Milk crate hive?

[notyet]

Hello future mentors! I am so new to beekeeping that I haven't even a hive at this time (hence the screen name). I am still planning and dreaming. I am quite taken by the concepts behind the Warre hive. I am thinking about using heavy plastic milk crates as the hive boxes, inside a sturdy wooden shell. The top of the shell would include the blanket box. The crates stack nicely, open side down, and my thought is that the bottoms could be painted with beeswax to give my future bees a starting point. I have the crates anyway and the are indestructable and interchangeable. Any suggestions? Am I crazy? -Chris

 

[Onge]

Hello future mentors! I am so new to beekeeping that I haven't even a hive at this time (hence the screen name). I am still planning and dreaming. I am quite taken by the concepts behind the Warre hive. I am thinking about using heavy plastic milk crates as the hive boxes, inside a sturdy wooden shell. The top of the shell would include the blanket box. The crates stack nicely, open side down, and my thought is that the bottoms could be painted with beeswax to give my future bees a starting point. I have the crates anyway and the are indestructable and interchangeable. Any suggestions? Am I crazy? -Chris

Why not just use the "sturdy wooden shell" as a Warre hive?

BTW welcome

 

[VEG]

Yep you are crazy.

 

[Queens59]

I am a natural chicken - after paying (quite a lot) for my bees - I'd want them all cosy in a proper hive...boring but true!

 

[kighill]

Buy yourself the same type of hive that fellow beekeepers in your area use. Then buy another, all of your parts will be inter-changeable and should you need to do artificial swarming/queen finding/general beekeeping it will be easier.

If you need to move stock on or help another beekeeper it should also be trouble free.

Do not make it hard for yourself.

Good luck.

 

[notyet]

thank you all!

I'm crazy, but not crazy enough to ignore good advice at 4-0 against. My local bee man, although he has 21 hives, does not inspire confidence. He lost 14 of them this season alone. He uses Langstroth design, and I suspect that hygiene is not a priority. The Warre appeals on two fronts: demonstrably smaller disease & parasite burden, and gentler on the bees. I can pick up a new Warre reasonably enough -- I just don't know of anyone locally using that type. I'll continue to lurk on this site and will crow like this year's rooster once I have bees! Thank you!

C

 

[Flatters]

Join a local club and see more than one bee man. See hundreds that keep bees and don't lose so many and see what they do.

 

[Hombre]

@Notyet, The plastic milk crates will make good hive stands though, unless the dairy comes to claim their property back.

 

[NoBBy]

The Warre appeals on two fronts: demonstrably smaller disease & parasite burden, and gentler on the bees.
C

You will find that the general Consensus in the Bee world will disagree with you on this.

 

[AnotherNewBee]

Is 14/21 lost the going rate for the area the OP is in?

@ the OP

I'm also crazy, but not so crazy as to ignore local advice and learn from, hundreds (probably) of years of accumulated local knowledge.

I believe that in my part of the world most beeks are using either Nationals or 14x12s. As I may need to beg, borrow or even steal equipment I'll wait until I know what's common in the area before I commit myself to a potentially expensive problem.

If anyone in my area is reading this - I'm only joking about stealing kit.

 

[REDWOOD]

It is costly to start beekeeping, I started a year before I kept bees, attend a good beekeeping class, make your own hives or get a member of your family to make them for you, there are lots of plans on the net just remember bee space and don't use tanalized wood. I suggest you buy the frames and foundations. good luck and welcome to the forum

 

[tonybloke]

You will find that the general Consensus in the Bee world will disagree with you on this.

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

In theory any shelter would do for a hive, after all bee's make do in the wild.
That said Bee Hives were invented, developed and improved over many years so as to make a suitable home for the bees which can be easily maipulated by the beekeeper.

Personally I invest in hives, I think your milk crates would be difficult to manipulate and in the end a false ecconomy.

Sorry but it's time to join the rest of us and get your wallet out

 

[AnotherNewBee]

I think your milk crates would be difficult to manipulate and in the end a false economy.

Am I right in thinking that if they're difficult to manipulate it will be near impossible to control swarming?

 

[Brosville]

As a user of both Warré and Kenyan top bar hives, I can affirm that you can build your own very cheaply, and both designs work very well indeed - I managed to get to 3 colonies of bees, 3 hives, and all the equipment and gear I'd need for a total outlay of around £150 (under $250), proving that beekeeping does not need to be expensive....
Both hive types work very well, of the two, the TBH is easier and cheaper to build - I certainly wouldn't dream of using plastic milk crates for anything (except perhaps storing milk).

Warrés are nowhere near as popular as the Langstroth hive types yet, but are becoming more and more prevalent each year, and would suggest that if you want to try them, go for it - they "do what they say on the tin"

 

[Hombre]

I saw a few Warre hives last year Bros; and although I looked carefully, I couldn't find anything written on the 'tin'.

What does that say about them then?

 

[Brosville]

"what does it say on the tin?" - designed by a French priest as the "People's hive" ("Ruche populaire"), it offers a viable alternative to Langstroth derivatives. It is a "top bar" hive, so the bees get to build what they want and need in the way of clean fresh comb.
The "quilt" is particularly useful in a soggy climate like the UK, as it helps regulate the moisture and temperature in the hive, and helps maintain the healthy "nestduftwarmebindung" (essential nest heat and atmosphere). In the tradition of being the "people's hive" there are free plans available on the 'net, and they aren't particularly difficult to build - can't be, I managed it!

For anyone interested in them I'd suggest David Heaf's excellent (but overpriced) book on their use

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

Am I right in thinking that if they're difficult to manipulate it will be near impossible to control swarming?

Spot on

 

[Brosville]

You can do absolutely anything you want to with a Warré (or Kenyan TBH)- including swarm control, it's just that many users of them prefer not to............
Here's David Heaf talking about Warrés -

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7BdzNZOT0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA7BdzNZOT0[/ame]

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

"what does it say on the tin?" - designed by a French priest as the "People's hive" ("Ruche populaire"), it offers a viable alternative to Langstroth derivatives. It is a "top bar" hive, so the bees get to build what they want and need in the way of clean fresh comb.
The "quilt" is particularly useful in a soggy climate like the UK, as it helps regulate the moisture and temperature in the hive, and helps maintain the healthy "nestduftwarmebindung" (essential nest heat and atmosphere). In the tradition of being the "people's hive" there are free plans available on the 'net, and they aren't particularly difficult to build - can't be, I managed it!

Another joke played on the British by the French! the combs are stuck to the sides as well as the top bar (unlike a kenyan) so you canot without great difficulty 'look inside' the box, or take out a frame with the queen on for A/S. as you nadir the hive not super (put the new boxes underneath not on top) you either have to dismantle the whole thing then lift the brood up to put the new box in, bearing in mind the brood will be in more than one box anyway so more weight - and by this time the bees will be well disturbed. Net result - your average enthusiast will be reluctasnt to put a new box on thus overcrowding ergo swarm

You can do absolutely anything you want to with a Warré

As long as your ten foot tall with the strength of an ox, have four arms and never want to examine the brood.