A Case of Hives - Adrian Waring
A case of Hives is edited by Len Heath and contains contributions from a host of respected beekeepers including the editor. Each beekeeper makes the case for a particular hive design from the popular national and WBC through all the other Hives available, including the use of long hives and Skeps!
For the new beekeeper it is an invaluable source of information on the different hive designs that should help with the key first decision of which hive to go for. For both beginners and the more experienced the book gives an interesting insight into the factors that should be considered when deciding what hive to use and the importance of particular choices for particular situations. For example the WBC has a distinct advantage in an exposed site where its double wall provides extra protection from driven rain and summer heat, the further north ones goes the requirement for a larger brood area declines with the weather, thus the preference for the Smith hive in Scotland. I was surprised that such reasonable cases could be made for most of the hive designs but always in the contact of particular circumstances. Effort necessary, climate, Queen strain, cost are all key factors when making the decision on a particular design.
There are a couple of very interesting charts detailing the relative costs of hives and more interestingly the cost index per square inch of brood and super comb which reveal contrasting results on the cost of setting up an apiary with the different designs.
[Reigate website]
So let's get a reprint from Northern Books eh?
R2
matchsticks anyone?
