Hives we make
We make hives to order.
All our hives are built to meet the standards required for organic and biodynamic beekeeping.
This means:
The hives are built from natural materials, in our case sustainable, locally-sourced timbers such as golden cypress (Cupressus Macrocarpa).
Only natural paints and oils are used on the exterior
There are no artificial finishes inside the hive, only wax and propolis that the bees make themselves.
Hives we make
The Warré
Designed by Abbé Émile Warré (1867-1951) in France to replicate a vertical cavity in a tree. In spring extra boxes are placed at the bottom of the hive to allow the colony to expand and accomodate the summer workforce. This method is less invasive than adding boxes on top but being a vertical hive means you must be prepared to lift hive boxes that can weigh up to 20 kg. Honey is harvested from the top when there is a surplus. Warré hives are used by natural beekeepers around the world with subtle variations in design and size.
“Since having Jon from Bees at Home provide us with and manage two warre hives our garden is happier and healthier.
Jon was able to site the bees in a safe place (on our carport) so that my kids can see the bees activity without getting too close. I look forward to each time that Jon inspects our hives to see what our bees have been up to.”
— Jeremy and Chrysta from Banks
Top bar hives
As the name implies, top bar hives have a series of bars at the top of the hive. The bees build their comb on the bars and down into the space below.
As with the Warré, these hives emulate the cavity in a hollow log and can be both vertical or horizontal. In Australia they are generally horizontal. This positioning will suit those for whom lifting more than a few kilograms is an issue because there are no boxes to be added or removed as is the case with the Warré or other vertical hives.
The top bar hives have other advantageous features:
They teach us as beekeepers to handle comb and bees gently as the comb is attached to a single bar rather than a three or four sided frame
They probably retain the “hive atmosphere” ie temperature and humidity, to a greater degree when opened than stacked box hives
We make two varieties.
The Small Top Bar hive
The Small Top Bar hive is ideal for small gardens and spaces. To aid in monitoring of your bees there is an observation window built in one side. You’re able to directly see the bees at work without opening the hive.
The standard size top bar
The standard sized top bar hives with sloped sides are often referred to as Kenyan Top Bar hives or KTBs. They were developed in Canada as part of a Canadian overseas development project in Kenya in the 1970’s.
There are many design variations of this type of hive in use around the world.
Special-order hives
We can make three styles of hive on special order.
These hives have additional complexities and will take us longer to build.
· The hexagonal hive
· The Golden hive
· The log hive
The hexagonal hive
These hives are hexagonal in cross section so a fully made comb is hexagonal in shape which synergistically mirrors the shape of the individual cells in the comb. They are managed as a horizontal top bar hive and have an inspection window built in. As they theoretically have twice the internal volume of the standard top bar hive, they are very heavy when full. Careful consideration must be made to their siting as moving an established hive will be very difficult.
The Golden hive
The Golden Hive hails from Europe and the UK. It is based on a German hive design called the Einraumbeute hive and, as with most hive designs, is a work in progress. It features insulated walls and roof space with big frames that allow bees to build deep comb as they would in the wild. There are no boxes to lift but full frames will be heavier than the KTB.
For more detailed information check Beekindhives out.
The log hive
This is not a hive in the usual sense. Rather it is a conservational effort to provide suitable habitat for a swarm of bees to find and colonise without intervention from a beekeeper.
They are constructed by hollowing out the centre of a fallen tree trunk, providing a waterproof roof, floor and two entry holes. The ‘hive’ is then hoisted into a large tree or elevated on long legs.
Under Australian law there can be no beekeeping interventions at all and honey cannot be harvested from these hives. They are used purely to replace habitat lost to bees for whatever reason.
Check Boomtreebees out.