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Beekeepers of immediately have just a few decisions in relation to hive design. One attention-grabbing strategy is the use of horizontal beehives. These differ from the frequent conventional stacked packing containers we regularly see. Let’s discover a number of the elementary points of horizontal hives, in addition to, the professionals and cons of utilizing them in your bees.
The way in which a beekeeper manages their bee colonies is affected by the sort of beehive chosen. Each model may be profitable and has benefits and challenges.
Understanding Horizontal Hives
Conventional hives include packing containers which can be stacked vertically. This consists of the frequent Langstroth Hive (the dimensions of the Langstroth Hive – developed by Lorenzo Langstroth)- and the Warre Hive.
Nonetheless, a horizontal beehive doesn’t use stacked packing containers – as an alternative it includes a lengthy rectangle or horizontal form. The beekeeper manages the colony from the facet – relatively than eradicating packing containers to look at frames inside.
Varieties of Horizontal Beehives
There are a number of various kinds of hives that use the horizonal design. Because of the confusion that generally surrounds beekeeping phrases – make sure that to grasp which hive somebody is referring to when talking about them.
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3 Most Widespread
- High Bar
- Lengthy Langstroth
- Layens
High Bar
Additionally, referred to as the Kenyan High Bar hive, these hives have been used for hundreds of years in undeveloped international locations. In areas missing precision carpentry instruments and talent -they are an straightforward hive to construct.
As a substitute of rectangular wooden frames, this hive makes use of high bars solely. The honey bees construct comb from the highest bar down.
A beekeeper can nonetheless take away the frames for inspection however the comb is just not as sturdy. Care have to be taken to keep away from breaking the honeycomb.
Horizontal (Lengthy) Langstroth Hives
The “Lengthy Langs” give a beekeeper a little bit of the very best of each worlds. As a substitute of sq. packing containers in a stack, one lengthy field holds the colony. Nonetheless, the lengthy Langstroth hive makes use of regulation deep hive frames.
That is nice as a result of it’s straightforward to share frames between different hives-everything is a uniform measurement. Additionally, in case you want to mix colonies from completely different hives – the job is simpler.
Layens Hive
Georges de Layens is a number one authority on beekeeping in Europe and developer of the Layens Hive. His hive holds 20 giant layens frames (13″ x 16″).
These are further deep frames in comparison with different hive sorts. His methodology is printed in his e book – Maintaining Bees in Horizontal Hives.
It includes a minimalist strategy to hive administration and may be very attention-grabbing. Nonetheless, it is very important notice – he’s utilizing native survivor bee inventory – not bees which can be bought in bulk from suppliers.
Professionals
There are some notable benefits to utilizing horizontal beehives in your apiary. That is very true for beekeepers looking for a extra pure strategy to beekeeping.
- straightforward accessibility
- pure bee habits
- simpler swarm management
- much less gear to retailer
Accessibility
On the whole, beekeeping entails some arduous work – the heavy lifting is tough for some beekeepers. When utilizing a horizontal beehive – not having to maneuver heavy packing containers for hive inspections is an enormous plus.
Pure Bee Habits
Advocates for horizontal beekeeping really feel that the lengthy horizontal hive cavity permits for extra pure habits by the bees.
Some hives of this sort (High Bar and Warre) enable the bees to construct comb from supporting high bars. The beekeeper doesn’t set up wax basis to function a information. This protects the beekeeper money and time and permits the colony to make use of pure comb.
Swarm Management
Honey bee swarming is a pure exercise. However, it isn’t all the time one thing {that a} beekeeper desires to occur.
With a horizontal hive, it isn’t essential to unstack quite a lot of hive packing containers and disrupt the entire colony. This enables the beekeeper to make use of swarm prevention methods sooner and simpler.
Much less Storage Required
With normal hives, the added packing containers (honey supers) are faraway from the hive at harvest. All of those honey supers have to be saved till the subsequent season. A protracted hive doesn’t usually have honey supers or added packing containers to take away.
Cons
No trendy hive is ideal and even horizontal beehives have some drawbacks and drawbacks.
- elevated frequency of inspections
- harvesting honey is just not as straightforward
- no queen excluder wanted
- harder to maneuver the entire hive – heavy
Frequent Inspections
Due to the structure of the brood nest, horizontal hives usually require extra frequent inspections. That is primarily to make sure that the queen has room to put and discourage the swarming impulse.
If the colony is feeling crowded, it’s harder for them to maneuver sideways previous giant frames of honey. Beekeepers with horizontal hives assist the bees increase the brood nest by monitoring for crowded circumstances.
Harvesting Challenges
With normal beehives, honey is normally harvested in small frames which can be straightforward to deal with. After honey extraction, the empty wax comb is commonly saved for the colony to make use of once more.
In horizontal hives that solely use high bars, extraction is just not doable. The beekeeper should use the minimize and pressure methodology and the colony should rebuild all the honeycomb every season. This usually ends in much less honey manufacturing for a hive.
No Excluder
Typically, no queen excluder is utilized in horizontal hives. This could be a great factor because it permits the bees loads of room for enlargement. However, it additionally means the beekeeper could have bee brood within the honey frames.
Hive Relocation
The necessity to transfer a beehive – any beehive-is one thing beekeepers try to keep away from. Nonetheless, with normal hives – you may unstack the packing containers in case you should.
Nonetheless, to relocate a horizontal hive – you will need to transfer it in a single piece. And, the hive as a complete is heavy!
Horizontal Vs. Vertical Beehives
Each beekeeper desires solely the very best hives for his or her bees. Within the argument for horizontal vs vertical beehives, which one is finest?
As with most issues associated to conserving honey bees, I don’t suppose there’s a clear reply. To a level, it is dependent upon your beekeeping objectives.
In case your essential function of conserving bees is to supply honey, stick with the normal Langstroth hives. Honey manufacturing is way simpler to manage in the usual arrange.
For these concerned with having bees for enjoyable or backyard pollination, both sort of hive works nicely. There are beekeepers who strongly really feel that the horizontal hive is extra pure.
I’m unsure I fully agree resulting from the truth that bees in bushes construct up and down – not out and again.
Nonetheless, I can see some benefits to this methodology of beekeeping. If the beekeeper is as much as the problem of extra hands-on administration – it could be a good suggestion.
FAQs
Horizontal beehives are a great choice for beekeepers that battle with the heavier lifting required by normal vertical hives.
Horiontal hive managment consists of the opportunity of warmth and moisture issues because the bees could not be capable to correctly ventilate the hive cavity. The beekeeper additionally has to adapt to new inspection methods which can be a bit completely different than a Langstroth hive.
Except the beekeeper is utilizing a “Lengthy Lang Hive” that makes use of normal frames-the gear (high bars and so forth) for horizontal hives is a bit completely different and never interchangeable.
Whereas horizontal beehives can thrive in most climates, beekeepers in excessive climates will face particular challenges resulting from extreme warmth or chilly.
Switching from vertical to horizontal hives is actually doable however it may be difficult. For those who take into account this, you’ll want to join with native beekeepers utilizing the identical sort of hive for recommendation.
A Last Phrase
Do you have to give a horizontal hive a strive? For brand new beekeepers, I beneficial staying with the trade normal Langstroth beehive for a few seasons. Then, it’s possible you’ll resolve to experiment with different kinds of hives. Except you’ve got a neighborhood palms on mentor (acquainted with lengthy hives), it’s a tougher journey to go alone -especially for newbies.
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