferous trees are used. The main structural elements are:

case dimensions 435 x 300 millimeters, designed for 12 frames;
shops, the height of which is half the size of the frame;
roof;
the apron.

The bottom is fixed, so you can collect honey without disturbing the family. When servicing such hives, it is necessary to closely monitor the level of honeycomb filling with honey in order to have time to substitute the store. Otherwise, the finished product may not have enough space and it will simply leak out.

The main disadvantage of such a hive of the simplest device is that if the uterus is active, too many young individuals may appear in the family, as a result of which the family leaves its usual habitat to find a new home. To prevent this, it is necessary to install a store inside the case during the summer period so that the bees do not lack space. Thus, Dadanov hives are excellent for breeding bees and getting honey for themselves, and on an industrial scale they will be ineffective.

Hive root

So what is he like? This is another common type of design. Despite the fact that the hive is a simple device, nevertheless it can be used for breeding bees in order to obtain and sell large quantities of honey. Its advantage over other types of designs is the possibility of increasing capacity. Frames with dimensions of 226 x 232 millimeters are considered standard, but if necessary they can be reduced or, conversely, increased, customized to fit the features of the case.

A great advantage of the hives of the root is the interchangeability of structures, so that the beekeeper can stimulate his wards to honey collection. This is achieved due to the natural need of insects to fill empty honeycombs. If all the frames are completely filled with honey, then when empty appear between them, the bees will immediately begin to fill them.

According to professional beekeepers, such a device of a beehive is one of the most versatile and effective and allows you to collect the maximum amount of honey for the season. However, such structures require constant monitoring and observation of the internal space, as well as regular rearrangement of the buildings. Among the main advantages of this type, the following points can be distinguished:

honey with higher palatability and beneficial properties;
significantly less time and physical maintenance costs.

It is worth noting that this device of beehives requires special attention to the temperature regime, especially if you live in a region with a cold climate. In order not to catch insects, the inspection of the frames should take place as quickly as possible.

Alpine hives

What is their feature? This variety of designs has also gained wide popularity around the world. Such wooden beehives for bees are good in that the living conditions of insects in them are as close as possible to natural, thanks to which the bees work more willingly and productively. Among the main design features, the following can be distinguished:

case of square shape and small size, able to accommodate up to eight frames;
good thermal insulation, achieved due to the lower location of the tap hole;
there are no ventilation openings on the case, but a dividing grill is installed inside, due to which all condensate is collected on a feeder located under the roof;
an alpine hive for bees for wintering is considered one of the best, since it has an insulator lid that reduces heat loss in the cold season;
it is possible to build the body up to a height of 1.5 meters, so that inside it you can fit a large number of frames.

Among the main advantages of alpine hives, one can distinguish compact size, high efficiency of honey collection, ease of maintenance and maximum closeness of the maintenance of the bee family to natural conditions, which positively affects its life.

Cassette hive

Let's dwell on this variety in more detail. Sooner or later, beginner beekeepers are faced with the need to improve the efficiency of their activities. According to experts in this field, a good bribe can be obtained only if there are a large number of melliferous plants in your region. As a rule, most people take out an apiary for several months to their places of accumulation. However, to do this was comfortable and at a minimal cost, a hive of a simple device is required. Each time, loading and unloading the machine is quite problematic, so experienced beekeepers build special platforms on which the structures are placed. In the people they received the name cassette evidence. Moreover, they are universal, since they can be effectively used not only for mobile, but also for stationary apiaries. In addition, such designs can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing various diseases of bees. Also among the strengths of cluster beehives are the following:

compact sizes simplify the organization of additional insulation;
the case is opened with wax, not paints, which has a positive effect on the health of the family and improving the quality of honey;
the possibility of obtaining various varieties of honey, favorably affecting the winter stock;
the presence of sanitary ventilation openings helps to maintain the microclimate and humidity level within the enclosure, which is optimal for insects;
The small size and well-thought-out arrangement in the cassette module allow you to quickly perform maintenance on the hives in all weather conditions.

Despite the large number of advantages, such a bee hive device has certain disadvantages. Such structures require constant inspections and assessment of the condition of the external walls, as well as preventive measures to protect structures from rodents.

Hive sunbed

What is the peculiarity of this design? As the name suggests, a similar arrangement of beehives involves expanding the hull not in height but in width. The number of frames can vary from 16 to 27, but the most popular houses are 20 and 24. Many experienced beekeepers choose sunbeds, because they have many advantages. Among the main ones, the following can be distinguished:

ease of maintenance;
the ability to install a large number of frames;
simplicity in dividing the nests into separate cameras;
ease of cleaning.

But there are certain disadvantages. The hive-lounger has large dimensions and weight, so it is very difficult to move from one place to another. And they also occupy a large area in the garden. In addition, ventilation holes must be provided in them, since air permeability leaves much to be desired. However, despite all the shortcomings, such designs are ideal for beginner beekeepers, since the structure of the hive framework is simple, making it easy to work with and collecting honey will not take much time.

What materials are better to use?

This issue must be emphasized. Experienced beekeepers claim that you can use almost any tree species. Also, ancient people made beehives from clay, stone, wood vines and other materials. However, the tree can provide better protection from negative environmental factors, therefore it is considered traditional. If you do not know how to make beehives, it is better to consider buying an already finished product. The following types of trees are most often used for the production of industrial structures:

ordinary pine;
spruce;
Linden;
fir;
poplar;
aspen;
willow.

These varieties have good density and excellent moisture absorption, so that the optimal microclimate will always be maintained inside. These characteristics are key when choosing wood for making hives. Every year, more and more manufacturers are switching to the use of modern materials of synthetic origin. The most common are:

Polyurethane foam. It is made on the basis of special gas-filled plastic. The material has a huge number of advantages: low weight of the finished product, high sound and heat insulation, durability, does not enter into chemical reactions with other substances, and also has resistance to damage by rodents and harmful insects. As for the shortcomings, they also exist. Polyurethane foam has a high cost and does not tolerate temperature extremes, so when placing structures in the open, it is necessary to create special shelters above them.
Styrofoam. A cheaper alternative to polyurethane foam, which is almost completely identical in its characteristics. The exception applies only to durability and resistance to mechanical damage. These indicators for this material are slightly lower. However, more and more beekeepers choose polystyrene foam every year for its cheapness.

If you have never worked in an apiary before and do not know which beehives to choose, then it is better to proceed from the climatic conditions of the region of your residence. In the case of hot summers and cold winters, it is better to choose products made of wood. It withstands large temperature differences and maintains the best microclimate inside the houses. For residents of the southern regions, constructions made of polymer materials can be considered. , . , .

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Conclusion

Beekeeping is one of the best activities that can be carried out both on a small and on an industrial scale. Engaged in it, you can not only provide yourself and your family with natural, incredibly tasty and healthy honey, but also make good money on its sale. But for the apiary to be successful, it is very important to choose good beehives. They must combine ease of care and durability, provide high comfort for family living, and also maintain optimal temperature and humidity inside the building. Therefore, in order to prevent mistakes that almost all beginner beekeepers encounter, adhere to the basic tips and recommendations presented in this article. With their help, you can build a profitable business in the production and sale of honey.

Types and arrangement of beehives