If you are looking for bee hive plans or considering getting into the hobby of beekeeping, here are some designs you may want to consider.
The most commonly used hive design worldwide is called the Langstroth bee hive, named after its inventor Lorenzo Langstroth. Prior to his invention, it was difficult to keep the bees from cementing the entire hive together, making it difficult to extract the honey & manage the hive.
By designing the hive with interior frames with space he called "bee space" between the frames, he was able to come up with a hive that allowed for easy removal of the frames to manage the hive & collect honey. It is estimated that 75% or more of all hive designs now in use are built according to Langstroth's design. They can be constructed with a number of different frames. There are 3, 5 & 10 frame bee hive plans available.
Some other pieces of equipment you can build yourself include:
A Bee-Vac-This is a wooden box with a small shop vac attachment. It can be used to suck bees out of an existing hive for repair or other work. It also works great for harvesting bees from wild or feral hives to get your colony started. Care should be used to adjust the amount of suction to keep from killing the bees.
A Honey Extractor-This will help use centrifugal force to spin the honey out of your frames. A kit is available with the bearing assemblies you will need.
Solar Wax Melter-This will allow you to render the wax from your hive. Should be painted black for maximum heat retention.
Swarm Catcher Frame-This will allow you to harvest wild or feral bees from their hives.
Miller Type Feeder-Designed to place on top of a Langstroth type hive to allow large quantities of bee feed to be given without disrupting the bees or subjecting the keeper to stings.
Bee hive plans for all the equipment mentioned in this article are available at http://www.diywoodworkingprojects.info. In addition, you will find plans for any number of other DIY home woodworking projects.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Drew_E._Spaeth
Showing posts with label bee hive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bee hive. Show all posts
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Beekeeping - Apiaries And Hives That Bee Colonies Call Home
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors collected honey from wild beehives they chanced upon. The hive was routinely completely destroyed and rendered useless. The bee colony would've no other choice but to build again in a different spot.
Bee Colonies Contain Thousands of Individual Bees.
This rough treatment of the hive and comb also resulted in the honey being full of contaminates. But, there was no grounds to worry since they didn't need to keep the honey for long periods. They consumed what they gleaned and they simply raided another hive and got some more.
Early attempts at collecting the honey from local beehives were not much better. Fixed frame beehives were generally used, this meaning that the complete hive was sunk to get the honey.
After the comb was pulled from the hive, it was completely crushed and the honey extracted. This demolished the larva and eggs of the bees and left the beekeeper with contaminated honey. Purification of the honey was only fairly effective and didn't keep well for long periods.
The biggest trouble with this type of beekeeping idea is that the entire colony is destroyed come harvest time. Obviously, the entire operation had to be started all over again. Hives would need to be built again, and a new colony of bees had to be found and inserted. Honey simply could not be delivered on a fixed basis, it was too ineffectual.
The discovery of the top bar beehive by Langstroth in the middle of the 1800's was just what apiculturists needed. This gentleman truly changed everything in the apiculture world. His advanced plans granted for a top access and removable frames. Not only did this allow for easier removal of the honey, but the colony and hive would not be wiped out.
Entire Colonies Are Maintained In Man-Made Hives.
In addition, Langstroth's hive afford the beekeeper to inspect the colony. At last, beekeepers could reduce parasites and diseases in the hive. Honey production and hardiness of the colony both increased dramatically.
Apiarists could now maintain a steady supply of honey in lieu of the sporadic production of the past. The caliber and purity of the honey that was harvested accelerated as well.
That basic beehive innovation is still being used in approximately 75% of beekeeping operations around the world. Regionally, the hives may appear different, but the idea is the same. One such variant is called a bar and frame beehive. It has a slanted roof like a cottage would have. This keeps rainfall out of the hive.
Determining the size of hive to construct for your colony is a subject of conditions. Bees will continue to reside in their hive year round but will require security from extremes. In frigid weather climates, what are known as double-deep boxes are used. In other areas, a single box unit works all right. The key is to assure your bees are comfy in their home.
Apiaries House Groupings of Hives Comprising Several Colonies.
In some cases, several groups of bees and their hives are live in what's called a bee house. This is an open construction that assists as protection and shade from the elements. Several hundred of colonies are kept at commercial apiaries, while a home apiary may have only a just a few.
With a good apiary plan, a beekeeper can comfortably set up his own apiary to the size he calls for.
Groups of hives are also maintained in natural settings such as alongside a flower-laden meadow or agriculture field. Groves of standing timber or the edge of woodland around wild flower fields make the best natural apiaries. They afford shade and security as well as a nearby food source. Bees need to rehydrate and having a pool or other body of water close is a must.
One consideration for where the hive is located, is the honey you wish to produce. Bees that feed off of flowers such as clover produce pale colored, mild flavored honey. In contrast, bees feeding from plants such as buckwheat give rise to a very dark honey. This dark honey is exceedingly potent in flavor and is said to contain a lot more antioxidants.
Once set up in the hive, the bees can go to work for you. Sure, they will be producing golden honey and bees wax nearly constantly, however they can accomplish even more. Many beekeepers pack up their hives and lease them out to farmers for pollination.
Bees are a necessity to pollinate about 50% of the food that we consume. These dynamic tiny creatures ensure the farmers crop produces food that he can harvest. Meanwhile, the bees get a free meal that they turn into combs full of rich, golden honey. It's a near ideal partnership between mankind and nature.
Honey collection has come a long way since our early ancestors first raided a beehive. Today, beekeepers are well stocked and have more understanding of bees and their natural habitat. That really means that nearly anyone can raise bees now and produce honey, beeswax or cater bees to other beekeepers.
For more information and to request your Free Do-It-Yourself Beekeeping [http://beekeeping.biblioflip.com] articles, visit: [http://beekeeping.biblioflip.com]
K.L. "Vin" Hayes leads a group of independent authors and investigators. Over the last decade, they've worked together to develop high-quality digital reprints of vintage documents as well as original works. Vin specializes in how-to information that includes a wide variety of matters such as hunting & fishing, hobbies & crafts, construction, self-improvement and more.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vin_Hayes
Honey bees & beekeeping: A year in the life of an apiary
How To Become A Bee Keeping Pro
Organization and management of apiaries producing extracted honey in the white clover region (Technical bulletin / United States Department of Agriculture)
Bee Keeping: Everything You Need to Know
New observations on the natural history of bees
Bee Keeping: Learn How to Keep Bees Successfully
Beekeeping - Learn How To Keep Bees Successfully
Bee Colonies Contain Thousands of Individual Bees.
This rough treatment of the hive and comb also resulted in the honey being full of contaminates. But, there was no grounds to worry since they didn't need to keep the honey for long periods. They consumed what they gleaned and they simply raided another hive and got some more.
Early attempts at collecting the honey from local beehives were not much better. Fixed frame beehives were generally used, this meaning that the complete hive was sunk to get the honey.
After the comb was pulled from the hive, it was completely crushed and the honey extracted. This demolished the larva and eggs of the bees and left the beekeeper with contaminated honey. Purification of the honey was only fairly effective and didn't keep well for long periods.
The biggest trouble with this type of beekeeping idea is that the entire colony is destroyed come harvest time. Obviously, the entire operation had to be started all over again. Hives would need to be built again, and a new colony of bees had to be found and inserted. Honey simply could not be delivered on a fixed basis, it was too ineffectual.
The discovery of the top bar beehive by Langstroth in the middle of the 1800's was just what apiculturists needed. This gentleman truly changed everything in the apiculture world. His advanced plans granted for a top access and removable frames. Not only did this allow for easier removal of the honey, but the colony and hive would not be wiped out.
Entire Colonies Are Maintained In Man-Made Hives.
In addition, Langstroth's hive afford the beekeeper to inspect the colony. At last, beekeepers could reduce parasites and diseases in the hive. Honey production and hardiness of the colony both increased dramatically.
Apiarists could now maintain a steady supply of honey in lieu of the sporadic production of the past. The caliber and purity of the honey that was harvested accelerated as well.
That basic beehive innovation is still being used in approximately 75% of beekeeping operations around the world. Regionally, the hives may appear different, but the idea is the same. One such variant is called a bar and frame beehive. It has a slanted roof like a cottage would have. This keeps rainfall out of the hive.
Determining the size of hive to construct for your colony is a subject of conditions. Bees will continue to reside in their hive year round but will require security from extremes. In frigid weather climates, what are known as double-deep boxes are used. In other areas, a single box unit works all right. The key is to assure your bees are comfy in their home.
Apiaries House Groupings of Hives Comprising Several Colonies.
In some cases, several groups of bees and their hives are live in what's called a bee house. This is an open construction that assists as protection and shade from the elements. Several hundred of colonies are kept at commercial apiaries, while a home apiary may have only a just a few.
With a good apiary plan, a beekeeper can comfortably set up his own apiary to the size he calls for.
Groups of hives are also maintained in natural settings such as alongside a flower-laden meadow or agriculture field. Groves of standing timber or the edge of woodland around wild flower fields make the best natural apiaries. They afford shade and security as well as a nearby food source. Bees need to rehydrate and having a pool or other body of water close is a must.
One consideration for where the hive is located, is the honey you wish to produce. Bees that feed off of flowers such as clover produce pale colored, mild flavored honey. In contrast, bees feeding from plants such as buckwheat give rise to a very dark honey. This dark honey is exceedingly potent in flavor and is said to contain a lot more antioxidants.
Once set up in the hive, the bees can go to work for you. Sure, they will be producing golden honey and bees wax nearly constantly, however they can accomplish even more. Many beekeepers pack up their hives and lease them out to farmers for pollination.
Bees are a necessity to pollinate about 50% of the food that we consume. These dynamic tiny creatures ensure the farmers crop produces food that he can harvest. Meanwhile, the bees get a free meal that they turn into combs full of rich, golden honey. It's a near ideal partnership between mankind and nature.
Honey collection has come a long way since our early ancestors first raided a beehive. Today, beekeepers are well stocked and have more understanding of bees and their natural habitat. That really means that nearly anyone can raise bees now and produce honey, beeswax or cater bees to other beekeepers.
For more information and to request your Free Do-It-Yourself Beekeeping [http://beekeeping.biblioflip.com] articles, visit: [http://beekeeping.biblioflip.com]
K.L. "Vin" Hayes leads a group of independent authors and investigators. Over the last decade, they've worked together to develop high-quality digital reprints of vintage documents as well as original works. Vin specializes in how-to information that includes a wide variety of matters such as hunting & fishing, hobbies & crafts, construction, self-improvement and more.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vin_Hayes
Honey bees & beekeeping: A year in the life of an apiary
How To Become A Bee Keeping Pro
Organization and management of apiaries producing extracted honey in the white clover region (Technical bulletin / United States Department of Agriculture)
Bee Keeping: Everything You Need to Know
New observations on the natural history of bees
Bee Keeping: Learn How to Keep Bees Successfully
Beekeeping - Learn How To Keep Bees Successfully
Sunday, June 20, 2010
How To Keep Bees - Simple Beginners' Guide
Bee keeping is a hobby, believe it or not. These little stinging creatures can be a lot of fun if handled with care and there are a lot of sweet returns too. However, if you intend to take up this hobby you are best advised to get some basic knowledge about bee keeping - and the necessary mandatory equipment too if you do not want the post office calling you to collect your bees from their vicinity.
Now, the most basic piece of equipment that is required for bee keeping is the bee hive itself. Let us take some time to understand the structure and the necessity of the bee hive. It is not like you are required to go out and get yourself a natural bee hive from out of a tree. This is not at all recommended as these little creatures are very possessive of their home and the occupants so you may just as well land yourself in bed with multiple stings that may also prove fatal at times. The hive we are talking about is constructed out of wood and looks like a small wooden cabinet to be kept outdoors.
The beehive you need should have 5 supers. These are the most important part of a bee hive as this is the part of the hive that the bees use to store their product - honey. These 5 supers are placed between the base of the hive and the top cover. Each of the 5 supers contain 9 to 10 frames where the bees keep their off spring and honey. You decide if you want to have deep supers or shallow supers. Deep supers mean that you will have to get yourself a one - size foundation unlike the shallow super where you will need multiple size foundations. The bad part of a deep super is that you will have to lug out a hundred pound weight when it is full.
When you are ready to set up your hive ensure that you place it on a flat surface where it will be pretty difficult for the hive to tip over when a strong wind blows. Also place it in a place where people and animals will not be able to reach it and disturb the bees.
Now for something called a spacer. these are bits of equipment or rather wooden planks that are used to space out the frames in the super. You will need a few of these but do not worry a beehive kit will usually have all that you will require to set up your bee hive.
Now when the bees have created enough honey and you need to get it out of the hive you will need to have a 'smoker'. This is not a cigarette puffing human but a piece of bee keeping equipment that is used to 'smoke' the bees away from the hive so that you can safely collect the produce inside the supers. Smokers are simple in design and are constructed out of a funnel and bellows. You will need to use some smoking material such as 'burlap' to create a lot of smoke, dried corn cobs are another good alternative to create a lot of smoke.
Your bee hive will come with a metal hive tool used to pry open the beehive and scrape the honey from the frames. A furmer board is used to encourage the bees to leave a super and let you take their honeycombs. Now for the bees themselves, You could order them or set up your bee hive and wait patiently until they find it and build their colony themselves.
Go to the net and find the best way to order your bee hive and also the inmates. This may be the start of a very interesting hobby.
Abhishek is an avid Bee Keeping enthusiast and he has got some great Beekeeping Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 59 Pages Ebook, "How To Become A Bee-Keeping Pro!" from his website http://www.Fun-Galore.com/89/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal
Now, the most basic piece of equipment that is required for bee keeping is the bee hive itself. Let us take some time to understand the structure and the necessity of the bee hive. It is not like you are required to go out and get yourself a natural bee hive from out of a tree. This is not at all recommended as these little creatures are very possessive of their home and the occupants so you may just as well land yourself in bed with multiple stings that may also prove fatal at times. The hive we are talking about is constructed out of wood and looks like a small wooden cabinet to be kept outdoors.
The beehive you need should have 5 supers. These are the most important part of a bee hive as this is the part of the hive that the bees use to store their product - honey. These 5 supers are placed between the base of the hive and the top cover. Each of the 5 supers contain 9 to 10 frames where the bees keep their off spring and honey. You decide if you want to have deep supers or shallow supers. Deep supers mean that you will have to get yourself a one - size foundation unlike the shallow super where you will need multiple size foundations. The bad part of a deep super is that you will have to lug out a hundred pound weight when it is full.
When you are ready to set up your hive ensure that you place it on a flat surface where it will be pretty difficult for the hive to tip over when a strong wind blows. Also place it in a place where people and animals will not be able to reach it and disturb the bees.
Now for something called a spacer. these are bits of equipment or rather wooden planks that are used to space out the frames in the super. You will need a few of these but do not worry a beehive kit will usually have all that you will require to set up your bee hive.
Now when the bees have created enough honey and you need to get it out of the hive you will need to have a 'smoker'. This is not a cigarette puffing human but a piece of bee keeping equipment that is used to 'smoke' the bees away from the hive so that you can safely collect the produce inside the supers. Smokers are simple in design and are constructed out of a funnel and bellows. You will need to use some smoking material such as 'burlap' to create a lot of smoke, dried corn cobs are another good alternative to create a lot of smoke.
Your bee hive will come with a metal hive tool used to pry open the beehive and scrape the honey from the frames. A furmer board is used to encourage the bees to leave a super and let you take their honeycombs. Now for the bees themselves, You could order them or set up your bee hive and wait patiently until they find it and build their colony themselves.
Go to the net and find the best way to order your bee hive and also the inmates. This may be the start of a very interesting hobby.
Abhishek is an avid Bee Keeping enthusiast and he has got some great Beekeeping Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 59 Pages Ebook, "How To Become A Bee-Keeping Pro!" from his website http://www.Fun-Galore.com/89/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.
Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Acquire your bees, starting your hive
Beekeeping: A Practical Guide
Acquiring the Bees
As long as you aren't allergic to bee stings beekeeping is a way for someone who doesn't have a great deal of money and acres of land to take an active role in agriculture. The start up expense of the average hive is approximately $300 per hive (you only need one to get begin with). Once you have purchased a hive it can be kept in a remote corner of your back yard, it is not uncommon to see some suburban homes with a bee hive.
If you are considering starting a beehive the first thing you should do is call your local Cooperative Extension office. They will be able to tell you if you live in an area that restricts keeping bees. They will also be able to give you the contact information of your states beekeeping organization where you can become a registered beekeeper. (I say this if you care otherwise go guerrilla and put your bees in a out of the way protected area.)
The next thing you need to do is select a site for your potential honey bee hive.
Once you have selected a site for your beehive you will need to go about acquiring the equipment needed to successfully maintain a beehive. Some of the equipment you will need can be purchased used on EBay. If you are unable to find the equipment you need on EBay there are several on-line sites where you can purchase equipment.
If you need further assistance finding and purchasing a beehive and other beekeeping equipment call your local Cooperative Extension office or the Federation of American Beekeepers.
Before acquiring bees for your hive it's important to make sure that you are properly protected, this means you have to purchase beekeepers gear.
Once your hive is in place and you are confident that everything is in working order it's time to order your honey bees. The easiest way is to order Honey Bees from an established Apiary. You should plan on placing you bee order early in the winter, the average beekeeper orders their bees in January and February. The order is typically shipped in March and April. Most Apiary's ship their bees through the U.S. postal service. When the bees arrive at the post office your mail carrier will call and ask that you pick up the bees. Very few mail carriers are comfortable driving all over the county with a car full of young angry bees in their car and most bees are healthier if they don't have to spend several hours in a hot car.
When you pick up your bees they should have been packaged in a special carrying case that is designed just for bees. This package will be a wooden framed "house" that has a screen covering the outside. This packaging allows air to circulate to the traveling bees and keeps handlers, such as post office employees, from getting stung.
When you get your bees, do not be surprised if you see a few dead bees laying in the bottom of the package. Traveling is hard on bees and they can't all be expected to live through the trip. The rest of the bees should be clutching the sides of the container.
You will notice that one bee in the container has been separated from the rest of the hive.This is your queen bee. The rest of the bees in the container will make up the rest of your bee hives hierarchy. Some Apiaries ship the queen with a couple of nurse bees. The top of the queen's container may be covered with piece of sugar candy. (ours wasn't but we put a marsmallow in the hole, job done.)
You should also see a container that is filled with a sugar solution. This sugar solution is what the bees feed on while they are traveling. Once you get your bees home offer them something to drink. You do this by taking a spray bottle and covering the container with a very fine covering of water.
Kim and I use the spray bottle with a solution of sugar water instead of our smoker to settle the bees when we check the hive as well and so far it has worked as well as a smoker without the negative effects on the bees productivity.
Acquiring the BeesAs long as you aren't allergic to bee stings beekeeping is a way for someone who doesn't have a great deal of money and acres of land to take an active role in agriculture. The start up expense of the average hive is approximately $300 per hive (you only need one to get begin with). Once you have purchased a hive it can be kept in a remote corner of your back yard, it is not uncommon to see some suburban homes with a bee hive.
If you are considering starting a beehive the first thing you should do is call your local Cooperative Extension office. They will be able to tell you if you live in an area that restricts keeping bees. They will also be able to give you the contact information of your states beekeeping organization where you can become a registered beekeeper. (I say this if you care otherwise go guerrilla and put your bees in a out of the way protected area.)
The next thing you need to do is select a site for your potential honey bee hive.
Once you have selected a site for your beehive you will need to go about acquiring the equipment needed to successfully maintain a beehive. Some of the equipment you will need can be purchased used on EBay. If you are unable to find the equipment you need on EBay there are several on-line sites where you can purchase equipment.
If you need further assistance finding and purchasing a beehive and other beekeeping equipment call your local Cooperative Extension office or the Federation of American Beekeepers.
Before acquiring bees for your hive it's important to make sure that you are properly protected, this means you have to purchase beekeepers gear.
Once your hive is in place and you are confident that everything is in working order it's time to order your honey bees. The easiest way is to order Honey Bees from an established Apiary. You should plan on placing you bee order early in the winter, the average beekeeper orders their bees in January and February. The order is typically shipped in March and April. Most Apiary's ship their bees through the U.S. postal service. When the bees arrive at the post office your mail carrier will call and ask that you pick up the bees. Very few mail carriers are comfortable driving all over the county with a car full of young angry bees in their car and most bees are healthier if they don't have to spend several hours in a hot car.
When you pick up your bees they should have been packaged in a special carrying case that is designed just for bees. This package will be a wooden framed "house" that has a screen covering the outside. This packaging allows air to circulate to the traveling bees and keeps handlers, such as post office employees, from getting stung.
When you get your bees, do not be surprised if you see a few dead bees laying in the bottom of the package. Traveling is hard on bees and they can't all be expected to live through the trip. The rest of the bees should be clutching the sides of the container.
You will notice that one bee in the container has been separated from the rest of the hive.This is your queen bee. The rest of the bees in the container will make up the rest of your bee hives hierarchy. Some Apiaries ship the queen with a couple of nurse bees. The top of the queen's container may be covered with piece of sugar candy. (ours wasn't but we put a marsmallow in the hole, job done.)
You should also see a container that is filled with a sugar solution. This sugar solution is what the bees feed on while they are traveling. Once you get your bees home offer them something to drink. You do this by taking a spray bottle and covering the container with a very fine covering of water.
Kim and I use the spray bottle with a solution of sugar water instead of our smoker to settle the bees when we check the hive as well and so far it has worked as well as a smoker without the negative effects on the bees productivity.
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