Home Made Improved Warre Hive Type

[Tom Bick]

I have looked at it and sorry I am at a loss on how it works. I think its supposed to be an entrance.

I am interested but think perhaps one thought to many but then I may be wrong.

I suspect you will announce varroa dislodged from the bees but I do think that the drones will have problems not to mention it will knock off pollen and very hard work for the bees to remove dead bees.

 

[The Apprentices]

I have looked at it and sorry I am at a loss on how it works. I think its supposed to be an entrance.

I am interested but think perhaps one thought to many but then I may be wrong.

I suspect you will announce varroa dislodged from the bees but I do think that the drones will have problems not to mention it will knock off pollen and very hard work for the bees to remove dead bees.

.

Are you sitting comfortably, then I will begin.

No bees have yet walked through the device, the drones situation is covered quite adequately, the cone escapes are of standard Canadian types and the grooves or inlets are 10.00 mm wide, please explain where you see a problem for the drones

I will report whatever comes of this experiment which it is please don't worry about it so much.

If it doesn't work then I will have a very nice Canadian clearing box minus the brushes taken from Dave Cushmans instructions.

What seems like is happening here is it has failed before it has even begun, oh well its life Jim but not as we know it.

 

[Tom Bick]

Fair play you are happy with the drones but I am assuming you will only know about the pollen and dead bee removal when up and running.

I am only applying constructive criticism, I agree we can experiment but I still think this is one thought too many and will be happy to be proven wrong.

 

[The Apprentices]

Fair play you are happy with the drones but I am assuming you will only know about the pollen and dead bee removal when up and running.

I am only applying constructive criticism, I agree we can experiment but I still think this is one thought too many and will be happy to be proven Wrong.

If it don't work I will be the first to hold up my hands, both of them believe me.

I think you still don't see how its going to work, maybe my fault for not going into finer detail, but remember I am still making it, but do value all constructional ideas because someone may have already done something similar.

The box doesn't fit below the brood but between the supers and only occasionally when you want to purge the bees through for a clean up.

You will finally gather how it works when I have added the final touches to her this week.



It is almost like a Canadian cone clearer box but with the added, lets call it Varroa floor for catching the dropped varroa like an entrance meshed floor.

 

[Tom Bick]

Great will look forward to that

 

[topbar]

Amazing stuff Apprentice! You are certainly a thinker and craftsman. I however am a newbe and can't get my head around any of it.
Thats why i'm gonna make you cry when i say i'm going to make a top bar hive from a log using a trusty chainsaw. SIMPLES

 

[Mike a]

Never really understood the logic behind trying to brush varroa off a bees back as anything more than a sales gimmick. If you watch the video below Varroa are extremely quick and once in place their grip strength is very good. My other concern is the brush, if they are stiff enough to dislodge a varroa are they likely to scratch or tear a wing or damage the bee in any other way.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGa9DKraGA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGa9DKraGA[/ame]

I just hope some one comes up with some thing like the beetle trap that attracts the varroa by smell or taste and keeps them trapped once they get in rather than us having to use potent chemical warfare.

 

[beeatshellards]

great video! I was just so irritated on the bees behalf and just wanted to remove it myself, it causes distress to the bees . like you say difficult to shift . one day...

 

[The Apprentices]

Never really understood the logic behind trying to brush varroa off a bees back as anything more than a sales gimmick. If you watch the video below Varroa are extremely quick and once in place their grip strength is very good. My other concern is the brush, if they are stiff enough to dislodge a varroa are they likely to scratch or tear a wing or damage the bee in any other way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGa9DKraGA

I just hope some one comes up with some thing like the beetle trap that attracts the varroa by smell or taste and keeps them trapped once they get in rather than us having to use potent chemical warfare.

Very frustrating indeed, the devise is still in its infancy and the reason for sharing it with you all is to bring out the ideas as to the for,s and against,s of any new idea/s.

This is how the best ideas are sometimes born, born of many minds working together and freely and for next to nothing.

The damage to the bees will not happen because the brushes will be tested from their lightest possible effect to their strongest without doing irrevesable damage towards the bees.

The Varroa are strong yet if the can be made weaker using some kind of natural cosh to weaken them before entering the brushes, this is where the drawer comes in, which not only catches them but puts them to sleep beforehand enough to loosen their grip, anyone got any ideas as to what gasses oils etc to use without harming the host? Must he some like what we throw at and onto them today.

One other thing crossed my wandering mind during these minuites was, why the bees do not try harder to clean themselves of these beasties, is it possible that the Varroa can mimic the feromones in the hive so as to fool the bees into thinking they are part of their whole, plenty of other insects already do this in nature.

How ever much we think we know about a problem we know very little sometimes and the way forward is to bring many minds together to try and solve things, and the very reason I share my device of many to come with you all.

I will contine to think for myself, question everything, listen to all.

 

[Brosville]

My take is that we can be too simplistic in seeking remedies for varroa infestation - all the reading I've done seems to suggest that many people all round the world who claim not to have problems tend to have certain common practices - particularly leaving the brood area alone, and not using foundation (which would naturally revert them back to smaller cell sizes over a few generations) - lack of interference also allows Nestduftwärmebindung (essential nest heat and atmosphere) to do it's work.
If kept as is generally suggested, a Warré hive is ideal for both.... (although there's nothing to stop people running any hive on the same lines)

 

[The Apprentices]

great video! I was just so irritated on the bees behalf and just wanted to remove it myself, it causes distress to the bees . like you say difficult to shift . one day...

These kinds of stress are in the category of both a form of indirect violence and enviornmemtal stresses, now this is where things can take several different paths as to what anyone thinks and does.

Whenever nature is under stress the paticular hosts of which there are many can reabsorb their whole by stalling jestation timings to coencide with nature.

The queen does this in part by being able to store sperm until its needed, through the winter and year after year etc.

The bees themselves are expendable and the weak spot if you like, this is where we Humans come in, we can create an easier to handle situation for the bees until the problems causing the natural enviornmental stresses are dealt with, like smaller colonies and cell regression which people are ever keen to dissmiss.

When the system is under the greatest stress and the queens are being asked to lay more than they would normally because of young not reaching maturity, and or a plethera of other ailments, she is also bound to be stressed out trying to keep up with things and thus will not last as long.

Its a chain of events that creep up slowly being controlled inadvertamtly by the Varroa, when noticable queen numbers are being effected then people might see some signs, are there any such signs as yet?

 

[The Apprentices]

My take is that we can be too simplistic in seeking remedies for varroa infestation - all the reading I've done seems to suggest that many people all round the world who claim not to have problems tend to have certain common practices - particularly leaving the brood area alone, and not using foundation (which would naturally revert them back to smaller cell sizes over a few generations) - lack of interference also allows Nestduftwärmebindung (essential nest heat and atmosphere) to do it's work.
If kept as is generally suggested, a Warré hive is ideal for both.... (although there's nothing to stop people running any hive on the same lines)

This is what I am doing, using the modified Warre's with certain internals also, including natural cell regression as part of my project and breed new queens in the areas where they will be used, I will fund and control all manufacturing and testing for it myself,,,,,Our local institution are also calling for such projects to be carried out.

 

[The Apprentices]

Warre-vac

The latest apprentice piece comes in the form of a bee vac box, Basically a box within a box.

The top sliding plate has a central hoover adapter and inlet adapter both made from off cuts of Nylon and turned on the wood lathe.

The top meshed hole is for regulating the air flow so you can turn down the pressure to a breath by opening and closing the flap, I have been practicing on wasps that have a nest in the orchard and keep paying me regular vists to the workshop, no dead wasps to date, which fly out really pissed when I open the doors

When you have collected your bounty all that needs to be done is remove the hose and close the flat, place the beevac on top of anothe in situ brood/super etc and open the bottom doors and let them into their new hotel.

You can slide the top door off and watch proceedings through the perspex inner box lid, this helps to create a top light bottom dark situation which makes the bees go down into the waiting box.

The main inlet is designed in such a way so that it closes against a brass screw and jumps over a built in cam on the lower curve of the flap, tighten the thumb rew nice and tight and everything is secure, taking a hammer to get the flap to move.

The sliding stopped lower doors are double edge sealed in the middle to prevent a direct gap if they are ever flexed in any way and secured via two toggle clips and pinned with R clips to prevent them from accidentally opening.

 

[The Apprentices]

The green and blue doors/flaps etc are from a local signwriters skip he let me have.

 

[The Apprentices]

Just in case anyone want to have a go at making one of these here is a list of parts.
1 X persex 5.00mm. 315 X 278.
2 X 340x220x20 Pse pine.
2 X 340x220x9.0 birch ply opposite sides.
1 x 340x320x9.0 birch ply top sliding cover.
Edging is 20x10 pine strip.
Lower doors are plastic signwriters board.

Most work is done using a router.

Total cost for materials =£ 35.00 and 8 hours labour.

The inner mesh is No.8 stainless welded mesh but can be heavy duty cloth instead.

 

[The Apprentices]

For those interested in fitting the retaining bolts that hold the flaps, first using a spur tipped drill pictured which gives a flat cut hole bottom.

Drill the first hole to the size and depth of the bolt head, then follow the first point with a drill the size of the threads, in my case it was 10.00mm first then 6.00mm.

Then push the bolt through place a sturdy washer over and tighten the nut so it pulls the bolt head home, leaving a hex socket which prevents the bolt from turning.

ADDITION to cutting list.

You also need 2 x 320x 185x9.0 birch ply boards for the mesh screen cut out boards which are releaved 20.00mm on top to allow the air to pass over them after passing through the screens.

See picture.

 

[The Apprentices]

If your worried about the strength of vaccum a good pointer as to, too much pressure would be the sound of bees pinging off the inside of the hose.
Turn the pressure almost off until the bees are almost flying aided down the tube.

When placing the meshed regulator onto the top lid place its centre at least six inches away from the suction ube.

You can also place a soft pad adjacent to the inlet hole so the bees touch down with a gentle bump as if they had just been bounced out of a skep or shaken off a frame.

 

[The Apprentices]

Marburg box alternative lid filling station.

 

[The Apprentices]

Marburg box alternative lid filling station.

Oops double post weak signal android.

 

[TBRNoTB]

Marburg box alternative lid filling station.

Fantastic woodworking skills I take my hat off to you......but.....
Would not these posts be better off in the DIY hive construction, plans & tools section? Or maybe Mark could create a 'Show case for carpentry skills' section, as probably the skills required to construct these items are beyond 95% of members. (I know they are way way beyond mine!) BTW do you live in the workshop?
Regards
TBRNoTB