[GregV]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WklPZCn1v5w

Pretty cool.
The oldest hives in the video are up to 15 years old.
The author expects another 10 years from most of them.

 

[little_john]

Unbelievable ! Not so much the use of reeds to make a hive (pity we didn't get to see inside one of them ...) - but rather the sheer number of hives stationed at one location. (identical hives lined-out in rows - breaking all the rules ... )

Greg - is this a static apiary ? If so, then there must be phenomenal forage available all around it.

Good link - thanks
LJ

 

[GregV]

Unbelievable ! Not so much the use of reeds to make a hive (pity we didn't get to see inside one of them ...) - but rather the sheer number of hives stationed at one location. (identical hives lined-out in rows - breaking all the rules ... )

Greg - is this a static apiary ? If so, then there must be phenomenal forage available all around it.

Good link - thanks
LJ

Yes, this sounded as if very much commercial setup, honey-oriented.
The rows and all; this is a business all right.

Per the commentary, the presented was the central winter base where the entire fleet was brought in until the next season.
For the summer much of this fleet was deployed into various summer camps for the crop harvest.
So, NOT static.
Lot of these hives are being used as mobile.
I imagine, they must be employing some mechanized equipment (I mean to watch more vids from this channel and snoop around some more).

All in all, the reeds make an excellent material and good for the bees too.
It is just I got lots of free wood, to bother with the reeds.
But some people do have lots of free reeds - there is nothing to shy away from.

 

[ruthiesbees]

(pity we didn't get to see inside one of them ...)
LJ

You can see inside them in their other video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzR_Y6e5ClM

 

[little_john]

Hi Greg - yes, that would make a lot more sense ... That apiary just had the look of a static apiary about it - hives spaced well apart on concrete blocks and so on ... I should have realised.

Ruth - thanks for that link. Within the first 10 seconds the guy's source of reeds (presumably) are visible in the background. I took a look at the guy's YouTube playlist and I'm sure there's a story here that we're missing (or rather that I'm missing), as ALL of these hives look very new indeed, with some of them looking completely unused. For example, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7aM44v5RAo where a team of guys are transferring colonies from the used (but still very pristine) wooden Dadants to what appear to be new and unused reed hives.

It's a great pity my total Russian vocabulary is limited to 4 words: da, nyet, glasnost and perestroika - as I haven't a clue what the guy's talking about - but it's clearly a very substantial commercial operation, but one in which not one single hive has the scruffy appearance of having had any wear and tear (i.e. is anywhere near looking somewhat 'beaten up' as so many hives do from heavy commercial use). Not even one obvious example anywhere of paint having been chipped off or worn away. Curious.
LJ

 

[GregV]

LJ, I will comment when I have time to watch more of these vids.
I quickly got a blurb - these are not really long hives, but rather square or so Dadants (they ran additional top, full size boxes in summer for the honey crop).
Nevertheless, pretty cool. Looked pretty squat and long to me initially, but fine. The Dadants they are.
The reed hives with a very strong skeletons in them so to hold another large box full of honey on the top.

 

[GregV]

You can see inside them in their other video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzR_Y6e5ClM

Thanks; yes, he has a good collection to watch.

 

[GregV]

Thanks; yes, he has a good collection to watch.

OK, in this video he demonstrates how significantly stronger his units are in 15-frame hives vs. 10-frame hives.
Just the ergonomics of the longer hives somehow affected the strength of the colonies going into the winter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryeFJOi2VEQ

15-frame hives are from the reeds (so these are indeed Dadant long hives - 15 frames).
10-frame hives have foam walls and top/bottom from the reads (he later reported that bees have been chewing on the foam walls - so that is a problem).

Maybe the foam vs. the reeds is part of the equation too.
For sure natural, healthy material vs. whatever chem substance could be a consideration.
Bees chewing on the foam is often said an indication of them being irritated by the material (not exactly good indicator).

I myself have an issue of bees chewing on the XPS inserts in the covers, if they can get to them.
The worst part - those XPS shavings are now all over inside the hives - that the micro-plastic pollution all over the burlap inner covers (maybe even in the honey/bee bread; who knows now).

I like this idea of the bottom from the reeds (the eco-floor thing).
Actually, the reeds could also be inserted inside the covers, to replace XPS.
Hmm, I actually have lots of reeds nearby, a whole swarm of the reeds; maybe should do a test run.

PS: in the comments' section someone stated
- they do very similar hives but from straw (due to lack of local reeds)
- very, very happy with the straw hives;
- mice are not an issue that they noticed;
- cool in summer;
- warm in winter;
- small weight;
- one time project - constructed a straw press so to make the panels.