Found these in a barn--What are they? Need help with ID

Hello there, beginner beekeeper here. I found two of these along with some Langstroth hives in a barn belonging to a relative. They have been sitting in that barn since at least the year 2000, maybe longer. The gentleman who made or bought these passed away around that time. The last photo is what they look like on the inside. I scraped some old comb residue out of them, and there are small entrance holes (see third photo), so I'm guessing they might be old homemade hives, but there are no frames or evident spots for frames. My vast lack of expertise also does not help. Can anyone tell me what they are? The possible time frame for their construction is 1950 to 2000. If possible I would put these on our land as pollinator hives and just extract honey from the Langstroths. Any help, tips, or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Photo 1 appears to be a normal 4 chamber hive with bottom board and migratory top.

Photo 2. An inner cover. Appears to be some wax worm cocoons on it..

Photo 3. an upright hive, is it the outside of photo 4.

Photo 4. The way hives used to be. The bees would build comb on the cross, and at harvest time they would cut the comb from the cross and save as comb or crush and strain.

This is the Japanese answer to the Warre hive. I have seen the same design on You Tube clips when Japanese beekeepers were harvesting their hives.

Old fashioned box hives.The cross pieces were extra support for the comb.I had a couple of these
back in the early sixties.Yeah,I'm ancient.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gone2seed

Yeah,I'm ancient.

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gone2seed... Me Too.

cchoganjr

Those hives are illegal in Indiana -- gotta have removable frames so they can be inspected. They will work OK, but hives with frames are MUCH easier to manage.

Peter

just think though, you can look at those hives and consider how much things have changed. When those hives were last used they probably gave a good crop. Back at the likely time, there was more plant diversification. No varroa mites, no SHB, little AFB, no CCD, no treatment debate, no internet.

So we can wonder. Have we made the world better?

<So we can wonder. Have we made the world better? >

Depends on your perspective. I look around and see plentiful food, a good job that doesn't include backbreaking labor, pays decent, a comfortable life, and good health. Since I wouldn't have survived past 6 months with the asthma I had as a kid (Doctors told my mom 10 years earlier he'd have been dead and my cousin had it just as bad ten years later and it was only a nuisance treated at home) I'd say the world we've created is looking pretty good to me.

If I want the backbreaking labor, poor wages, blood sweat and tears, I can still have it, that's what I do for hobbies, beekeeping, gardening/farming, and martial arts. I enjoy it because I don't HAVE to do it. Besides I dull the pain by brewing beer.

BRAVO! Mr. C. Sir.