Slovenian AZ Beehive

[Ziva]

Thanks Goran! I'm really looking forward to working with the hive, but I won't be able to have a beehouse or shelter built before next spring. I'll need to learn-as-I-go for managing it. But a challenge is always good learning! I have 7 warrés and 1 Kenya TBH and they have different management techniques, so why not add another hive style into the mix?! It's always good to learn more about styles of beekeeping!

[Goran]

Type in Youtube " Pološka". If You like beehives - simple to make, frame size You want and by it make the "box". Some has 19, some 27 frames. For stationary, work with frame, not with box, also great overwintering. Someone call it recruitment center. Variations to work with it are numerous ( artificial swarms, two queen societies, as support colony for other hives, ect..). It's heavy hive. Yields as stationary are the same as other hives. Someone here says "hive for a soul". Some of them are decorated as small houses - cause that people love them ( also on youtube you can see them). I believe You call it at your place long hive.

[Mr. C]

Thanks for the tip on searches, these look a lot like the design I have drawn up for this winter! Hopefully I'll be able to pull a couple more ideas from some of the videos.

[Goran]

Glad to help.. Enjoy in your work.

[Ziva]

Yes, thanks for the youtube suggestion. I love that Pološka hive! I also like your description of it's management. Definitely going to add that to my "wish list" of hives to try! I'm going to see if I can find some sample plans for it. Are the top bars of the frames the same size as LR frames?

Edit: I meant just the top bars of the frame. I can see in the video that the frames are deeper than LR frames.

[Goran]

I have no personal experience with them. But I think on video is standard DB - dadant blat frame. But as I understood there are no standard at pološka ( various numbers of frames -19, 22,24,27..., size of frames 40-30, 40-34, 30-40..., entrances - only front or side).. But at one forum I read some of beekeepers experiences with them. But not on english.. Some of these hives goes from one generation to another ( inherited or so). I have no intention to work with them, cause already work with one type and have no time to make another type, maybe when I get older - who knows..

[NW_Mark]

Just found a listing on Ebay for
Beekeeping Equipment National Slovenian AZ beehive 10-frames
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beekeeping-E...item3f1ee0884b

seller is maisterdan

[Ziva]

Just found a listing on Ebay for
Beekeeping Equipment National Slovenian AZ beehive 10-frames
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beekeeping-E...item3f1ee0884b

seller is maisterdan

Yes, he's the one I bought my hive from. He seems like a very nice man. (That looks like a new listing, when I bough mine he had already sold 2 and had 8 left). Anyway, when I first saw the original listing I didn't have any money so I sent him a message and told him I wanted to buy one but had to wait until I had the money. He answered back and said no problem, and that he would pack one up for me and send it when I had the money. I bought one after I got paid and he sent it immediately. It arrived here on the island last Fri at the post office. I couldn't pick it up then and the PO is closed on the weekend. I'm dying to pick it up tomorrow but we have a storm coming in tonight so I'll have to wait until Tues. Can't wait to see it!!!!!

[Goran]

Don't die, just pick.
If you cannot find someone for advice to solve some problems in the season, let me know I'll ask people here who work with them how they usually resolve the problem.

[Ziva]

Don't die, just pick.

Haha! I did pick the hive up last Tuesday........but I thought I'd die trying to get it on my truck! It weighs 28kg and 2 boys saw me struggling to get it down the stairs of the post office. They said, "Do you need help? If you can't even get it down the steps you'll never be able to put it in your truck!". So they helped me put it in the truck. Thank God!!

If you cannot find someone for advice to solve some problems in the season, let me know I'll ask people here who work with them how they usually resolve the problem.

Thank you!!!! I love the hive and it looks beautiful(!) but I have 1,000 questions about how to work with it!! There is no one where I live who knows anything about it. I cannot put bees into it until I know how to manage it! Just opening it and taking everything out I can see that it's a very complicated hive.

Let me know when I can start asking questions! I'll try to post some photos.......

[cerezha]

Could you guys ask/answer questions here? I would be interested to learn more about this beehive. Also, Ziva, could you post some pictures, so we have some idea? Many thanks, Sergey

[Ziva]

Sure cerezha! I plan to ask all my questions here. I have to run and catch a bus right now so I'll post some pictures this evening. (I don't have a laptop/tablet to use, can only post when I'm home at the PC).

[Goran]

Ehh.. I'll try give you correct answer when I can, cause also I am not in beekeeping so long, about 3 years. Cause of this I know why is important from beginning to start right.
Also, I hope that some beekeepers who work with these hives will involve with the answers. After all they work with them.
As for me first to see, that they are touchy when moving frames in-out, possible to hurt queen or kill some bees. But as I watched how the people inspect these hives all is in practice-routine ( experience).

[cerezha]

Sure cerezha! I plan to ask all my questions here. I have to run and catch a bus right now so I'll post some pictures this evening. (I don't have a laptop/tablet to use, can only post when I'm home at the PC).

It would be great!

[Ziva]

Okay, I'll try to post some pictures. I don't have a camera except the one on my phone, so couldn't get some close-ups I would have liked to. I just opened a "flickr" account last summer, so I uploaded photos to there and now I'll see if the link will work. I added descriptions to each photo, hope those show up too . Here's the link:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCZyEjh

[Ziva]

Ehh.. I'll try give you correct answer when I can, cause also I am not in beekeeping so long, about 3 years. Cause of this I know why is important from beginning to start right.

Thank you! And I agree.

Also, I hope that some beekeepers who work with these hives will involve with the answers. After all they work with them.

I hope so too!

As for me first to see, that they are touchy when moving frames in-out, possible to hurt queen or kill some bees. But as I watched how the people inspect these hives all is in practice-routine ( experience).

Yes, I noticed that immediately!! It was easy to get the frames into the metal frame spacers at the back (front bee entrance) but VERY difficult to match the spacers on the screen insert with the frames, when putting the screened insert back in. That's one of the MANY questions I have. I can't imagine how it's done with bees in the hive!!

I also have questions about the feeder, it seems so small! And how do you clean it? And 998 more questions!

[Ziva]

It would be great!

You're welcome!

[cerezha]

Okay, I'll try to post some pictures. I don't have a camera except the one on my phone, so couldn't get some close-ups I would have liked to....

Look like a piece of art, but it is crazy!!! So many parts.... many thanks for sharing the pictures! So, am I right that sliding frames have no "guide" at the top and bottom for proper alignment? It looks like you just need to get frame into metal spacer at the end of the hive. Also, I do not understand the purpose of the curved tops and bottoms of the frames. Any idea?

[Colleen O.]

Ziva, I really enjoyed the detail pictures you shared! Thank you so much!! It will be interesting to hear what you think of the hive in use. I wonder if the curved tops and bottoms of the frames are for beespace from front to back or for the frames to slide easier on the bars or something similar.

[Ziva]

Look like a piece of art, but it is crazy!!! So many parts.... many thanks for sharing the pictures!

You're welcome! It is a beautiful hive but......so complicated! That's why I have so many questions! But the AZ hive is older than the LR (Lang) hive, and Slovenian beekeepers have been using it for so long, so there must be a way to learn it, I hope!

So, am I right that sliding frames have no "guide" at the top and bottom for proper alignment? It looks like you just need to get frame into metal spacer at the end of the hive.

Yes, that's exactly right. And difficult! And that's without bees in it! I definitely think it needs some type of guide to align the frames. I'm spinning my brain trying to think of a solution!!!!

Also, I do not understand the purpose of the curved tops and bottoms of the frames. Any idea?

I wondered that too. Is it for bee space? To keep the bees from propolizing the frames to the metal bars? I don't know. I did notice in Bostek's video he posted on another thread, http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...ight=slovenian that his frames didn't look like they had curved tops/bottoms, so maybe it's not necessary? Also, his feeder looks different. His video shows him inspecting his AZ hive. He also used a wooden board of sorts before pulling the frames. I don't know if that helped with alignment or not?