Dear Beefriends
 
We had our monthly meeting in Kaunas Beekeeping Society. We were astonished
of a distinguished  success of our beekeeper what was confirmed by our
Chairman.
 
A beekeeper Aloyzas Palskys kindly agreed to tell us of his experience on
getting honey yield seven times higher than annual average in Lithuania!
 
Mr. Aloyzas Palskys, retired civil engineer of 62, 50 years as a beekeeper,
20 bee colonies.
He tried all kind of hives and left with very wide, 20 frames in line, two
storied Dadant tie.
Annual honey average in 1994   96 kg per colony per year. His best
achievement.
Annual honey average in 1998   70 kg/colony/year.  His mostly often result.
(15 kg/colony/year for Lithuania)
In midsummer a colony consists of 30-40 Dadant frames. (435 mm x 300 mm).
Optimum colony 10 kg. Swarming fully controlled.
 
The construction of hive is based on:
A double hive for two separated colonies, each up to 40 frames.
A hive must have good thermal isolation and ventilation.
Constant temperature in a hive day and night as possible.
The condensed vapor in winter inside hive should not freeze.
The isolation material between inner and outer walls must be always dry.
Walls must be leak-proof for wind (air).
Venting ability of the air volume among brood combs has to be up to 16 times
per hour.
Avoid wasting of timber wood, and inner volume of hive. (Using shallow
frames additional air spaces).
Using one shape frames for free operation inside hive.
 
Hive construction:
to be continued :)