Somewhere - probably in S. Carolina, you have made Steve Taber III feel
good ! He favored a similar hive when he was here in Tucson in the
1960s-70s. We had a little trouble with mold between the lids and inner
canvas flap, but THEY WORK.
   - - John Edwards, Tucson
 
David Eyre wrote:
>
> We have, for many years made up nucs to winter over till the next
> year, and every year had losses from 40-60% for various reasons. This
> year I have tried a new idea of mine and up to now ( touch wood etc.)
> have a 100% pass rate.
>         In previous years we tried single box hives (ie. 10 frames), we've
> tried them in packs, and mounted on top full hives and still lose a
> number of them.
>         Our latest idea entails some box modification but nothing beyond the
> average woodworker. Here's what we did.
>         Take a regular Lang box and rout a slot with a 1/4 bit, vertically
> and centred, inside the box's short side and the opposite end. This
> takes a piece of 1/4 ply which should slide down and be flush with
> both top and bottom of the box, in effect making a double
> compartment. Now fashion a folding inner cover. Ours are hinged in
> the middle, which allows one side to be manipulated without
> disturbing the other. Normal vent and feed holes should be supplied,
> and for winter, top entrances are a must.
>         The floor needs little alteration, just a piece front to back to
> coincide with the centre plywood. You can't allow contact between one
> side to the other. One final point, arrange the hive entrances at the
> front of the long sides. Do not under any circumstances have both
> entrances on the front short sides!!
>         These alterations now will provide two compartments of 5 frames
> each.
>         As a trial we made up 5 units, giving us 10 nucs, didn't want to
> risk too much at one go!! We used surplus Queens left over and made
> up 5 frame nucs and installed them, very late in the season. Once
> they were well established we had to empty our baby nucs for winter
> storage, so shook approx 24 baby nucs in front and allowed them to
> find a home.
>         Here's the change. We know with our Northern climate that 5 frames
> wouldn't be enough stores, we also know that bees eat their way
> upwards. So, we added another box on top, prepared the same way with
> a slide in separator, full of 5 frames of honey taken from full honey
> supers. So in effect, we have two 10 frame hives in each wrap, 5
> frames on top of 5 frames.
>         Today is fairly warm, still below freezing, no wind and full sun.
> The bees are all at the entrances peeking out, so I took a gamble
> and had a peek under the covers. Sealed stores, and lots of bees. As
> I said earlier 100% pass rate, every one looking good.
>         Soon I should add some feed, come the spring we will split again,
> add a Queen cell and make 10-5 frame nucs.
>         If anyone would care to comment, or if I am not concise enough then
> I would appreciate discussion.
>
> *******************************************
> The Bee Works, 9 Progress Dr, Unit 2,
> Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1
> Phone/fax  705-326-7171
> David Eyre, Owner.
> http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks
> e-mail <[log in to unmask]>
> ********************************************