Skeps Appeal™

Starting a new thread here to chart my skep journey.

Booked to attend Chris Park's Skep Beekeeping course run through Bees for Development on 30th July: https://www.beesfordevelopment.org/bee-involved/courses/

I have already purchased a skep from a skep maker on etsy rather than these cheap rubbish ones you see online. It's a thing of beauty. It has bamboo skewers through it. I also hand-cloamed it in cow poo. Another member privately messaged me to say that I ought check with the farmer that the cows hadn't recently been wormed as that would affect the biome. I did and it's fine. I'm genuinely in awe of the cloam. I accidentally sprayed the skep with my hose when watering the garden (yes, in April) and the water just trickled off and didn't even get wet!

I constructed an eco box (a la Barefoot Beekeepr Phil Chandler) that I filled with detritus from the local forest floor. I understand that keeping the contents moist is a problem yet to be solved. I also understand from what I've listened to that some bees are pissed off about the contents and spend time removing every morsel so I hope they're not annoyed about that.

The skep and eco box is housed in a specially built wooden housing that has a slanted roof and polycarbonate shielding to keep rain off. It's placed in a field beside local woodland, faces a south-easterly direction and is well-sheltered from prevailing wind by hedging. The housing unit is raised probably 3 feet off the ground (again, based on the recommendations I read) and fully insulated with circa 100mm insulation on all sides (except the entrance obviously). It's painted and has bee stencils on the outside.

It's my first foray in to skeps and if nothing else, it's a thing of beauty that I like the look of. I'm not taking honey. There is a gap at the top of the skep for a 'skep super' to go on if I so wanted. At this stage I need to learn and understand more about that from Chris.

I have another hive that I will share more about later.

I'm also very likely to be purchasing a top bar hive in the next week or two for a more 'conventional' approach.

If you want to know more about skep beekeeping then please join me on Chris' course (hopefully he'll bring MEAD!!) I can't tell you anymore than I currently know. I read the book 'What Bees Want' and found it very interesting. That's what initially piqued my interest. I've also watched the YouTube videos about skep beekeeping so no need to share. I'm not going to debate this topic - this is simply a placeholder for talking about skeps. I'm fully aware I've a lot to learn on this process and I don't want a repeat of the other thread here. Thanks very much!

Emma

N.B. It's fine if you want to comment on this thread. Good faith input only, please.

 

[drex]

Thanks Emma. Glad you decided to stay . There is an awful lot of good info on this forum. I do not let the bigots get to me. As I posted on the other thread, I may give a skep a try, but please bear in mind what I said about my experience with "conventional " hives

 

[enrico]

Keep us informed. It makes interesting reading. Thanks

 

[simonwig]

I have already purchased a skep from a skep maker on etsy rather than these cheap rubbish ones you see online. It's a thing of beauty.

I constructed an eco box (a la Barefoot Beekeepr Phil Chandler) that I filled with detritus from the local forest floor.

Hi Emma

Some pictures would be good.

Simon

 

[emmac79]

Hi Emma

Some pictures would be good.

Simon

It’s not close up but here is one.

 

[Ian123]

It’s not close up but here is one.

If we are judging by the photo……. You have a skep that you have designed to fit inside a standard hive

 

[Wilco]

It’s not close up but here is one.

n+1 rule?

You need more! I'd gofor at least two. Is the stand fixed to the ground so it doesn't blow over in Winter?

 

[Boston Bees]

I don't think Emma is suggesting that the image is of her own skep?

 

[JamezF]

Is the stand fixed to the ground so it doesn't blow over in Winter?

That thought did cross my mind. There's potentially an awful lot of leverage on the base in a strong wind. I'd be quite tempted to put a couple of concrete blocks across the base to hold it down, and even then I might want to add some straps to stakes driven into the ground if the forecast was for high winds.

I wasn't sure it was Emma's own hive either though. It looks a bit sunny for Scotland

James

 

[emmac79]

n+1 rule?

You need more! I'd gofor at least two. Is the stand fixed to the ground so it doesn't blow over in Winter?

Oh yes, it's certainly not going to be solo for very long. it took me a while to figure out the components. Now I know what I'm doing (sort of but not really) I can get the others up and going a lot quicker. I also found a skep base for sale online and I've ordered it to see if it's a better fit than the eco box. It's a hollowed out tree stump idea.

So yes, the box sort of 'clicks' into the base stand. That's the way it's been designed. It's also tied to the fence but I don't think you can see that in the pic. I might get a couple of sandbags to add some additional weight and hold it in place.

I don't think Emma is suggesting that the image is of her own skep?

this image is mine?

That thought did cross my mind. There's potentially an awful lot of leverage on the base in a strong wind. I'd be quite tempted to put a couple of concrete blocks across the base to hold it down, and even then I might want to add some straps to stakes driven into the ground if the forecast was for high winds.

I wasn't sure it was Emma's own hive either though. It looks a bit sunny for Scotland

James

haha, we do get sun sometimes! that is mine. As I said above, it is tied to the fence posts at the side and behind but I'll get some sandbags to hang over the bottom posts to give it some more weight.

 

[JamezF]

I'll get some sandbags to hang over the bottom posts to give it some more weight.

That definitely sounds like a good idea.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

What is the box with a hole in the shelter?

 

[pargyle]

What is the box with a hole in the shelter?

That's the ECO box bit ... you fill it full of forest floor and the idea is that lots of forest floor scavengers take up residence and they eat the varroa ... Phil Chandler started the idea off ... instead of a mesh floor in his TBH he filled the floor with organic stuff. Based on the fact that the bottom of a hive in a hollow tree would be full of similar debris.

The jury is still out on whether it works or not ... some bees cleared all the debris out !

But ... who knows ? There is no scientific reason why it would work ...but if it works for you then all is well - but to make certain I'd get my dowsing rods out as well.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So the bees fly into the hole and up into the skep?
And do dead bees, wax flakes, cappings, and spilt pollen become part of the eco floor?

 

[JamezF]

do dead bees, wax flakes, cappings, and spilt pollen become part of the eco floor?

I'd have wildly guessed that such things made up the majority of what was in the bottom of a tree hollow occupied by bees, though that presumably attracts other creatures which feed on that sort of stuff.

James

 

[pargyle]

So the bees fly into the hole and up into the skep?
And do dead bees, wax flakes, cappings, and spilt pollen become part of the eco floor?

Yes... all the rubbish hive debris falls into the eco floor where it is gobbled up by the critters that live in it ... I think, in Emma's design the bees may enter through the hole in the eco floor and then up into the skep but I'm not certain perhaps she will tell us ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks Phillip
I had heard of Philip Chandlers eco floors but thought they were just at the bottom of a regular top bar

 

[pargyle]

Thanks Phillip
I had heard of Philip Chandlers eco floors but thought they were just at the bottom of a regular top bar

It was originally ... but it's moved on:

 

[Erichalfbee]

It would be interesting to make one and NOT put bees in it. See if a swarm might choose to live there. What are the chances given the supposed paucity of suitable trees?

 

[pargyle]

It would be interesting to make one and NOT put bees in it. See if a swarm might choose to live there. What are the chances given the supposed paucity of suitable trees?

I can see Stan may have another project in the pipeline then !