Experienced beekeepers know that a well-organized bee apiary is the key to active honey. The usual way of such an organization are the hives lined up in rows. But in order to optimize the bee infrastructure and increase the honey "yield", it is increasingly practiced the construction of bee pavilions.
What is it?
A pavilion for bees is a construction or a mobile structure, which saves the area of the apiary, accommodating from 10 to 40 habitual hives, divided into compartments.
Learn how to make a multi-hive beehive with your own hands.Such a hostel for bee colonies, which gives honey and a half times more than the free-standing hives in total. Such bee pavilions are easy to care for and minimize the time spent working with bees.
The design of the bee pavilion
The bee pavilion may have a different design, the number of compartments of which varies depending on the number of families, the area of the pollinated territory and the climatic conditions of the region.
If a large area of pollination is supposed, then the optimal variant of the pavilion is a construction with compartments for 20-30 families, but if the bees are bred in difficult climatic conditions, there will be enough pavilion for 15 families.
Did you know? 200 bee specimens work all day long, so that a person can get one spoonful of honey.
Kinds
Both mobile and non-mobile house for bees can be placed on the plot. The first option is suitable if you want to help the swarm with the search for new places of pollination. The second is if you want the bees to work themselves.
Stationary
The supporting structure of the stationary pavilion is made of steel, and the bee houses are made of plywood partitions. Also, such a pavilion has a beekeeper's pantry, which provides for the storage of beekeeping equipment. If desired, the stationary design can be put on the wheels and make it movable.
A beehive is a whole factory where various products are produced, such as wax, pollen, propolis, zabrus, perga, royal jelly, bee venom and of course - honey (May, sweet, lime, buckwheat, white, chestnut, rapeseed, acacia other).
Mobile
The mobile structure has the shape of a caravan and, in addition to the bee houses, is also equipped with a room for the beekeeper. Most often it is divided into two parts: for the storage of frames and for the storage of dishes, clothing and food.
The subspecies is a cassette pavilion, the design of which allows the frames to be combined into cassettes, and the cassettes themselves are independent of each other. That is, when working with bees from the same cassette, no inconvenience is caused to bees-neighbors.
Important! The beekeeper’s room should be made passable, so that if necessary it was possible to access the hives.
Bee care features
The close arrangement of the bee compartments in the pavilions reduces the time spent working with bees, which differs little from working with bees in hives, namely:
- family inspection;
- sanitary work;
- inventory check;
- addition of pavilion compartments during the period of honey;
- the formation of layers and the selection of brood families;
- pumping honey;
- preparation of winter feed.
You will probably be interested in reading about how to make an excellent honey extractor with your own hands.
Tips and tricks for making
The main thing in the manufacture of the bee pavilion is to think over the details of the construction, based on the number of bee colonies and the type of structure.
The created design drawing should reflect the presence and size of the working and household areas, the possibility of heating and lighting, additional designs, ventilation. The width of the trailer or van and the dimensions of the fasteners must also be taken into account. In the manufacture of bee pavilion, many processes will be involved, for which it will be necessary:
- plywood sheets;
- boards and bars;
- metal structures for the frame;
- fasteners;
- body or trailer (in the case of the construction of a mobile version);
- jack;
- welding machine;
- nails and screws.
First of all, it is necessary to weld the metal parts into the frame and install them on the platform, then proceed to the wall covering of the bee-house and the roof. Next, install the entrance door, equip cabins and equip bee compartments. It remains only to run the bees and let them settle down.
Important! The passage in the pavilion should be at least 80 centimeters. - this distance allows you to set the honey extractor on 4 frames.
Advantages and disadvantages
Bee pavilion has several advantages:
- minimization of labor costs of the beekeeper;
- saving space on the site;
- simplification of feeding families;
- optimal temperature for families;
- work with bees in any weather;
- lightweight work on leveling families;
- minimum transportation costs;
- ease of maintenance;
- the possibility of wintering families in the pavilion.
Did you know? Each beehive has its own watchmen, which protect it from strangers.Also, it is not without flaws:
- because of the close location of houses, bees sometimes confuse families;
- work in cramped.
Did you know? Scientists have bred bees that are capable of searching for explosives.
It must be said that the advantages of such a design as a bee-pavilion surpass all its possible disadvantages.
With a properly designed drawing and taking into account all the features of the site, the climate, the number of families, the type of pavilion, you are guaranteed to ensure peace of residence of the bees, thereby increasing the collection of honey in the season.