Such a wealth of expertise from the bee whisperers and Bruces devotion to craftsmanship Im privileged to just soak it all in. One metre above the ground? The simple answer is that unless a hive gets a new queen or new brood is added, a hive will die off within a few weeks without a queen. Bees tend to use more frames before moving up. Please note: some beeks have been very creative with modifications to the Valkyrie, after purchase and assembly. I think it will be great for this crazy Texas weather, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh, press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. These hives are heavier because they hold more bee products. These hives speak for them selves. How livable would our homes be minus insulation and with several windows or doors continuously open? If you're new to beekeeping, you can experiment with different hives to determine which one would be best for you. Winter food intake increases without insulation. Any change from the original format will void the warranty. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Apimaye 10 Frame Langstroth Insulated Bee Hive Set with Plastic Handy Frames at Amazon.com. If the insulation is not wet, then it is doing its job in allowing the colony to maintain the temperature of their choosing, including high humidity that brings some moisture needed by the bees. This Long Langstroth Hive is basically a long deep box made from two by materials, and his claim is that it is low maintenance for the bees, and less lifting for the beekeeper. If you have a pneumatic staple gun, use it with 1 staples. A traditional box is 16" wide by 19 7/8" long. Hey Rusty, Put a rock or concrete block on the top so it does not get blown off by wind. In the Valkyrie Long Hive, the canvas cover (and triple layer wool blanket) help prevent heat loss from the top, and theres no upper entrance to worry about. Hi Rodney, and thank you for your question. Of this terribly small sample, I have not gotten any through the winter and all three samples had plenty of honey left. If all four pieces you cut have exactly the same width at both ends, all is good. Under the lid is storage that can be used as a frame rest or to hold hive tools. Long Langstroth Hive (price without frames: $250, painted: $275) Most commercial and many noncommercial hives seen today in the United States are Langstroth Hives. the size doesnt matter as long as it is deep enough for for the plywood. You can extend its life by covering it with a piece of aluminum flashing, 24 wide by 50-7/16 long. The pleasant trade off is not seeing bees bearding, or their beekeeper fretting about excessive condensation within the hives. . Just sent you an email, also. The second box. Check for square and use a bar clamp to pull it in square if its out of line. She drove up from Oregn to Renton Wa to deliver it to me in a hotel parking lotlong drive for herlots of slow congested traffic for me between Renton and Snohomish. Cool in the summer the bees dont work as hard to heat and cool the hive and are able to work more efficiently which equates to more honey in my honest opinion. The honey storage area is not clearly separated from the brood area, so you harvest the honey from wherever you find it. So overwintering the Valkyrie in a damp environment will be interesting. Apimaye 10 Frame Langstroth Insulated Beehive Set. The long entrance also allows for making easy splits. Yes, Terry, there were holes drilled in the roof of the Valkyrie. From Anatomy of the Honey Bee by Robert E. Snodgrass. Its wonderful to see that you use a foundationless frame (no wires) because thats what we use in our Valkyrie Long Hive. Thanks for contacting us, and for your question. A key benefit of the Langstroth long-hive is that it minimizes the amount of heavy liftinga feature which is great for the back! Regardless of dictionaries, we have in entomology a rule for insect common names that can be followed. Assemble the pieces, and drive 1 nail (2 " galvanized) in each bottom corner, front and back. My colonies are not confronted with honey badgers, just inquisitive horses. The hive stack can be too high and tip over, especially on windy days or in windy climates. I am truly impressed by the craftsmanship poured into the Valkyrie hive. The Langstroth beehive is the most common beehive in the United States. That being said, the wool cover is cut to fit right on top of the canvas inner cover, so the ladies wont really ever come into contact with the wool. The hive is built to keep predatory insects out, so, it doesnt seem likely that a moth could enter inside. The Langstroth boxes used in a single hive use the same length and width. An extra observation window can be ordered for the right side, if desired. Because a single hive may require many boxes, the cheaper price point may be right for you. But thats my opinion. If yes, what is the price for hive plus flow option? It will fit tightly and will usually stay put. Sign up to receive promotions and discounts! The long Langstroth hive uses the same frames as standard Langstroth hives, so it's easy to switch over and finding replacement parts should not be a problem. 5 out of 5 stars (737) $ 14.00. Included is a fitted sheet of rigid insulation which protects the colony from icy-cold or super-heated ground temperatures year-round: less work for the ladies!. Located in sunny Arizona, we are a team ofa beekeeper (my dad a world known professor on honeybees), queen bee (my mom a retired civil engineer and a beekeeper by marriage) and 2worker bees (me an electrical engineer and beekeeper by proxy, and my sister - an administrator) with decades long experience in beekeeping. Please keep me posted on any news on these top bar hives. These hives have the same basic structure as conventional Langstroth swarm boxes, but are designed to sit still. The Langstroth hive was designed by an American man (Lorenzo Langstroth) in the 1850s as an alternative to skeps. Im hoping one of the other beekeepers who keeps long hives will chime in here and answer your question. These are applicable to the Valkyrie Long Hive, and I cant speak for other horizontal hives. The Valkyrie has one additional type of hinge called Easy Glide which is currently in testing and should be available next spring. Would you share with me your insight and experience in wintering honey bees in a horizontal hive? Based on the pictures, there seems to be more than a 3/8 inch space between the top of the slatted rack and the bottom of the frames. If the long Langstroth has honey supers on top, then youre still needing to lift a pretty hefty weight once the frames are full of honey, right? LH32 - Lazutin Hive 32 Frame $950.00. Shipping costs are costing us sales ordersthink Ill just buy my own truck! $256.49. ), Sliding miter saw to cut the two-by boards. Just call for pricing! Feel free to use a dry-erase marker for taking your inspection notes on the covers as they wipe clean easily. Do you sell the blueprints for these hives? Vivien and Bruce. Many beekeepers prefer to use foundation. Ideas a free, but you'll have to pay attention. Dr. Leo Sharashkin, Editor of Keeping Bees With a Smile, Two-by-twelve, pine, untreated. The follower board is a piece of 1/2 plywood 18-5/16 wide by 9-1/2 deep, attached to the center of a top bar (19 long, 1 wide, 3/8 thick) with three 1-1/8 screws. This one is a 2 box combo: http://bwrangler.litarium.com/combo-long-hive/ A long hive often features a lower level with a brood box that is equal in width to two brood boxes on the top level. Also, if you get a Valkyrie, be sure to report back. Personally, I dont have any experience with a long hive, although I have a new Valkyrie and I intend to report my progress and findings as I go through the process. They are screened on the inside to prevent robbing, etc. This dado was cut to approximately 5/8 by 1/2. LT8F - Lazutin Trap 8 Frame $50.00. Check the width at both ends of each board that youve cut. You hang them about a metre high between two poles. Hive placement: how to choose the best backyard spot, Surprising ways to identify a honey bee like a pro, Grow a no-till, herbicide-free bee meadow, One truth about honey: its not made from pollen grains, The truth about uncapped cells of honey & what to do. Also, you have access to all the frames at once, and the hive is easier to inspect because it stands at waist level. Weve put some thinking into a design change on our Valkyrie lids which would allow the lid to be padlocked shut, and youve got us thinking about it once more. Large box is 44 lbs and the small box is 34 lbs. Great site! Attach another leg on the opposite end wall. Not only that, but the commitment of Vivien and Bruce is palpable, not only to beekeepers but to the bees themselves. Rusty, did you drill openings in your end cap roof for ventilation? Don't get confused with the terminology. 38 Langstroth, Top Bar, and Warre Hive Plans 1. Hive price starts at $580. THANKS ever so much for your advice. A really cool option to this hive is the insulated hive stand. Tag on mediums below Apr 22, 2018 Thread starter #3 M mystang89 True BYH Addict Joined Jun 23, 2012 Messages 1,051 Reaction score 1,996 Points 298 Location Charlestown IN Thanks for that info. Im confident youll enjoy your Valkyrie and all credit goes to Bruce and his craftsmanshipsimple as that. 1-11/16 wide, with one long edge cut at an angle. Keep us all posted! Are you in Oregon? You will have fewer boxes to purchase and inspect. Make two ledges to . You need to contact Vivien Hight, the business owner. But for clarification, I love top and bottom insulation, but in summer I would be wary of a so-called wrapped (or side insulated) hive. Because 10-frame hives hold two more frames, bees have more room to lay eggs and produce a bigger food supply, which also means you can harvest extra honey. This meant that frames could be transferred between the Valhalla and a Langstroth, and standard nucleus colonies would fit seamlessly into the Valhalla. THEY ARE THE BEST. TOO COOL!!! I don't raise queens, but this might be a great way to raise queens too. PayPal wont be fully operational until just after the holiday, and Ill still need to add a pricing sheet/shipping information before the weeks end. If not run them all through the table saw so the width is uniform (e.g., 11-1/8). (Alternative: hand saw with guide. The basic Langstroth hive is composed of seven basic parts: hive stand, bottom board, hive body (also known as the brood chamber, brood nest, brood box, and deep box/deep super), queen excluder (optional), honey super (usually a shallow box), inner cover and telescoping outer cover. Langstroth hives consist of boxes that stack on top of each other. We always seem to circle back by making a comparison based on our human ways. Although they are beneficial insects, they are not native to North America. Question, does the wool blanket not irritate the girls? Thanks for contacting us with your comments and questions. There are many options for hive stands including metal, durable plastic, and plain old cinder blocks and plywood. or forested? If you have scrap pieces of larger boards lying around, you can make the landing board larger, up to 10 long by 3-1/2 wide. Then, Im trying to learn what the ladies are saying oops, makin em human again. That wax or plastic foundation has a pre-determined stamped cell-size, usually worker cell. 2-layers Insulated PVC Langstroth Bee Hive Boxes Bee Hives Beehive Beekeeping US. It is well thought-out and well-made. We will respond to you very soon. Frames can use foundation or be foundationless . Specially designed rigid packing material. Im sure she will be back to you shortly. Thanks for the write up. Nice .. our hive producer makes similar hives, but the frames are deeper and larger I have been thinking of switching to something like this for a while now, I think it would be so much easier than fighting with the regular boxes. The Apimaye Medium Insulated Super for Langstroth Beehive, while an expensive option, is the best product on the market for raising . Its purpose it to discuss contemporary issues in beekeeping and bee science. Both rails are 15-7/8" long. How long will a Queenless hive survive? 8-Warre' Bee hive Plan by David Heaf. 8. Your opinion would be appreciated as well as anyone else that has any experience with an insulated hive. Chris. Hi Terry, did you get your blocker boards? The painted top should last many years. By clicking on these ads, making a purchase, or taking other action, we can earn a little extra money to fund future projects. Is it possible to have the roof split so as to host a Flow hive for a short time? and then the upper boxes of honey and stores next, IE farther from the entrance. Step 9. This hive looks like the solution to a whole lot of problems. The hive you choose depends on many factors, such as your area's climate. They were using foundation in their frames, so they put a drone foundation frame in position #2 and on the outside of the honey stores frames, and the burr-comb just stopped. Worth looking into. Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) Last winter, Naomi decided to use an infrared camera to monitor her hives in winter. Wood glue (e.g., Titebond III), less than 1 oz needed. (Only 2-3 emails per year, and you can unsubscribe at any time.) For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. 10-frame hives give bees two additional frames for honey and brood production, which means you can harvest more honey. Also, the ladies will winterize the hive themselves, and if you add the Shetland Wool cover to your hive purchaseso much the better as it really brings a higher level of protection in both summer and winter. Historically, beekeepers in the United States and Canada opted for Langstroth 10-frame beehives for their honey bees, but 8-frame hives have become more popular in the past few decades. I will keep my other 3 colonies going in traditional Langstroth hives and will be happy to share my experience and comparisons with this new style long hive in the months to come. Mark the sides that will face outside. It is highly expandable, and each box holds eight to ten frames. Insulated Plastic Langstroth Bee Hive Boxes Bee Hives Beehive Beekeeping House. Exterior acrylic primer/sealer (1 qt per hive) and light-colored exterior acrylic paint (1 pint per hive); a wide brush. This area receives an average of 15 inches of annual precipitation, and experiences temperatures ranging from 105 degrees Fahrenheit to a low of minus 20 degrees (without a wind-chill factor). The insulated tops kept the bees nice and cozy during the winter, but in the hot, humid South Carolina summer we were seeing a lot of bearding. The canvas cover keeps the bees calm while working them. One 4 x 8 sheet makes top and bottom for. In comparison, a 10-frame box can weight up to 80 lbs. Youll have a strip approx. And yes, the STANDARD DEEP frames fit beautifully, 24 to each Valkyrie. According to the material I read, bugs do NOT live well in it and moisture will not destroy Roxul's insulation value. From what I understand ventilation is more important than insulation. Each entrance is a slot 6 wide by 1/2 tall. Two pieces should be 18 inches long and 1 inches wide, and two pieces 16 x 1 inches. Contact us using the form on the right, or give us a call! The Most Advanced Beehive Ergo Series bee hives are our signature 10 frame hives available in the US. A high maintenance schedule for anyone! No heavy lifting of supers or brood chambers. In the 1-3/4 rim the long strips (Strip-2-Long, part c) go between the short strips (Strip-2-Short, part d). Thanks in advance. Disadvantages of a horizontal hive with extra deep frames Turn the hive body on its side. As noted above, I now have a website with PayPal! Mitchell took 2.3 million temperature measurements from 12 hives 8 different styles. Now its time to cut the plywood. When the weather cooperates, Ill be posting pics to our website of the local ladies which have been thriving more than one year here in our areastay tuned! Bombus affinis, the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee, has been so honored. (If you do not have a router, you can use a jigsaw instead.). Say hi to your grandson for me! The newspaper method uses the hives surplus end located opposite the entrance, about frame 16 through 24. Its easiest way to screw the legs in is while the hive is on its side. A Valkyrie owner in the Midwest noticed the burr-comb was predominantly drone cells. Nan. It is also important to note that the type of hive chosen will affect the amount of time and beekeeper interaction with the bees. I am a second year beek and managed to get my 2 hives through the winter in what appears to be good shape. Another Valkyrie owner cut away the burr-comb, made the crib, and plunked it right in the middle of the brood frames (yes,) and, the burr-comb stopped. Where can I buy one of these? Circular saw with a guide to cut plywood. The insulation used, polystyrene, also helps to absorb excess moisture during the winter. This website is made possible by people like you. Step 13. View of the inside. I just set up a page for long hive discussions. The legs are cut from the 2x4 at a 45 degree angle to help shed water. Rustys reply to your concerns about colony movement and overwintering is the same from me. Langstroth Hive: The Langstroth hive (pictured below) is the most common style in use today and a favorite for new beekeepers. Im very glad to know another Valkyrie beekeeper. 8-frame boxes are generally cheaper than their 10-frame counterparts. Long Langstroth Hive: This beehive plan builds a horizontal hive instead of a vertical one. Cut a piece of insulation board 48 x 21-5/8 and insert it into the top. Home Bee Blog The Valkyrie long hive: built with love for bees and their keepers. This was a very big deal in 1851 when honey was the primary means of . I'll be building a long Langstroth, which holds 32 frames of typical "deep" frames instead of just ten per level or box. This horizontal hive model costs under $50 in materials, and is a two-hour project requiring only basic tools. It's really great for people whose heavy lifting days are behind them and easy to work with for the disabled. Yes, beekeeping is more than insulating a hive, but it has become a good addition to the Valkyrie long hive. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I used four 3 screws into each leg. Otherwise pre-drill and assemble on 1-1/8 screws. Sounds easy, and it could be done; keeping in mind that the frames would need to be removed and taken to wherever the extractor is set up. Thank you for your interest, Sharon, we look forward to hearing from you! Combing colonies can be accomplished through several options. Step 4. These are the walls. We also rough up the interior of the hive body to encourage the bees to propolize the wallseven more self management for the bees. Cut three entrances in the front wall. Gable Roof for Horizontal Hives Fits our Long Langstroth Hive model. The ventilation ports fixed it in a heartbeat and the continued use of the canvas cover (after bleaching) keeps the hive from being drafty. Once the box is made, its time to use a router and cut the dado in for the bottom. But much to her surprise (and mine!) You know, just for show! We get a lot of fog and very strong winds. What she discovered was a surprise. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. There are also more tools available for 10-frame hives because they were the standard for decades. The Langstroth hives are bigger, made from polystyrene, and seem overall to be better at keeping the bees throughout the year. Hi Carl: It ultimately comes down to your own preferences. 1-800-632-3379 Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers About Us Hours and Directions I live in a relatively mild sub-alpine climate, where we have lows of 20 (F) or -6 deg C, and highs of 104 F (or 40 deg C). The Beekeepers Carpenter The Right Hand LLP. The hive body holds 24 standard deep frames. I really like the long hives and there are a couple of local people making Langstroth Long Hives near me but they have a flat telescoping roof, 30 frames and they use honey supers on top. Specially designed rigid packing material. Much to the chagrin of the developers of the Valkyrie, I did drill ventilation ports. Bees tend to move up instead of using the two extra frames. There is 2 1/2 from the bottom bar to the slats. In the 1-1/4 rim the short strips (Strip-1-Short, part b) go between the long strips (Strip-1-Long, part a). terry. Cut a rabbet (3/4 wide by 1/2 deep) along the entire inner perimeter of the hive box. The aluminum is custom fit by hand to eliminate weather intrusion. I live on Long Island in New York, USA. It was created in the mid-1800s by Lorenzo Langstroth, who was a reverend as well as an apiarist. Some of the improvements in the new hive include: Bruce builds every hive by hand and assembles it to assure that each piece fits perfectly. I was thinking I would move toward this type of hive as the Langstroth is just impossible for me. Bearding appears without insulation. I just picked up a Valkyrie long hive from Vivien. When I first read Johns question, I thought he was speaking of insulating the entire hive, sides as well. Here are a few of the common scenarios, with the only common denominator being the cure: create a comb crib and return the combs back to the bees. The hinges make the lid easy to open and have been tested against a stiff breeze. Vivian was such a delight to work with and the hive was packaged and protected incredibly well for the long trip across the country. Hopefully, we wont have to undergo an impromptu testing but, hey, it just might survive! A green frame manufactured specifically with drone-size cells is another option to offer the colony. Thank you, Could you email pricing info to me? They are definitely heavy duty and seem built to last! Sometimes it's referred to as a "long hive.". Long Langstroth Hive This hive is desgined to have all the positive qualities of a top bar hive and none of the drawbacks and also to have the advantages of standard equipment which makes the frames transferable from a traditional Langstroth deep or nucleus hive. Im VERY HAPPY to point a link to your site. Top Bar Hive 28 bars 40" long Beehive Cedar Hinged Roof Beehive w/observation window 2 colors Ad vertisement by crabbcatjohn crabbcatjohn. If you want to raise a successful colony, choosing the right equipment is crucial. Rigid foam was secured underneath the long hive as an experiment. Perhaps putting a comb-crib in the middle of the brood area kept them busy enough for long enough that they forgot about the bottom bars Im not smart enough to know. Another combining method is to have the incoming colony walk-in. Cordless drill; small bit for pilot holes; 1/2 bit for entrance; driver bits for screws. *You may notice slight variations among different references. We had the hive out in the parking lot, I bet there were looks from all over, wondering what we were up to! : ) Isnt it true that burr-comb of some sort will happen in every hive body horizontal or vertical? Is losing heat from the bottom of the hive such a bad thing? Honey bees are extremely versatile and are perfectly equipped to live in a horizontal hive. Cover the frames with a layer of burlap. (Note: 1 extra deep frame of honey can weigh up to 20 pounds.) Next I ripped the bottom pieces from the shorter half. How do you winterize? When youve made your decision, give me a call to get the shipping/handling price. Since they start at the top, there is no room to move further up. I Fixed The Langstroth Hive (For The Bees AND The Keeper!) Larry and Naomi Price (foreground) working their bees in July. I have been researching long hives and intend to build one. In transferring frames from Langstroth boxes, what order would I place them in? Duplicate of Original U.S. Patent For Lorenzo L. Langstroth Bee Hive 1852 Ad vertisement by KillerBeeMoto KillerBeeMoto. Makes being a beginner beekeeper less stressful. I currently use 1-inch foilbacked styrofoam on the hives I have and it seemed to work quit well. Long hive discussion page. Looks gorgeous Rusty, great to see people taking such efforts to perfect a hive able to be used by everyone. I own four long hives (not the Valkyrie) but have only had one with a colony going into one winter, and two with a colony going into another winter. Connecticuts state insect is the European praying mantis.
