Bait hive plans

[Tonyf]

Hi. Anyone got any plans for making a wood hive out of scrap ply? To fit a couple of dn1 nasty brood frames.

Cheers

 

[Newbeeneil]

Make a box of about 40l capacity (my boxes vary from about 20l to 50l ) long enough to get the frames in and fit it with a lid. I use correx to make the lids as it's cheap (temporary road signs or estate agents signs!)
I drill a 1" diameter hole in one side with a bit of varroa mesh held by a screw so it can be slid shut when you get the swarm.
Add the comb and a dab of lemon grass oil and bobs your uncle!

You could increase the sides and ends on this nuc box I made!
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/what-did-you-do-in-the-workshop-today.21943/post-819756

 

[pargyle]

Seeley is the goto guru for bait hives ...

https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/2653
Free to download.

 

[polomadh]

Can you see these pics, one has the dimensions on. I had the pieces cut from a full sheet of ply at the timber merchant

 

[Tonyf]

Awesome thanks guys

 

[pete darbyshire]

My bait hives vary from " designed " ply boxes to polystyrene salad boxes.

 

[Robert Barry]

Hi. Anyone got any plans for making a wood hive out of scrap ply? To fit a couple of dn1 nasty brood frames.

Cheers

I would just take the internal dimensions from an existing brood box, super etc and make the best copies you can. If it is a success you will have to expand at some point and that will mean begging, buying or borrowing kit urgently - you may not have time to keep building supers whenever there is a honey flow. .

I have never used plywood hive components but I have seen some at shows etc - they tend to be on the heavy side. I would limit use to the floor and roof and use more conventional timber brood box and supers, which can get extremely heavy in a good year.