On Tue, 23 Jan 1996, BusyKnight wrote:
 
> FYI, most state laws prohibit a beekeeper from keeping a beehive
> that does not have removable frames.  Being able to lift the
> honeycomb frames out of the hive (without damaging the hive)
> has been one of man's greatest improvements to keeping bees
> and collecting honey.  ....
 
A natural honey-bee nest would normally be inside some kind of
cavity like a tree trunk, roofspace, cave or the like.
 
There is a type of hive used in Africa and a number of other
places, known as a top-bar hive, where the combs are drawn
down from just a top bar and there are no complete frames as
in a conventional western hive. If you want to follow up the
'natural hive' idea, you could investigate the principles of
the top-bar and interpret into a natural-like hive. Maybe a
hollowed out log or similar? This would enable the combs to be
removed for inspections whilst maintaining a natural look.
 
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--
Gordon Scott   [log in to unmask]   Hampshire, England.
               [log in to unmask]
               Beekeeper; Kendo 3rd Dan; Sometime sailor.
The Basingstoke Beekeeper (newsletter) [log in to unmask]