The sixteen-frame bee house is one of the varieties of sun beds, popular among beekeepers in the southern regions of our country. Also, the choice of 16 frame hive and the keeping of bees in it is often resorted to in Ukraine and Belarus. There is a rather mild climate, abundant honey harvests – the results of beekeeping are pleasantly pleasing to the owners of apiaries.
In more severe climatic zones, bee colonies develop sluggishly across the entire width of the bed, even if it has only sixteen hundred frames instead of the traditional twenty.
The content of the article
- 1 Features of the content
- 2 Advantages and disadvantages
- 2.1 Summer benefits
- 3 Content tips
- 3.1 Another containment method
- 4 A little about hives
Features of the content
In recent years, a beehive containing sixteen frames began to spread in the regions of Western Siberia. Here, one or two store extensions are additionally installed on it.
Let us clarify once again – the results of this practice are less impressive than in the south of the country or in Ukraine or Belarus.
And for Siberia, the honey collection will be no more than in multi-hull structures. This has been proven empirically. In 1965-1966, on the basis of the Novosibirsk Fruit and Berry Experimental Station, observations were carried out both for bee colonies living in 16-frame structures and for multi-hull houses. In both cases, the highest honey yield ranged from 124-126 kilograms per family.
This experience has confirmed that in a cold climate and short summer, the honey yield directly depends not on the selected type of hive, but on the strength of each bee colony.
However, it is important to consider the convenience of bee houses for the beekeepers themselves. Labor productivity was higher when looking after exactly 16-frame structures.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any hive, a sixteen-frame bee house has its own advantages and disadvantages, which must be considered by beekeepers. The bees are kept traditionally – on a cold drift (the frames are perpendicular to the entrances).
The positive aspects of the content include:
- convenience during examinations (for the beekeeper);
- good ventilation of the nest;
- the stability of the assembled structure (with extensions);
- convenience during honey collection – two store extensions are enough.
The disadvantages include:
- sluggish development of nests in the spring;
- bulkiness compared to a multi-housing house;
- bees grow poorly in autumn (at the level of a 12-frame structure);
- inconvenience when wandering – the hive is heavy, especially when fully loaded with frames;
- in the winter house of such houses is placed less because of the increased dimensions (in comparison with multi-hull structures).
Siberian beekeepers note that there are no problems with dampness in the 16-frame design. For comparison, during wintering in two buildings, despite the increased ventilation, mold often appears in the lower tier. Bee colonies weaken, and insects begin to have diarrhea by spring.
Summer benefits
Another plus is found in extreme heat at the beginning of the Siberian summer, when the natural flow rate is small and the bee colonies begin to swarm. Multi-body structures have to be completely disassembled to destroy the mother liquors. This is a laborious process that limits the capabilities of the beekeeper – with one assistant, he can serve no more than 80 nests per outlet.
Working with 16-frame huts during swarming is faster and easier. They are two to three weeks longer without store extensions. The nests are easy to inspect. And even after the stores have been installed, they are easier to remove than a full-fledged case. This operation is within the power of one person, since the extension is made of thin boards and filled with still empty honeycomb frames.
Also, during periods of abundant bribe, it will be convenient to work with store semi-frames, without disturbing the nest in the lower part of the house. The half-frames are freed from insects, printed and pumped out faster.
Content tips
Taking care of bees in a sixteen-frame hive is easy, just like in any lounger.
Keeping bees in 16 frame hives includes the following steps:
1. The revision in spring is carried out traditionally – on the first fine day following the flight. The absence of dampness and mold allows you to avoid replanting insects in clean hives, as well as additional hassle of spring cleaning inside the houses. The underwater is swept away in one direction, while the frames are moved to the other. The dead bees are then removed with a spatula and soft brush.
After assessing the condition of the feed stocks, empty honeycomb frames are removed if necessary. They are replaced with heavy honeycombs. After the revision, at least 12 kilograms of high-quality honey should remain in a strong and medium-strength nest. The number of frames depends on the strength of the bee colony – all issued combs must be fed by insects.
2. Inspection is completed with insulation. A pillow is laid on the side, a sacking (canvas) and a mattress, cut strictly according to the dimensions of the house, should fit snugly against the roof liner and the walls.
After that, the colonies are not disturbed for two to three weeks.
3. The expansion begins with the blossoming of the willow and the increase in the amount of brood in the bee colonies. To do this, immediately after the brood, four to five honeycomb frames are installed with dry land containing at least five kilograms of honey (honey is mainly concentrated on 3-4 honeycombs).
In stable warm weather, two additional waxes are provided.
4. The second expansion is taking place at the end of May. In nature, yellow acacia blooms at this time, warm weather sets in. It is necessary to remove the side insulation and fill in all the space vacated horizontally with artificial wax. At the same time, the forage combs move to the edge of the nest – they become coverts, and the foundation sinks next to the brood.
An important point: The second expansion of weakened bee colonies is carried out in stages. The hive is filled with honeycomb frames not at one time, but in two or three approaches based on the growth and strengthening of a particular nest.
If there is no nectar in nature, the expansion is carried out mainly at the expense of honeycombs. Each hive should be given up to 7 kilograms of additional feed.
5. The apiaries begin to expand from the third decade of May. After the maturation of the queen cells, layering is made on them or the bee colonies are divided into half a summer. Stores after the formation of layering are placed after the nests weakened by division develop to 15-16 honeycomb frames.
Note: Extensions installed in time help to extinguish the swarm mood. However, it is inappropriate to cut off the printed queen cells during the May inspection, since this technique will not save you from swarming – it will only be delayed until a later date.
6. The main purpose of the May inspection is the destruction of immature queen cells. After that, shops are installed, placing 12 half-frames of sushi and 4 waxes in them.
Note: In the first (lower) store, it is impractical to install dryers with drone cells. When the extension is set early, the “queen” sometimes comes here and starts laying eggs, which adds to the trouble for the beekeeper – the drone brood has to be cut out. Honeycombs with drone cells are already installed during honey collection and then only in the upper store!
7. With a strong summer bribe, it is allowed to install a third store extension, which will allow some of the half-frames to be pumped out closer to autumn. This technique is useful for beekeepers who have more than 120 families at one point.
8. Summer pumping is started as soon as the bees begin to seal the honey half-frames.
9.After the honey collection is completed, the stores are removed, and honeycomb frames without brood are removed from the nests. In the steppe regions where there is no honeydew, this event also sorts the combs: honeycombs are placed on one side of the nest, and brood ones on the other. In the fall, it remains only to remove the low copper and free brood honeycombs.
In forest areas characterized by an abundance of honeydew, the autumn assembly of nests is carried out according to a different scheme:
- Upon completion of brood rearing in mid-September, nests are formed. On one side of the house there are three or four honey frames (up to 12 kilograms of food), and next to it is brown dry land in the amount of 5-7 cells. Empty brood frames are removed from the hives. The remains of honey are pumped out of them. Then the honeycomb is placed in storage.
- After the formation of nests, feeders are installed in the hives, containing 4,5 liters of sugar syrup. After a day, feeding is re-issued. Insects deposit sugar honey in empty brown combs, and then feed on it throughout the winter. The feed is well stored even unsealed – it does not sour and does not deteriorate.
10. After moving the houses to the winter house at the end of October, it is necessary to provide them with good ventilation. For this purpose, the laps are bent along the back wall by a centimeter, and the warming mattresses are moved forward by about 8 centimeters. Better yet, replace the canvas soaked in propolis with clean ones.
Another containment method
There is another method of keeping bee colonies in 16-frame huts, which allows you to use both the advantages of a sunbed and a riser.
To do this, you need a plug-in board with dimensions 449 by 310 by 32 mm. It is assembled from a frame on which fiberboard is stuffed on both sides.
The content has the following features:
- In the spring, a nest of twelve honeycomb frames is limited from emptiness in the house using the above-mentioned insert board.
- When willow crops bloom and migrate to houses, all honeycomb frames are installed at once. Two or four outermost of them are foundation.
- When expanding in warm weather, a technology similar to a two-body house is used. 10 honeycomb frames are left in the body below. On top, two extensions are placed at once, in which there are four half-frames (near the wall), two nesting brood honeycombs, four sushi or waxes. The frames in the stores and the nest are separated from the voids with insert boards. One of the boards stands in the building, and the second covers the space in two stores at once.
- The bee colony is in such a state for the entire period of spring honey collection until the onset of the tipping-free period (approximately from the moment the dandelions blossom).
- Layers are made from honeycomb frames of the lower body. After that, the nest is formed from freshly built honeycombs, and the nest foundation is installed in stores.
- For the main honey collection, plug-in boards are removed, and all nesting cells are installed down (rebuilt this year – opposite the entrance slot). Stores are fully equipped with dry sushi on semi-frames.
Note: Depending on the strength of the bee colony, any number of honeycomb frames can be installed from spring: eight, ten, and so on. Above, in stores, there will be the same amount.
This content makes it possible to quickly cut out the nesting combs in the upper stores, forming a single body in the assembly.
A little about hives
Once again, let’s clarify the simplest design of such bee houses. The information will be useful for novice beekeepers.
For work, boards with a thickness of 40 mm are taken. The house is mounted in a quarter. The bottom is deaf. One part of it protrudes forward and successfully replaces the arrival board.
Dimensions inside (in mm):
- 620 – length;
- 450 – width;
- 320 – height.
The size of the used honeycomb frames: 435 x 300 (Dadan’s standard).
The roof cover is knocked out of 18 mm thick boards. It serves as a reliable protection from wind and cold – warming mattresses with natural filling are placed here. The height of the finished roof liner is 10 cm.
The roof is made flat. The top is upholstered with galvanized sheet metal. It is put on the roof liner according to the principle of a hat (pushed on).
The side cushion can be successfully replaced with a hollow diaphragm. It is mounted from plywood – this side faces the nest, tow for insulation and a soft burlap wall protruding from the edges of the diaphragm by 0,5-1 cm.
Techniques for working with sunbeds of this type are constantly being improved and refined. If seasoned readers have their own approach to content technology, they can comment on the topic in the comments below. We will be grateful for any opinion, because our common goal is to increase income from apiaries and facilitate the work of the beekeeper.
