Bee Hive Manual
The Ethiopian and Indonesian apicultural sectors are underdeveloped. There is limited access and knowledge on modern beekeeping practices and beekeeping equipment, like modern hive types. To improve the beekeeping situation in the two target countries and to strengthen the international cooperation with the European Union, Kibebew Wakjira from the Holeta Bee Research Center in Ethiopia developed a modern hive system which has the potential to be used as a standard for Ethiopian A. mellifera bee colonies. Adaptions on the existing system also allow its use for A. cerana, the mostly managed Apis species in Indonesia.
The aim of this chapter is not to copy the detailed measurements of the hive, but to have access to a manual on how to build a modern beehive. The procedure of hive construction and operation by using an adapted Langstroth hive is given in this chapter. The detailed measurements for the bee space, cell depth, comb thickness and other parameters of the hive system were assessed through a study on local honey bee colonies in traditional hives and through workshops with local beekeeping institutions.
Tools and materials required for the hive construction:
1. Tools
- Thick Measure Feeler for adjusting thickness and surface smoothing
- Circular (buzz) saw for cutting wood
- Jointer machine for smoothing edges and creating side bar shoulders
- Measuring tape
- Digital caliper
- Framing square or drywall
- T-square
- Table saw
- Saber saw (sword with a slightly curved blade that is sharp on one edge)
- Putty knife or chisel,
- Hammer
- Clamps
- Power Drill - drill with bits
- Jigsaw
- Chop saw
- Sanding block
- Carpenter’s square (or a frame jig)
- Carbide - tip blade
2. Materials
- Waterproofed wood glue
- 19 mm thick waterproofed plywood
- 5 mm thick waterproofed plywood
- 5 and 8 cm galvanized nails
- 3 cm hardened trim nails (small nails)
- Cigar box nails (16 mm shoe nail)
- Timber for frames
- Timber for entrance block/reducer
- Lumber of thickness 20 mm after finished
Recommended wood for the beehive should not be soft woods. The boards must be dry and without cracks or rot
The Frame and its dimensions
The top bar shall extend equally on both sides of the frame. A frame shall have a top bar, two sidebars and one bottom bar. The dimensions and the delineation of a frame are shown in figure 2.
Step 1: Top bar
The top bar is 480 mm long, 20 mm thick and 25 mm wide. Well- seasoned wood should be used for the whole construction to prevent swelling and shrinking. Cutting notch of 5 mm depth on the two sides and 10 mm depth on the bottom at 35 mm from the two ends to fit the top bars into the side bars (figure 2). Then the ends of the top bars shall be joined into the side bars by these notches for facilitating hang for the frames. It is important to use grooved top bar frames to facilitate fixing of foundation, which otherwise warp if not inserted into the 5 mm deep groove.
Step 2: Bottom bar
The bottom bar is based on the top bar’s size: 440 mm long, 20 mm wide and 10 mm thick. To fit perfectly to the side bars, cutting notch of 2.5 mm depth on the two sides at 15 mm from the two ends is important to fit the bottom bars into the side bars (figure 2). Then the ends of the bottom bars shall be joined into the side bars by these notches.
Step 3: Side bars
The side bars are important parts of the frame to determine the bee space in the hive. So the side bars should be of shoulder type. The side bar is 15 mm thick, 36 mm wide at the top and 27 mm wide at the bottom to provide the required bee space. The total length should be 230 mm having four holes for wire reinforcement at 57.5 mm. The hole shall be made at the center of the two side bars. This will give the holes at 37.5 mm away from the top bar and 47.5 mm away from bottom bar while the remaining holes shall be at a distance of 57.5 mm from each other. To facilitate the fitting of top and bottom bars with the side bars, cut two 10 mm depth at 15 mm wide from the center and remove the cut from the center by leaving of two forks on the sides.
Entrance block dimension
The entrance block is a block placed in front of the hive on the bottom board to limit the entrance gate of the beehive. The entrance block's dimension: 390 mm long, 50 mm high, and 19 mm wide for the Langstroth. For the bees' entrance, a 15 mm wide and 150 mm long cut shall be made in the middle of the 390 mm length. The entrance block can be removed during the hot season for air circulation.
Step 1
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
