Building A Long Hive

[Lost In Bees]

I have seen M. B. state he uses all mediums for everything now. If I build a new long hive using all permacomb, how many bars should this hive have so the bees will have enough room and also make it thru a cold winter? I am thinking I would like to make a hive like the long condo hive but use all mediums. The bees I have picked are carnis.

[Antero]

Michael Bush's post

Here are some discussions of long hives: http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000219.html http://www.beesource.com/eob/condo/index.htm http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000210.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000440.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum16/HTML/000024.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000122.html
Some pictures of my long deep. I am doing this as a medium now with top bars. Click on the thumnails for more pictures. http://www.beesource.com/eob/althive/bush/index.htm

Here are some pictures of some long mediums. http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bush/bush_bees.htm

I also have a double wide Dadant Deep (22 frames 32 1/2" by 19 7/8"). I built a triple wide (48 3/4") like the mediums in the pictures, but I haven't used it. The double wide seems about as much as the bees want for a Dadant deep. At least the one I have hasn't quite filled it out yet.


Terry

[D. Murrell]

Hi Guys,

The long hive has lots of advantages. I would make the length an even multiple of the outside width of a super. That way standard equipment like excluders, pollen traps, migratory covers, hive top feeders, etc. can be used. And make it long enough so that when supered up, the broodnest can still be examined without removing supers.

I made one two boxes long. See http://wind.prohosting.com/tbhguy/bee/combo.htm

The bees can easily survive in that, but some of the advantages are lost when the hive is supered up. It's not uncommon for me to have 6 or more deep supers above the long hive itself. My long hive has consistently been my best producer.

For me a two box long hive is too short for honey production, although it's ideal for queen rearing. A three box long hive would be better.

As a long hive gets longer, it gets weaker in the middle and may need some additional support if lots of supers are loaded on top.

Regards
Dennis

[Michael Bush]

I've found a three box long hive is about the maximum and is a good size. 48 3/4" is the size of three 10 frame Langs side by side. They will use most of it but seem to lose interest in about the last frame or two. That's not a problem as you can just swap some full ones for these. When I've tried Dadant deeps they seem LESS interested in moving back more. I suppose it's just a matter of total volume, but then I have vertical hives with lots of supers that are more volume.