Keeping bees in multi-hull hives: technology and methods

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Hives of this design fully meet the modern requirements of beekeeping. The multi-hull variety has gained wide popularity in countries such as America, Russia, Canada and Australia. This is due to the convenience of this design. Keeping bees in multi-hull hives simplifies the work and makes the work of the beekeeper several times easier.

During the flowering of melliferous plants in hives of this design, it is necessary to build up colonies. The method of beekeeping plays a key role in this.

In this article we will talk about the main secrets of keeping bees in multi-hull hives, existing methods and technology.

Content Methods

There are many ways to work with box hives. Some of them allow you to increase the volume of honey production, others - to predict swarming. The most productive is considered to be a two-queen keeping of bees in a multi-hull hive. This method allows you to keep strong enoughfamilies and predict swarming. In addition, this method gives high productivity throughout the honey harvest season.

Double queen keeping of bees in a multi-hull hive provides for the cultivation of powerful colonies in the spring. At this time, the house needs to provide high temperature and humidity. To do this, beekeepers recommend reducing the size of the nest and covering the lid with thermal insulation. Double queen keeping of bees in multi-hull hives is an excellent option for stationary apiaries.

The second, quite popular way is John Long's method. In this case, the main goal is to prevent swarming. When the first signs are observed, the body with the uterus and brood is removed. An empty one with the same individual is mounted in its place. This method has a positive effect on honey collection.

As the flowers of different crops bloom, the beekeeper moves the houses to different places. This allows you to collect a large amount of honey. Also, the movement of hives depends on climatic conditions. So, in the Krasnodar Territory, plants begin to bloom earlier than in the neighboring Rostov Region. This makes it possible to collect in several areas.

Key content features

Keeping bees in multi-hull hives has gained wide popularity due to the fact that the volume of honey collection with this design of the house increases significantly. In turn, this method is divided into 5 stages, adhering to which the beekeeper will definitely get an excellent result. These include:

1. Cleaning the bottom. To do this, you need to remove the case from the lower tier. This procedure is carried out immediately after the first cleaning flight. It is carried out quickly, without parsing the nest. It does not need to be increased at this stage. This is due to the weakness of the family that survived the winter. After the first flight, she quickly recovers her strength. At the same time, one box with a certain number of combs is left until the first brood.
2. The second stage falls on the flowering season of honey plants. At this time, there are 9 frames in the nests. At this stage, you need to install an additional body and make layering, which is formed in a fairly simple way. In this case, two boxes are substituted for stronger bees. On one place a plywood partition. Thus, a withdrawal is made. After that, a nest is made from 5 frames of brood and the same number of combs. Then an additional box is mounted on a strong family, and a case with a layer is mounted on it. Thus, the third floor appears at the house. A young uterus can be placed on the next day.
3. This stage is carried out at the beginning of summer. At this time, the population of the main family grows and gradually moves to the second box. In this case, an increase in the nest and layering is done. This can be done by adding a third box. The upper one, in which the brood is located, is removed to the lower tier. An empty case is placed on the top level. For layering, a box with good frames is left. Enlarging the nest with this technique will prevent swarming. This is due to the fact that the bees will be busy constantly mastering the nest. Bee families are engaged in brood and gain strength forhoney collection.
4. The fourth stage involves the removal of the plywood frame. Insects enter the main honey collection with 5 cases. They are all filled with bees and have 40 brood frames. If the bribe exceeds expectations, then the cases can be delivered.
5. At this stage, the beekeeper inspects the bee colonies and cleans all the boxes with honey. In doing so, he leaves two of them. Upper with food and lower with brood. After that, the nesting place is prepared for the winter.

Keeping bees in summer

With the onset of summer, it is necessary to separate the uterus. To do this, a grid is mounted at the bottom of the hive. After four weeks, the upper and lower levels of the hull should be swapped. In this case, the cases must be separated by a lattice. Frames with printed brood are mounted next to it.

The end result should look like this: the body with honey is located at the bottom of the hive, after it comes the printed and open brood. A uterus should be placed between them and only after that a building body should be installed.

In order to get a large amount of honey, the apiary should be located near flowering vegetation. The highest quality honey plants are: phacelia, common bruise, linden, lemon balm and safflower.

Multiple housing during the main honey plant

The key feature at this time is the need to isolate the uterus. The maintenance of bees in multi-hull hives during the period of the main honey plant is characterized by an increased swarm intensity. At this time, the bees regularly bring up to 7 kilograms.nectar per day. The combs fill up quickly enough, and there is no room for laying eggs in them. Therefore, the uterus should be isolated. When the honey plant period ends, two boxes should be left for brood colonies, and the honey boxes should be removed for subsequent honey extraction.

Keeping bees in autumn

Autumn is the period of hygiene procedures. At the same time, bees in a multi-hull hive should receive more food. In this case, honey is considered the best food. As an alternative, you can use sugar syrup and honey satu. After that, the houses are prepared for wintering. Caring for bees in a multi-hull hive at this time is to remove excess housings.

Main design features of the hive

The keeping of bees, which uses multi-level houses, is fundamentally different from others. This design gives the beekeeper the opportunity not to spend a lot of time and effort on maintaining the houses. In addition, the content of bees in a multi-hull horned hive provides for easy transportation.

Each hive has 10-12 frames, the size of which is 43.5 x 23 mm. The house has at least 4 boxes. This feature is ideal for both mobile and stationary apiaries. The house visually resembles a massive column with a ledge at the notch. It is noteworthy that multi-hull hives can be made independently at home. However, it is necessary to study the manufacturing technology and all the components of this house well. multi-hull hiveconsists of the following components:

1. Case. The width of the walls must be at least 35 millimeters. A notch with a diameter of up to 25 mm is drilled on the body. A valve must also be installed. Handles are often mounted on the sides of the case. This will make it easier to transport. The final dimensions of the inner area of the house should be 37.5 x 45 x 34 cm.
2. The bottom of the hive should be removable with a sloping shield. It is made from boards up to 3.5 centimeters thick. They should be tied on each side. The necessary clearance during the period of the main bribe is done by removing the insert. Clearance parameters 37, 5 x 2 cm.
3. The roof is made horizontal for convenience. To avoid damage during transportation, it is made from boards 2.5 centimeters wide.
4. Lockliner. This element is located at the top of the house. However, sometimes it is used as a partition between buildings.
5. The ceiling is made of 5 boards connected by two stripes.
6. Ventilation grille. It is made of strapping, on which an iron mesh with a small cell is mounted. Their size should be such that the bees cannot crawl through them.

Keeping bees in a 145 mm multi-hull hive

Houses with such a frame have a number of features that are unique to them:

• easy to operate;
• brood protection from hypothermia;
• quality honeycomb printing;
• rapid swarm increase;
• free movement of bees in winter from one box to another.

Most beekeepers don't use a 145mm frame. This is due to the fact that you have to place a large number of such frames in the hive.

Benefits

Cultivation of bees in multi-hull hives has a number of advantages over other species. These include:

• mobility design - hives are easy to move, as they have a relatively small mass;
• tiered house easy to make yourself;
• large living area allows intensive swarm development;
• family merging is done very carefully;
• multiple housing avoids swarming;
• while moving the bodies, the beekeeper makes the bees build honeycombs with more activity;
• due to the design features in multi-tiered hives, it is not difficult to strengthen the family.

Wintering features

With the beginning of the cold season, in order for the bees to feel good and not get sick, they need to create favorable living conditions. The strongest families are placed in separate buildings. Boxes with few bees are placed together. Wintering of insects should take place in a multi-tiered structure. The lowest level should be occupied by bees with brood. The top tier is designed for stern frames.

As the stocks are depleted, the bees move up the frames. After the upper tier is occupied, the lower one must be removed. Cleaning is best done during warm days.

At the end of wintering, the beekeeper needsconduct a complete inspection of the hive and uterus. Keeping bees in the winter season is a simple process. It is important to provide the swarm with food for the winter in time and provide favorable conditions for life in the hives.

Housing expansion and population increase

It is much easier to increase the population of a bee colony in hives of a multi-hull design than, for example, in sunbeds. The expansion in such houses is carried out by installing additional boxes, which allows the uterus to produce more eggs. The technology of keeping bees in multi-hull hives allows you to keep several families in one house. In addition, it makes it possible to strengthen weak families and get more honey.

The increase in the bee colony is carried out by installing additional boxes. To force the queen to produce more eggs, the top tier of the hive must be placed at the very bottom. Thus, the uterus will instinctively move to the top and begin to lay more eggs. It is noteworthy that this procedure is best done in warm weather.

Space saving

The increase in the population of bees may not occur. This is due to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. There is no need to expand and strengthen families at this time.

If the weather conditions are unfavorable, then it is better not to develop small weak families. They should be placed in a smaller area. Space should be saved by dividing the buildings with floors. Thus, living space will be provided to twobee colonies.

Keeping bees in multi-hull hives is not an easy task. It provides for a number of knowledge and skills of the beekeeper.

Change body

This procedure is carried out exclusively in the spring. At this time, the flowering of the willow begins. In order not to disturb the insects, you need to move in the evening.