Beekeepers of nowadays have a couple of possible choices in the case of hive design. One attention-grabbing way is the use of horizontal beehives. Those range from the typical conventional stacked bins we continuously see. Let’s discover one of the most elementary sides of horizontal hives, in addition to, the professionals and cons of the use of them in your bees.
The way in which a beekeeper manages their bee colonies is suffering from the form of beehive selected. Each and every taste will also be a hit and has benefits and demanding situations.
Working out Horizontal Hives
Conventional hives include bins which are stacked vertically. This comprises the typical Langstroth Hive (the dimensions of the Langstroth Hive – advanced by means of Lorenzo Langstroth)- and the Warre Hive.
On the other hand, a horizontal beehive does no longer use stacked bins – as an alternative it includes a lengthy rectangle or horizontal form. The beekeeper manages the colony from the facet – reasonably than putting off bins to inspect frames inside of.
Sorts of Horizontal Beehives
There are a number of various kinds of hives that use the horizonal design. Because of the confusion that now and again surrounds beekeeping phrases – you should definitely perceive which hive anyone is regarding when talking about them.
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3 Maximum Commonplace
- Best Bar
- Lengthy Langstroth
- Layens
Best Bar
Additionally, referred to as the Kenyan Best Bar hive, those hives were used for hundreds of years in undeveloped international locations. In places missing precision carpentry equipment and talent -they are an simple hive to construct.
As a substitute of oblong wooden frames, this hive makes use of best bars best. The honey bees construct comb from the highest bar down.
A beekeeper can nonetheless take away the frames for inspection however the comb isn’t as robust. Care will have to be taken to keep away from breaking the honeycomb.
Horizontal (Lengthy) Langstroth Hives
The “Lengthy Langs” give a beekeeper just a little of the most efficient of each worlds. As a substitute of sq. bins in a stack, one lengthy field holds the colony. On the other hand, the lengthy Langstroth hive makes use of legislation deep hive frames.
That is nice as a result of it’s simple to proportion frames between different hives-everything is a uniform measurement. Additionally, in case you want to mix colonies from other hives – the activity is more straightforward.
Layens Hive
Georges de Layens is a number one authority on beekeeping in Europe and developer of the Layens Hive. His hive holds 20 huge layens frames (13″ x 16″).
Those are additional deep frames in comparison to different hive sorts. His way is printed in his e book – Protecting Bees in Horizontal Hives.
It includes a minimalist option to hive control and may be very attention-grabbing. On the other hand, you will need to notice – he’s the use of native survivor bee inventory – no longer bees which are bought in bulk from providers.
Execs
There are some notable benefits to the use of horizontal beehives to your apiary. That is very true for beekeepers in the hunt for a extra herbal option to beekeeping.
- quick access
- herbal bee habits
- more straightforward swarm keep an eye on
- much less apparatus to retailer
Accessibility
Normally, beekeeping comes to some exhausting paintings – the heavy lifting is difficult for some beekeepers. When the use of a horizontal beehive – no longer having to transport heavy bins for hive inspections is a huge plus.
Herbal Bee Conduct
Advocates for horizontal beekeeping really feel that the lengthy horizontal hive hollow space lets in for extra herbal habits by means of the bees.
Some hives of this sort (Best Bar and Warre) permit the bees to construct comb from supporting best bars. The beekeeper does no longer set up wax basis to function a information. This protects the beekeeper money and time and lets in the colony to make use of herbal comb.
Swarm Keep an eye on
Honey bee swarming is a herbal task. However, it isn’t all the time one thing {that a} beekeeper needs to occur.
With a horizontal hive, it isn’t important to unstack numerous hive bins and disrupt the entire colony. This permits the beekeeper to make use of swarm prevention tactics quicker and more straightforward.
Much less Garage Required
With same old hives, the added bins (honey supers) are got rid of from the hive at harvest. All of those honey supers will have to be saved till the following season. A protracted hive does no longer most often have honey supers or added bins to take away.
Cons
No fashionable hive is absolute best or even horizontal beehives have some drawbacks and downsides.
- larger frequency of inspections
- harvesting honey isn’t as simple
- no queen excluder wanted
- harder to transport the entire hive – heavy
Widespread Inspections
As a result of the format of the brood nest, horizontal hives generally require extra widespread inspections. That is principally to make sure that the queen has room to put and discourage the swarming impulse.
If the colony is feeling crowded, it is more challenging for them to transport sideways previous huge frames of honey. Beekeepers with horizontal hives lend a hand the bees increase the brood nest by means of tracking for crowded prerequisites.
Harvesting Demanding situations
With same old beehives, honey is normally harvested in small frames which are simple to maintain. After honey extraction, the empty wax comb is continuously stored for the colony to make use of once more.
In horizontal hives that best use best bars, extraction isn’t imaginable. The beekeeper will have to use the lower and pressure way and the colony will have to rebuild the entire honeycomb each and every season. This most often leads to much less honey manufacturing for a hive.
No Excluder
Typically, no queen excluder is utilized in horizontal hives. This could be a just right factor because it lets in the bees numerous room for growth. However, it additionally approach the beekeeper can have bee brood within the honey frames.
Hive Relocation
The want to transfer a beehive – any beehive is one thing beekeepers try to keep away from. On the other hand, with same old hives – you’ll be able to unstack the bins in case you will have to.
On the other hand, to relocate a horizontal hive – you will have to transfer it in a single piece. And, the hive as a complete is heavy!
Horizontal Vs. Vertical Beehives
Each and every beekeeper needs best the most efficient hives for his or her bees. Within the argument for horizontal vs vertical beehives, which one is perfect?
As with maximum issues associated with holding honey bees, I don’t suppose there’s a transparent solution. To some extent, it will depend on your beekeeping targets.
In case your primary objective of holding bees is to provide honey, stick with the normal Langstroth hives. Honey manufacturing is far more straightforward to keep an eye on in the usual arrange.
For the ones inquisitive about having bees for a laugh or lawn pollination, both form of hive works neatly. There are beekeepers who strongly really feel that the horizontal hive is extra herbal.
I’m no longer positive I totally agree because of the truth that bees in timber increase and down – no longer out and again.
On the other hand, I will see some sturdy benefits to this technique of beekeeping. If the beekeeper is as much as the problem of extra hands-on control.
FAQs
Horizontal beehives are a just right possibility for beekeepers that combat with the heavier lifting required by means of same old vertical hives.
Horiontal hive managment comprises the potential of warmth and moisture issues because the bees would possibly not have the ability to correctly ventilate the hive hollow space. The beekeeper additionally has to evolve to new inspection tactics which are just a little other than a Langstroth hive.
Except the beekeeper is the use of a “Lengthy Lang Hive” that makes use of same old frames. The apparatus (best bars and so on) for horizontal hives is just a little other and no longer interchangeable.
Whilst horizontal beehives can thrive in maximum climates, beekeepers in excessive climates will face particular demanding situations because of over the top warmth or chilly.
Switching from vertical to horizontal hives is without a doubt imaginable however it may be difficult. Should you imagine this, you should definitely hook up with native beekeepers the use of the similar form of hive for recommendation.
A Ultimate Phrase
Will have to you give a horizontal hive a take a look at? For brand new beekeepers, I beneficial staying with the trade same old Langstroth beehive for a few seasons. Then, chances are you’ll make a decision to experiment with different forms of hives. Except you’ve got a neighborhood fingers on mentor (acquainted with lengthy hives), this is a more difficult adventure to move by myself -especially for beginners.
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