The use of multihull hives provides beekeepers with certain advantages, which is mainly due to their design. Resettlement of insects in new buildings must be carried out in stages. It is important to consider the features of further work with bees.
Design features
The design of a multi-hive hive may vary, but in accordance with GOST it must include 4 identical cases, a detachable bottom, a lid and a cover. A prerequisite is the interchangeability of all the components of the hive.
Each case is supplied with a round notch. The main tap hole is made in the bottom of the structure and has a slit shape. Its length occupies the entire front wall, the width is 2.5 cm and is regulated by a valve. Thanks to these features, ventilation of the structure is improved, and with intensive summer of bees, congestion is reduced.
The hull and bottom do not have fasteners, but they are needed for transportation. In an apiary, identical designs with frames of the same size should be used. They have a height of 23 cm and are designed for strong and medium bee colonies, as well as the expansion of the hive due to buildings.
In a multi-hive hive, a separation grid is required to isolate the brood nest from the rest of the space. Expose such a grid between 2 and 3 of the body. For one prolific uterus, 20 honeycombs are enough. If you isolate brood due to the lattice, then it will be much easier to select honey.
In addition, the multihull hive can be equipped with a similar gangway, although this element is not required. Its width should correspond to the front wall of the hive, and the length should be approximately 50 cm. If the bees collide when they approach the entrance, they will fall on the board. Its presence is also convenient for the selection of honey - insects in the presence of a dividing board can be shaken off the gangway and not be afraid of losing the uterus.
The number of buildings in the summer can reach 5-7. There are 10 frames per sector.
Benefits of Multihull Beehives
The content of bees in multihull hives has several positive aspects:
- the main work is carried out with cases attractive in light weight - this eliminates the need for additional assistance and provides the possibility of independent removal of the case;
- the possibility of free movement of the hive, maintaining a nomadic image (you can read about the apiary on wheels here);
- increase in the number of bee colonies without expansion of the apiary;
- the possibility of stimulating active development by bees due to the change of buildings in places;
- facilitating the maintenance of insects by replacing frames with cases;
- less time spent on inspection, production, selection;
- the ability to spawn a strong bee family of orphaned bees;
- comfortable conditions for the wintering of insects, as a result - an increase in their performance and subsequent honey collection.
Hive extension
It is necessary to transfer bees to multihull hives in stages. This process begins in the first half of spring, since brood is still relatively small for this period. Resettlement must be carried out in warm time, otherwise the brood can catch.
Preparation of the first building
For multi-body structures, the height of the frame is less than standard, so it should be reduced. To shorten the nesting frames, trimming of the side strips is required - no more than 23 cm. After this, the bottom of the honeycombs is cut a centimeter higher than the prepared trims and the lower bar is nailed to them.
The multi-hive hive must be installed in the same place as the relocated hive. Shortened frames with brood and feed are set according to the classical scheme - there should be 10 in total. The uterus must be covered with a cap for a while. At this time, you need to distill the bees from the old hive into a new building. A reduction of the letch to 2 cm on average is required.
Second building
When a steady bribe appears, a rapid build-up of oviposition and a corresponding increase in the number of frames with brood will begin. The number of young bees will increase rapidly, so expansion is required due to the installation of a second building. If this measure is not taken in a timely manner, then swarming may begin.
The installation of the second body should begin at the beginning of the uterus reduction on the penultimate cell. To complete the second building, it is better to use low-honeycomb cells, where brood has already been bred. Be sure to add a few frames with wax.
In the middle of the upper compartment should put a pair of honeycombs, where the brood is already open. This will ensure a high temperature in the body and accelerate the transition of the uterus with bees into it - heat attracts them. When this condition is met, brood of one age is concentrated in one building, which is important for further permutations.
If during the introduction of the second building the nights are cold and possibly cold, then you can put it down, and put the first building on top. This allows you to secure the brood and fully equip the entire hull at once. Bees will master the nest naturally.
Rearrangement of Enclosures
When all the frames of the second building are filled with brood and forage, the lower sector is freed, but this does not attract the uterus due to the lower temperature, therefore egg production may decrease. This means that it's time to rearrange the hulls.
On both sides of the hive, 2 hive roofs are installed, on one of which the upper building is moved. The lower sector must be covered and removed to the second roof. Then the case is installed back, swapping.
Third building
After rearrangement of the hulls, brood hatching takes place in the lower sector, and the ovipositor passes from above. In order to increase the strength of the bee colonies and exclude swarming, it is necessary to put the third building.
Frames with wax are installed in it - at least half mixed with light honeycombs. In steadily warm weather, you can put all the frames with wax.
At this stage, the hulls must again be interchanged, since in the lower sector there are again free cells. The upper compartment is rearranged down, then a new building is put, and after the sector, which was the lowest. A void forms in the nest, which the bees do not tolerate, so they activate forces for building. At the same time, they do not strive for swarming.
When laying the queen cells the third case does not need to be installed. The bee family will not build a honeycomb.
Fourth building
The third case of the bees is rebuilt and fully mastered in about 2-3 weeks. After this, the installation of the last housing is required. For its configuration, mainly frames with wax are used.
When adding 4 enclosures, a permutation is required again. The second sector is set down, then 3 compartments are placed, a new housing is installed on top and the construction is completed by the sector that was the lower one.
After such a rearrangement, an open brood and a supply of forage appear below, and a printed brood with empty honeycombs on top - the bees will quickly rebuild them. In the upper case honey will be filled and honeycombs will be prepared for the winter. In the new sector, uterine reduction will begin.
Such rearrangements provide bees with not only work, but also good nutrition, since they regularly need to restore the nest and move their supplies up. All this distracts insects from swarming.
Pumping honey
This stage begins when the cells of the cells are sealed by a third. An important condition is the presence of food in bees, since its quality is higher in the first half of honey collection. The better the feed, the lower the risk of insect death in winter.
There are no significant differences when pumping honey from multihull hives. When the first building is filled with honey, it must be freed from the bees and placed in a warehouse. In winter, it will become the main honey reserve.
In a stationary apiary, honey is pumped out once a season, so if you take a good bribe, you can use an additional case - the fifth one. With a nomadic image, pumping is performed before each movement. For pumping, only the two upper aft hulls are used. At the end of the bribe, they must be removed - the bee colonies will remain in the two lower sectors.
For pumping honey, it is convenient to use a frame with a stretched canvas, which should be moistened with a weak solution of carbolic acid. Bees move down a few minutes.
Harvesting food for the winter
This stage is necessary for a successful wintering of the bee colony. Depending on the climatic features of honey, an average of 20-30 kg of feed per family is needed.
To store the blanks use light brown honeycombs. They are warmer, therefore, it is preferable for uterus scarlet. Light honeycombs set at the edges, and get rid of dark ones.
The framework in the middle of the nest should be at least 2 kg of honey and free cells for the club. Its density provides good temperature support and lower feed consumption. Honeycombs with unsealed honey are left, and the sealed ones are partially selected so that it does not soured in winter.
In addition to honey, it is also necessary to prepare bee bread, otherwise the bee colonies will not be able to develop in the spring. For one family, you need at least two honeycomb frames, which are covered with honey and wax-sealed - without this, the food will grow moldy.
Perga is set at the edges after light honeycombs. First, the bees will feed on honey, and if necessary, they will switch to bee bread by the end of wintering.
An invert is also used for top dressing. It must be cooked in proportions of 4: 100 (the ratio of honey to syrup).
Fall hive volumes
For wintering in a multihull hive, all sectors are not needed - two are enough. Three cases are less likely to be left if the nest of the bee family is small.
Excess compartments must be removed as the honey collection decreases. All honey bodies must be removed, leaving the lower sector where the brood is located, and the upper part with food.
Wintering
In the fall, in addition to reducing the number of buildings, standard work must also be carried out. Inspection of bees, hygiene checks are required. In early September, they carry out intensive dressing.
During bee wintering, ventilation of the hive is important. For this, the lower and upper notches are left open. An additional measure is a pillow with moss, which is placed on a nest. The material must absorb moisture, which is the product of the life of insects. Properly organized ventilation avoids overheating, which is much more dangerous than frost.
To warm the hive, you can use leaves and sawdust. Such a heater is placed at the bottom of the structure.
Spring inspection
With a well-experienced winter in the spring, a large growth of bee colonies will begin, and the expansion of the nest will only contribute to this. Inspection is carried out during rearrangement - the hull must be interchanged. If the bee colonies have weakened, then you need to combine them.
Spring permutation will stimulate the ovipositor and prevent swarming. When filling the upper case, it is necessary to install the third sector - put it in the middle.
If a spring inspection reveals a lack of food, then it is necessary to put an additional honey-pergi framework. For one bee colony, an average of 9 kg of honey and 2.5 kg of beef are needed.
Swarming and layering
The risk of swarming in a multihull hive is lower due to rearrangements of the hulls during their addition. Swarming can also be prevented by organizing layering. This is possible if the bee family occupies a minimum of 2 buildings and is strong enough.
The lower compartment with the uterus is separated by a blank partition, the second sector is deployed in the opposite direction. You can also use the separation grid, which is contrary to the sector where the honeycombs and waxes are located. When the breeding nest breaks, swarming is practically excluded.
Watch the video that talks about the nuances of keeping bees in multihull hives:
Multihull hives have a lot of advantages. There are certain features of the content of bees in such designs, but the general principles of beekeeping remain the same. The proper organization of the process ensures an increase in the number of insects in an apiary of the same size, which means that the amount of honey obtained can be increased.