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Horizontal Longstroth Beehive

13K views 48 replies 15 participants last post by  Fiero Mike 
#1 · (Edited)
New to bees. And, decided to build my first beehive, which I thought would be part of the fun of being a beekeeper. After doing some reading about various beehive standards, I settled on wanting a horizontal longstroth beehive. Here are a few pictures of my hive as I slowly build it. I'm building it out of pine. On two legs I put wheels to make it easier to move, since I figured it is going to be heavy, if and when I should need to move it. I also bought 7 frame flow hive that I want to build a box for that would fit on top. I've read mixed reviews on flow hives. So, I'll find out how well bees like them. I still have to figure where I'm going to put the entrance. I'm also considering what to do to reduce the chance of the hive being robbed.

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#5 ·
I am the same mind as you Fiero Mike. I built 2 long Langstroth hives last winter, and have been very pleased with the set up for a back yard beekeeper. Some pics of my longhive.

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As you can see I made the roof high enough to put supers under the roof. I also have entrances on each did. With a vertical queen excluder I can run these as two queen hives.
 
#9 ·
I am the same mind as you Fiero Mike. I built 2 long Langstroth hives last winter, and have been very pleased with the set up for a back yard beekeeper. Some pics of my longhive.

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As you can see I made the roof high enough to put supers under the roof. I also have entrances on each did. With a vertical queen excluder I can run these as two queen hives.
Wow, I really like how your hives look. Gives me some ideas.
 
#6 ·
I've been thinking about building a long-lang ever since I've tried my first top bar hive. The top bar needs constant attention to keep comb straight & in the right places. The first 8 or 10 combs are fine, but they begin to degrade the further into the box they go. So I think lang frames would help the bees to be less apt to design their own comb.

However, what struck me first about your hive is the small wheels.......I'd prefer larger wheels that would handle grass & rough surfaces better.....something like 8-10" in diameter. (just a suggestion).
 
#13 ·
Some upgrades to my inner covers. I found that a 3 inch hole fits a narrow mouth mason jar, and a 3.5 inch hole fits a wide mouth mason jar. By using two 1by6s and having the bottom with a 3 inch hole and the top board with a 3.5 inch hole you can make inner covers that accept both sizes of mason jars. They can also be used to make mason jar suppers or a hive in a jar.
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#14 ·
Some upgrades to my inner covers. I found that a 3 inch hole fits a narrow mouth mason jar, and a 3.5 inch hole fits a wide mouth mason jar. By using two 1by6s and having the bottom with a 3 inch hole and the top board with a 3.5 inch hole you can make inner covers that accept both sizes of mason jars. They can also be used to make mason jar suppers or a hive in a jar.
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Thanks. I've thought about mason jars to let the bees put honey into. Do you have any more pictures of your hive that you might share?
 
#15 ·
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This is a picture before I put on the roof. The hive body has a cut grid pattern so the bees can place propolis on all sides. Research out of Minnesota shows that a propolis envelope has many benefits to the bees. The main body was made with 2by12s. I then added a second 2by frame to but foam insulation. Over that is a 1by4 board and batten siding. So my long hives are 3.75 inch thick walls with foam insulation.

I also made the under roof spacing just enough to fit a deep. In the picture is one of my 5 frame nucs. I did this for easy installing of nucs. Or I can put supers on this hive. Each hive has an periscoping entrance on each end. Look up a YouTube video from Phil Chandelier, he has one about the periscope entrances. These periscope entrances have greatly reduced wasp and bumblebee from getting into the hive. They also limit mice from getting into the hive.

The bottom is #8 hardware cloth. The back of the hive has a door to the screened bottom.
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#16 ·
Thanks. I'll search YouTube for the video. I've been thinking about my entrance and what to do for unwanted guests. I'm also pondering the roof/2nd level for flow hives, mason jars, medium supers/feeder combo, and/or possibly a spot for a NUC for a future 2nd hive.
 
#17 ·
Went with a periscope entrance on an end after watching Phil Chandelier video. Still need to add handles to the same end to lift up and make it easier when moving. I was going to add picture to first post but have learned that after so many days that you can't do so. Here is a picture of the periscope entrance.

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#18 ·
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I hope these pictures uploaded...My Layens frames are a little deeper than a Langstroth frame: 14.5 by 16 inches deep...:)

I have 14 frames per side with a division board between them in case I need to combine 2 swarms/weak hive with a strong hive...

A screened bottom board for SHB or Varroa with either a sticky board or Freeman style "swimming pool" LOL...

1.5 inch thick steel insulated panels, (garage door panels), help keep the hive lighter, but I hope to never have to move it!!!:eek::p;)

Lots of fun to build this prototype hive!!!
 
#20 · (Edited)
View attachment 43721 View attachment 43723 View attachment 43725 View attachment 43727 View attachment 43729 I hope these pictures uploaded...My Layens frames are a little deeper than a Langstroth frame: 14.5 by 16 inches deep...:)

I have 14 frames per side with a division board between them in case I need to combine 2 swarms/weak hive with a strong hive...

A screened bottom board for SHB or Varroa with either a sticky board or Freeman style "swimming pool" LOL...

1.5 inch thick steel insulated panels, (garage door panels), help keep the hive lighter, but I hope to never have to move it!!!:eek::p;)

Lots of fun to build this prototype hive!!!
Interesting, garage door should definately make it lighter. After looking at yours, it crossed my mind for just one second to considered redoing mine, but maybe another time. You'll have to let us know how the bees like it. However, I still need a roof and a garage door could be an option.
 
#21 ·
Started painting the hive olive green. Thinking of painting the legs a dark red.

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Now to think about building/designing a modular roof so that I can add flow hive frames, Mason jars, and possibly some medium supers. I need to search for some ideas. After reading on the forum, I'm considering adding these extras the second year of the hive, but need to build ahead of adding the bees.
 
#22 ·
Perhaps put a Queen excluder above for honey stores? I think a telescoping lid would work well for the top, since the bottom will be the brood area.I went with internal frame feeders, instead of mason jars for the feeders, because my aging back can't lift heavy loads anymore...lol...I am thinking this hive will be a 2 story?
Started painting the hive olive green. Thinking of painting the legs a dark red.

View attachment 43753

Now to think about building/designing a modular roof so that I can add flow hive frames, Mason jars, and possibly some medium supers. I need to search for some ideas. After reading on the forum, I'm considering adding these extras the second year of the hive, but need to build ahead of adding the bees.
 
#25 ·
From what I've seen, most long langs have solid plywood bottoms regardless of screens or not. I am putting in a #8 screen and a tray to monitor mite droppings. However, like a typical lang hive, it doesn't have an additional plywood bottom. I see that some designs have trays/corrugated board inserts but they still seem to have plywood bottoms as well. Why do the long langs need a plywood bottom? Is it for additional insulation since it spans 48 3/4 " instead of 16 1/4"?
 
#26 ·
I built 2 of these hybrid top bar hives. I use Lang frames and top bars with sides and bottom boards. I put my main entrance in the end. I also drilled 2 entrance holes in the other end the same size as wine corks. this end can be used as a nuc while you are building a hive in the main end. I use oil pans under my SBB and they do a good job on shb plus close up the bottom if there is too much ventilation. You might want to google THE LAYENS HIVE. Old info but his principles of bar/frame manipulation are right on. During a flow you will be needing to check them weekly so you don't get honey bound.
 
#27 ·
A good tip as well Fiero for langstroth instead of buying 2x12 boards, buy 2x10 boards 16ft. You can ussually get a 16 foot for 13-14 dollars. Instead of paying 25-26 for a 2x12 12 footer. You do your normal cuts, but make all the boards 8 3/4, and your excess 4 foot of 2x10 cut 2 inch strips and screw them into the top of the 8 3/4 pieces you got making a 10 3/4 total height. Saves a ton of money on wood. Shows ours a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLp4eZDElNE
 
#31 ·
Good morning everyone,
I have had a disaster with my 1st Top bar hive. I built it without plans and built it too narrow and too deep, the combs were too heavy and broke off the top bar I tried to correct this by fitting sides and a base to the bars and this was some success.
I've given the matter of a long Langstroth and Top bar hybrid some thought and it seems very sensible, as I'm an old gadgee at 73 the lifting and lowering of boxes doesn't appeal to me does anyone have plans for such a hybrid?

Cheers, Tony.:)
 
#32 ·
Good morning everyone,
...does anyone have plans for such a hybrid?

Cheers, Tony.:)
So are you looking for plans for a Long Langstroth that uses frames but is about 30 frames wide? Or are you still trying to use your true topbars? I've done both. I also built a "double wide" which is the width of 2 eight frame Langstroth boxes so it holds 17 deep frames but allows me to put two side by side honey supers on top.
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#38 ·
Hello Tony - sorry for the delay in replying, I've been unable to access the forum with my usual computer due to a scrambled screen - probably due to a Forum software upgrade - but a temporary 'fix' has now been found.

A quick 'Stop Press' for yourself and any other British beekeepers reading this:
Simon The Beekeeper is packing it in and is currently running a closing-down sale. A lot of his stuff is being sold-off at heavily reduced prices so worth a look if you need any equipment or clothing.


Mesh (OMF :) ) along the centreline ? Yes, you'd have thought so ... that's what I thought too - but just look at the mould which developed :



The reason for this is water 'pooling' on the floor, which cannot escape.
Just look at the difference when that 'strip-OMF' is relocated to one side, and the hive then tilted by 10 degrees or so over Winter, so that most of the water escaped through the mesh:



There's still some mould high up in the corners which could probably be eliminated by a full-length 'strip-OMF', but it's a huge improvement.

Retro-fitting such a mesh can be awkward - so it's best to fit such a strip when initially making the floor (this being a different hive):



Then attachment becomes easy:




Ok - space at the sides ... The British National Frame width (i.e. across the side-bars) is 356mm, and the standard National box is 374mm across the inside, leaving 18/2 = 9mm at each side of the frame.

I've adopted 370mm (leaving 7mm at each side) without encountering problems, so you can see there's some latitude here. The reason I've adopted 370mm is because with that tighter spacing a perfect end clearance results with the thickness timber I use:



..., and then all that's required is to fix some planks onto the outside, and the rebates (rabbets in the US) are formed automatically:



Insodoing - one less thing to have to worry about. :)

Incidently - what I used in the past was a 370mm width template, to ensure accurate spacing:



But then I figured out a much better way:



So I made two of the above templates, which are screwed into position in the centre of a slightly oversized end-plate. The two sides are offered-up against each end template, with the whole caboodle placed upside-down on a flat surface.
When happy with the arrangement, the ends of the long sides are dressed with glue, and the whole assembly then clamped together. Screws are inserted to hold the end-plates onto the long sides, diagonals checked for equality, and the glue allowed to provisonally set. After about 15 mins or so (I use D4 glue from Everbuild - similar to Titebond 3), the two templates are unscrewed and removed. Next day the excess wood on the end-plates is removed. Job almost done - all that's needed then is a floor adding, entrances made, followed by a coat of paint.

And that's about it - feeder shell, roof etc need to be made of course if these are required.
LJ
 
#39 ·
Tony - I've just realised I may have confused you. Earlier, I said that a 50% mesh floor had been my most successful configuration, and yet in the above pictures there are mesh floors of around 20% or so of floor area.
What I was actually referring to were these floors:



... above which are placed a slatted rack:



... with boxes then stacked on top of that assembly - i.e. a vertical beehive.
Those floors have been in place now for 5 years, and have never needed cleaning once. And - with the mesh floor towards the rear, farthest from the entrance, any robber-scouts are attracted to that area, where the hive scent is strongest - thus those hives are the only ones I have which are not fitted with anti-robbing screens, yet robbing has never one happened to them.
I have four of these British-National/Warre hybrids, and afaik, these are the only hives of this type in existence.

Apologises if I confused you.

Almost forgot - clearance below the frames in a single-story hive - not more than half an inch if you're running Deep (8.5") frames. The space below 12" Extra-Deep frames can be almost anything, 2-3" is ok as the bees have no particular desire to draw combs any longer than that. This of course assumes that they have enough comb area within the hive for that size of colony.
'best
LJ
 
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#40 ·
Good (very frosty) morning John, it looks like I've finally lost my autumn sown broad beans!
it may take me a while to digest all the useful information you have included in your letter/email. "Simon The Beekeeper is packing it in and is currently running a closing-down sale" , the only bit of clothing I could use would be two pairs of gloves. I have all the rest of the required kit i.e. face netting draped over my holiday straw hat! and a strong jacket, how do I contact Simon about purchasing gloves (and how do you size gloves)?

I'm off into the shed to try my second attempt at frame side bars, you fail to check the depth of cut on the bench saw and there you have it... BBQ fuel! I have a double glazing panel 34" long to fit into the new long Langstroth 44" long as an inspection panel. Is it best to fit this centrally or at one end? Cheers, Tony.
 
#46 · (Edited)
Good (very frosty) morning John, it looks like I've finally lost my autumn sown broad beans!
Pigeons have just taken my leeks down to ground level ...

I have a double glazing panel 34" long to fit into the new long Langstroth 44" long as an inspection panel. Is it best to fit this centrally or at one end? Cheers, Tony.
Hi Tony - sorry, no suggestions to make on this one - maybe others could comment ?

There are some things in life i simply do not understand. Gambling is one, Tattoo's are another - I just don't 'get it'.
Inspection panels in beehives fall into the same category - what on earth can people see through them ?

Now pukka 'Observation Hives' I understand. I don't have any use for one myself. mind - but I can see the attraction.
These have a limited number of frames, and have the inspection panel looking at the face of a comb - so the bees can then be seen working away. Great fun, if watching bees appeals ...
But panels in full-size hives will be looking either at the ends of the combs (or frames - even worse) so precious little will be seen there - or will be lookng at the end faces of the end combs, whch are seldom used - so, again, there won't be that much which can be observed.

Now a sheet of glass on top of the hive would be a different proposition, although I suspect 34" would be a tad too long for easy manipulation.
LJ
 
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