If you missed the April Meeting it was Jim Jones, who presented “Melipona Beecheii
Ko’olel Kaab”, or basically the Native Mayan Beekeeping of the Yacutan Peninsula.
Here is a link to the slideshow.
Alternative Beekeeping are all the non-mainstream methods of beekeeping.
If you missed the April Meeting it was Jim Jones, who presented “Melipona Beecheii
Ko’olel Kaab”, or basically the Native Mayan Beekeeping of the Yacutan Peninsula.
Here is a link to the slideshow.
Article by Debra Langley-Boyer, Member of OBA and President of Belfair & Beyond Beekeepers.
Debra presented the following information at the February 2023 General Meeting.
Which hive is best for you?
Honeybee’s can use a great variety of places for their hive. Beekeepers provide hives for the bees as a convenience to the beekeeper. Different style hives are used successfully all over the world. The challenge is deciding what type of hive(s) will you use. Many places have laws, such as in the United States we need to have some sort of removable frame (comb). Beekeepers need to be able to examine hive for disease. This article is just a quick look at some possibilities. It explores a few of the pros and cons of some hives. As well as questions the beekeeper needs to ask themselves when choosing a hive style.
A beekeeper that has been around should be able to help you with general bee care. Not all beekeepers will know exactly how every hive style works. They can help you check brood or disease by looking at comb. They do know if a hive needs space for brood or honey. They may not know that a particular hive differences from Langstroth such as moving frames not adding boxes. Details of how to work each hive is not universal.
I cannot recommend that new beekeepers use any hive that has not been around for many years (50 to 100). Learn about bees first in a tried-and-true hive style. Then experiment. Some of the experiments do not work in the end. Bees will always behave like bees. The hive style is about the beekeeper accessing the bees.
Many hive styles can work for a new beekeeper. Choose a hive style for you not another beekeeper. Most hive types have potential adjustments to make it work for you. All styles have beekeepers that love that one type of hive. I recommend different hives for different people. Think about the items below before choosing a hive.
Bees wants and needs:
Beekeeper wants and needs: Some questions to ask and think about.
Hives: -very general information. Many more hive styles to choose from. History shows us hives have been around for hundreds of years. People have been using and inventing the whole time.
New styles, designs and decorations continue to develop. Hives are generally vertical or horizonal, stacking or one size, frames or bars, foundation support or not and a variety of extras (feeders, insulation …)
Quick look at these hives. 1 = poor 5=great
Hive | Cavity size | Protection | Cost | Product find | Lifting | Equipment | Mentor | Travel |
AZ | 4 | 5 | 3-4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0-5 |
Langstroth | 5 | 3-4 | 4 | 5 | 3-4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Top Bar | 3 | 3-4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
Warré | 5 | 3-4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Cathedral | 3 | 3-4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Layen | 4 | 3-4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Apimaye | 5 | 3-4 | 3 | 4 | 3-4 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Flow | 3 | 3-4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |