Hive Shape

qa33010 · March 29, 2008, 06:14:36 PM

I'm sure someone somewhere has designed or is designing a removeable frame skep. Or if nothing else wrap a skep shape around a Langstroth box. Even if this may cause pest problems with the dead space between skep and hive body. Also design an entrance from box to outside without allowing access to the dead space. Maybe even make the top part of the lang top so it can be supered. That would look a little strange. Hhhmmmmm :-\

Michael Bush · March 29, 2008, 06:55:59 PM

If you like the basket shape that much and want a movable comb hive, the Greek top bar hives were in a basket. You just do it like a top bar hive except each bar is a little shorter as you go across.

hellbenthoneybee · March 29, 2008, 07:38:18 PM

I'm sure I will end up with the box hives, I just wanted to know the difference. I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row before I do anything, last thing I want is to cause harm to some bees. I ejoyed the fancy hive box photos that got posted, thanks!

JP · March 29, 2008, 11:25:04 PM

Quote from: hellbenthoneybee on March 29, 2008, 07:38:18 PM
I'm sure I will end up with the box hives, I just wanted to know the difference. I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row before I do anything, last thing I want is to cause harm to some bees. I ejoyed the fancy hive box photos that got posted, thanks!

Hellbent/Heavensent, you know that you will squish some bees as a beekeeper right? Sorry to burst your bubble. They will go to bee heaven though. ;)

...JP

hellbenthoneybee · April 01, 2008, 04:26:24 PM

I'm sure there will be some casualties... I would hate to lose a whole hive though. Bee heaven sound like a nice place... anything like the land of milk and honey?

Brian D. Bray · April 03, 2008, 12:32:24 AM

When it comes to form I am 4F and 4W, that is: Fat, Funny, Fearless, and Fifty-something, and Wierd, Wild, Wacky, and Wonderful. On the other hand my wife calls me 3D; Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbo (size).

jaypee · April 03, 2008, 05:45:49 AM

If my history is correct, the Greeks were the first to use top bar hives. They used straight lengths of wood or branches to let them harvest the honey without destroying the brood nest. These were upside down to what we think of because the 'base' was on top.

There were also methods of supering skeps, with a small second story skep that fitted over the top of the large skep.

There is a digital book 'somewhere' on line which traces the history of beekeeping, with pages and pages of hive evolution. The one which made the strongest impression on me was an oversized 'book', each page was a frame and they rotated on a central hub.