Marburg box

[blackcavebees]

Does anyone use one? What are your experiences?

I was thinking of building one over winter to use for collecting young bees for mini nucs. Looked at example on Dave Cushman's site. Anyone got pictures / plans of theirs?

 

[beekeeping4you]

Hi blackcave,
I used it and it works fine, we made some nuclei with the original version that someone brought over from Germany. A wood working friend and beekeeper made some copies of it and I got one of them. (The original is still around with all the specific details...) Cold make some more pictures if you want?

Regards
Reiner

 

[Black Comb]

A couple of years ago a member called The apprentices who no longer posts gave a detailed breakdown of making one.
Try a search.

 

[thebhoy]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=16686&highlight=Marburg+box

 

[Little John]

Hello Reiner

I've been gathering materials with which to make a Marburg Box - took me a little while to source a length of brass piano hinge - but have that now.

With regard to the Q/X on the face of the box - in your view does it really need to be so deep ? I'll be making my own, so the less s/s wire used the better And apart from using less wire, I'm thinking that a shallower Q/X would also keep the inside of the box darker, and thus more attractive.

Do you think 50mm (say) would be enough ?

Regards

LJ

 

[beekeeping4you]

Do you think 50mm (say) would be enough ?

Hi Little John,
50mm could be a little bit to shallow, I think it should work with an excluder height between 75mm and 120mm (original). Please, note, the wires have to run horizontally. The bees are attracted by at least one drawn out brood frame inside the box when making a nucleus. It should be dark enough for them.
(Your DIY excluders are a great idea, in particular if a mini-excl. is required at the front of an Apidea or in other custom sizes.)

Regards
Reiner

The original has two openings in the lid, one for a feeding jar and the second for queen introduction.

 

[blackcavebees]

Thanks guys. The older thread seems to have lost its pictures, like a few i was interested in. Reiner, could you post a picture of rear and of inside with lid off? (i'm funny, if i can see it I can make it)

 

[blackcavebees]

Also, any probs making the Qx from a plastic one for a national?

 

[beekeeping4you]

Two pictures of rear:

• Closed - removable white piece of insulation material, blue ventilation screen behind it not visible, nuc entrance open
• Open - flat on top: back ventilation segment removed blue ventilation mesh visible, nuc entrance closed

Picture of inside with lid off would not show much, the box can take all frame sizes up to Langstroth, a rebate for the frame lugs has to be improvised, no problem at all as bees should not stay long in a Marburger.

 

[beekeeping4you]

Thanks guys. The older thread seems to have lost its pictures, like a few i was interested in.

Would have liked to see them too! Lots of instructions!

Also, any probs making the Qx from a plastic one for a national?

A metal wire queen excluder could be the better choice if you want it to work from the start?

Regards
Reiner

 

[beebreeder]

They are excellent for making up mating nucs that are guaranteed drone free and full of young bees, I will dig the pics I have of Mine and post soon

 

[blackcavebees]

Thanks Kev, that will be great

Reiner, great pics, but what is behind the white polystrene?

Stephen

 

[beekeeping4you]

...what is behind the white polystrene?
Stephen

Ventilation - blue plastic varroa mesh, made in France, we have it on all our OMFs...

Regards
Reiner

 

[blackcavebees]

Thanks Reiner, I have offcuts of galv mesh which will do the job

 

[blackcavebees]

I was trawling through Dave Cushman's site again and came across this ....

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/altswarmboxlid.html

I'm I right in thinking that a marburg box (populated) with this alternate lid can be used to raise grafts?

Anyone on forum use this method? If so what are your results, compared say to Ben Harden setup?

 

[blackcavebees]

bump

 

[Little John]

I'm I right in thinking that a marburg box (populated) with this alternate lid can be used to raise grafts?

I know that facility is provided - but what I can't figure out is why anyone would want to tie-up a Marburg Box raising grafts, when that could be done so easily in an ordinary NUC or brood box. Seems a waste of useful kit to me.

One other thing I don't 'get', is the relatively complex back panel design.
The simplest way to provide ventilation is via the floor http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/swarmbase.html and then the back can be left untouched ... unless I've missed something glaringly obvious (to others) - which of course is quite possible

LJ

 

[beekeeping4you]

I know that facility is provided - but what I can't figure out is why anyone would want to tie-up a Marburg Box raising grafts, when that could be done so easily in an ordinary NUC or brood box. Seems a waste of useful kit to me.

One other thing I don't 'get', is the relatively complex back panel design.
The simplest way to provide ventilation is via the floor http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/swarmbase.html and then the back can be left untouched ... unless I've missed something glaringly obvious (to others) - which of course is quite possible
LJ

Hi Little John;
Here's the Marburg version for you:

(The side ventilation was fine in pre-varroa times...!)

 

[Little John]

Hi Little John;
Here's the Marburg version for you:

(The side ventilation was fine in pre-varroa times...!)

Excellent ! Someone has good wood-working skills ... Beautifully made.

How would one go about buying some of that blue mesh ? (I have a small stock of mild steel mesh - but it won't last long, the way I'm using it up) Never seen such material before this thread.

LJ

 

[beekeeping4you]

How would one go about buying some of that blue mesh ? (I have a small stock of mild steel mesh - but it won't last long, the way I'm using it up) Never seen such material before this thread.
LJ

Hi Little John,
Not so easy to find nowadays, we got it from a completely different supplier years ago. If you are still interested:
sold in rolls of 5 meters, EUR 10.50/m
Send PM for web address?
(This supplier has a shop software where the direct links time out after 30 minutes, the pic should guide you through the navigation via yellow highlights.)

Regards
Reiner