Ornamental Hive

[Herbalist]

I made this hive for my daughter 4 years ago. It is a "Tudor Inn" hive. The "Ground Floor" has internally a standard Commercial brood-box dimension. The first floor is a Dadant standard with an extra frame to make it square. Between the two is a QE in wide frame that supports the first floor and roof. It has an internal crown-board so the brood-box can be isolated and an upper crown-board to separate the ist floor (super) from the roof space.
The bees enter through a gap under the door-step. This - along with the whole width of the hive can be removed so that the entrance can be fully opened up. It functions very well as a breeding hive producing brood to support other hives in the apiary. It can produce honey in its 1st floor super - but this is not the primary function of this hive. It took three months to build and was one Hell of a lot of fun. My wife and daughter absolutely love it. It is positioned in the garden so my wife can watch it from the kitchen.

 

[Apiarisnt]

Both brilliant and beautiful

 

[pargyle]

I'm sure the bees will love it ... what next ? A castle or a Victorian mansion?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Beekingham Palace

 

[WoodenBeam]

Quite spectacular

 

[user 20297]

Genius...a work of art.

 

[Fiona in South View]

That is so cool! My husband made me an eke yesterday so I have just shown him your photos and told him my expectations have risen!

 

[Murox]

Simply stunning. Concept beekeeping.

 

[PeaBee]

That's awesome.

 

[bobba]

The title said "ornamental hive", I was not expecting a functional ornate hive!

A truly fine piece of craftsmanship there m8.

I just love it when people like you make unique and wonderful things like that.

The entrance looks like it might get a bit tight in the summer, but its a fair size so should hopefully be OK.

You must upload a picture with the lid off at inspection time.

 

[elainemary]

I made this hive for my daughter 4 years ago. It is a "Tudor Inn" hive. The "Ground Floor" has internally a standard Commercial brood-box dimension. The first floor is a Dadant standard with an extra frame to make it square. Between the two is a QE in wide frame that supports the first floor and roof. It has an internal crown-board so the brood-box can be isolated and an upper crown-board to separate the ist floor (super) from the roof space.
The bees enter through a gap under the door-step. This - along with the whole width of the hive can be removed so that the entrance can be fully opened up. It functions very well as a breeding hive producing brood to support other hives in the apiary. It can produce honey in its 1st floor super - but this is not the primary function of this hive. It took three months to build and was one Hell of a lot of fun. My wife and daughter absolutely love it. It is positioned in the garden so my wife can watch it from the kitchen.

Wonderful! What fantastic skills you have. No chance of your bees drifting into the wrong hive!
Thanks for sharing
Elaine

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are supers in production?

 

[victor meldrew]

As an ornament it is beautiful.
Managing the bees is going the be a pain ?
disease control, , swarm control . Varroa control etc are going to be almost impossible ?
will the Inn hive lift off WBC style, revealing inner boxes happen?

 

[hemo]

Looks like one the P of W has.
Excellent detailed work there Herb, though just one in the apiary is more then enough to deal with one would think.

 

[viridens]

Really lovely job. I hope that your daughter realises that she's got a clever dad!
I made the mistake of showing the photos to my other half.,,

 

[Ian123]

Are supers in production?

I suppose a flat roof extension would not be in keeping. Very nice Ian

 

[Erichalfbee]

I suppose a flat roof extension would not be in keeping. Very nice Ian

You could grow sedum on it.

 

[Ian123]

You could grow sedum on it.

Wasn’t he that Iraqi guy

 

[pargyle]

I used conventional ply crown boards initially and then changed them over to clear poylycarbonate on my LDH.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I made this hive for my daughter 4 years ago. It is a "Tudor Inn" hive. The "Ground Floor" has internally a standard Commercial brood-box dimension. The first floor is a Dadant standard with an extra frame to make it square. Between the two is a QE in wide frame that supports the first floor and roof. It has an internal crown-board so the brood-box can be isolated and an upper crown-board to separate the ist floor (super) from the roof space.
The bees enter through a gap under the door-step. This - along with the whole width of the hive can be removed so that the entrance can be fully opened up. It functions very well as a breeding hive producing brood to support other hives in the apiary. It can produce honey in its 1st floor super - but this is not the primary function of this hive. It took three months to build and was one Hell of a lot of fun. My wife and daughter absolutely love it. It is positioned in the garden so my wife can watch it from the kitchen.

I'm very impressed by your woodworking skills. I also like the huge carved St Ambrose statue standing outside the door of Abelo's establishment with a beehive inside it.