>teach me anything about beekeeing. Any additional information other than
>literature would be most welcomed.
Hi Robert,
Here is some info you might like to look at. We do supply
other equipment if you should need it.
The D.E.Hive
by
DAVID EYRE
My beekeeping experience spans 40 years and 2 Continents. When I came to
take up beekeeping here in Canada I was horrified to discover only one
hive in production. My beekeeping has been based on a number of hives,
some I 've loved and some I've hated. The Langstroth is regretfully not
one of the ones I've loved. So I decided if I can't buy one, I'll make
my own. With all this in mind I set to and designed a hive with the
following parameters.
From the ground up I needed a system which would, and does, improve
matters for both the bees and beekeeper. A new hive stand, low on the
ground, for both security and weatherproofing, to provide dead air space
under the hive floor. A new hive floor, which had to be lighter. Square
boxes for better wintering, a round cluster will be a better fit in a
square than a rectangle. Lighter frames and standard size foundation to
fit regular extractors. A better Queen excluder, easier to clean.
Shallow honey supers as standard. A better inner cover and finally
a controllable ventilation system, this being the main feature.
We have succeeded beyond all our dreams. The D.E. Hive is now in it's
fifth season and the results are truly amazing. The hive produces far
more brood and from that quite incredible amounts of honey. Far in
excess of Provincial and local averages.
The first year it produced 193 lbs. Bear in mind a brand new hive,
3 deeps and 3 shallows to be drawn out. The Provincial average was
61 lbs. They wintered well, came out in Spring, no dysentery, a good
dry hive. That year,`93 we took 612 lbs from 2 D.E's an average of
306 lbs. Provincial average was 115 lbs. This year `94 was another
good year, we took 120 lbs of buckwheat honey in early July, plus 3
nuc's for Queen rearing and gave them 33 frames of foundation to draw
and we still took a total of 190lbs per hive. We should have taken more,
but late July-Aug was strange, a dearth of nectar, in fact we had
robbing problems in Aug, which is very unusual at that time of year.
The amount of produce from these hives is just amazing and the work
load for the keeper is not excessive.
The deep box or brood box is square 18 x 18. It holds 11 frames, to
provide more brood space as I strongly disagree with reducing the amount
of frames(from 10 to 9) to make it easier for the keeper. We need more
brood space not less, less frames, less bees, less honey. We run our
hives on 3 brood boxes, that's 33 frames in total. In early Spring we
find a good Queen will be laying in all 3 boxes.
Our frames are different, they're thinner wood, longer end lugs for
you to hold onto. With the separators it makes for a cleaner hive. You
don't need to pry up each frame to get it out as there is virtually no
propolis. We use a diagonal one piece wire foundation and with our
ventilation there is no need to horizontally wire these frames.
The Queen excluder is flat, either zinc or plastic, very easy to clean
and without the build up of wax and propolis that you're accustomed to
seeing.
The Shallow Super is made to the same specs. as the Deep Box, but uses
6" foundation and therefore is much lighter and more manageable for
lady apiarists. With the extra large hand holds these are easier on the
fingers and back muscles.
The Inner Cover is plywood rather than masonite. We have found that the
shiny surface of masonite will sweat and the water beads up, this is as
true in Winter as in Summer. In Winter the condensation freezes and in
the Spring melts and eventually this condensation will drip back into
the cluster. Its cleated to provide bee space on both sides and mesh
covered holes provide ventilation. We have also provided a Winter top
opening, which can be opened and closed as needed.
Next is the Ventilation Box. The same as the honey super but with
slanted screened holes to provide through ventilation. This works on
the same principle as the soffit vents in our houses. The ventilation
is controllable, as in the Summer we need maximum ventilation and in the
winter it is drastically reduced.
The roof has 3 ventilation holes on the front, it's cleated on the
inside to make it ride on top of the ventilation box. One to provide a
large open area, the same as our attics, two to provide space for feeder
pails etc.
So much for the mechanics, now to explain our thinking regarding
ventilating bee hives. The laws of physics are legion. The two we are
interested in are "Hot air rises" and "Hot air takes up moisture". The
hot air in the hive rises, takes up the moisture from the air that the
bees are busy extracting from the nectar they are bringing in. In your
hives because they are sealed in the hot wet air has nowhere to go. Now
the bees spend hours fanning trying to get it out of the hive. In our
hives it gets out through the top of the hive easily and without
obstruction. Which now explains our large crops, the hive assists the
bees in their efforts.
Another point to ponder. If one of the primary causes for swarming, is,
amongst other reasons, too much heat. It stands to reason that with a
ventilated hive there should be less swarming tendencies. That is what
we have found. In four years we haven't had a hive swarm on us.
When we examined other hives in our area we noticed a high incidence of
chalk brood. Our information states that chalk brood is a fungus caused
by damp conditions within the hive. In practice we have proved this to
be true! When we added ventilation to a hive with a high proportion of
chalk brood, it was only a short time before the chalk brood disappeared
and normal healthy brood prevailed.
We live in an area where the temp. can go from -30c to +40c, our hives
are made to withstand these variances of temperature. They are out in a
field with no shade or wind breaks and they're doing just fine. So
another of those beekeeping falacies is not true! You do not have to
keep bees behind a wind break or with lots of shade. In fact my view is
they are better off, if kept in open conditions, the hives will
certainly be drier.
In conclusion I would like to say. This has to be the Rolls Royce of the
hives. If you're a beekeeper rather than a box keeper, you'll like to
work these hives. They're easy to open, and much cleaner, you need very
little smoke (less disturbance) the bees are healthier and must be
happier as they work so hard. So join the revolution and order the latest
hive, and enjoy your beekeeping!!!
PRICE LIST
The D.E.Hive designed and manufactured in Canada from the finest
materials, select quality only.
All products supplied flat, with assembly instructions in each package.
We will assemble for collection customers only, price for assembly on
request.
COMPLETE STARTER HIVE
Select pine outers, Bass wood frames, Roof, Vent box, Inner cover,
1 Shallow super, 1 Deep box, 22 Frames & spacers, Bottom board, Entrance
reducer, Hive stand, Queen excluder, Foundation.
OUR TOTAL REGULAR PRICE $147.76 F.O.B. ORILLIA.
Special Introductory PRICE $100.50 F.O.B. ORILLIA
SUPPLIED SINGLY
Roof $10.80 Bottom Board $6.40
Vent Box 8.80 Entrance Reducer 1.60
Inner Cover 6.40 Hive Stand 7.20
Shallow Super 12.00 Queen Excluder 13.60
Deep Box 12.80 Foundation 6" per sht .88
Frame Spacers 2.80 Foundation 8" per sht 1.20
(per 22)
Quantity Discounts available on request.
SHIPPING NOT INCLUDED
VIDEO AVAILABLE FOR LOAN
ALL PRICES QUOTED IN US FUNDS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
GENERAL PRICE LIST
D.E. Hive starter kit (See individual parts list) $100.50
Langstroth Modification Kit $ 56.00
Cover Clothes (Per Pair) $ 10.00
Hive Top Feeders (D.E. or Lang) $ 18.45
Queen Marking Cages $ 6.50
Varroa Quick Test Kit $ 18.75
Varroa Trap $ 28.50
The New Canadian Beekeeper Videos
Volume 1 Parts 1&2 (Summer to Winter) $ 39.95
Volume 2 Parts 1&2 (Spring to Summer) $ 39.95
Volume 3 (Queen Rearing) ready in '96 $ 39.95
Tracheal Mite Resistant Queens (See individual price list)
All PRICES quoted in US FUNDS F.O.B. Orillia.
Technical information sheets available on all of the above.
****************************************************
* David Eyre 9 Progress Drive, Unit 2, *
* The Beeworks, Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1. *
* [log in to unmask] 705-326-7171 *
* http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks *
* Agents for: E H Thorne & B J Sherriff UK. *
****************************************************
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