I note the Valkyrie uses a gable roof that is hinged, so assume you dont put honey supers on top. Im interested in exploring long hives. Naomi and Larry continued to use the Valhalla long hive, but over the years, they discovered improvements that would make the hive even betterboth for the bees and the beekeeper. I actually just got off the phone with the guy making the long Langstroth with the honey supers it is designed for housing two colonies (has a divider board in the middle) and that is why it has the honey supers. It is an ingenious answer to two problems at once. Of course, weve had a very warm winter, even for this area, which seldom has cold winters. 38 Langstroth, Top Bar, and Warre Hive Plans 1. All prices subject to . Please add my additional comment to Viviens wonderful description of honey bees loving to produce burr comb, and how the beekeeper can rescue all of that high energy work by the bees. Since they start at the top, there is no room to move further up. A second viewing window can be added if you wish. Thank you so much for contacting us! Winter hive insulation is one of those things that you either believe in, or you don't. And there is no arguing with the fact that the majority of managed bees live in uninsulated wood boxes, even in the frigid north. I Fixed The Langstroth Hive (For The Bees AND The Keeper!) Below, we listed the major advantages and disadvantages of 10-frame and 8-frame hives. The long entrance also allows for making easy splits. Learn how your comment data is processed. There is 2 1/2 from the bottom bar to the slats. Please note: some beeks have been very creative with modifications to the Valkyrie, after purchase and assembly. VEVOR Rubber Speed Bump, 2 Pack 2 Channel Speed Bump Hump, 40" Long Modular Speed Bump Rated 22000 LBS Loading, 40.2 . (These ants are really small and persistent, so a tight box would only make them work harder to find a way in, which theyll manage somehow.). It accepts 31 standard deep frames and features bee-friendly thick walls for durability and superior insulation. If the common Langstroth is the mansion version of the hive, then the long hive is the bungalow. If I do build an insulated hive I will sandwich the styrofoam between two pieces of plywood. Your support matters. In my oven at home, I turn the dial to change the temperature; I dont weld extra steel to the sides, top, or bottom. One caveat: if the frames from the Flow Hive are shallow/Western/medium-sized, be sure to harvest them at the first opportunity dont leave them inside the Valkyrie too long or the ladies will draw comb on the bottom bar of the frame. 8-Warre' Bee hive Plan by David Heaf. Chris. The pleasant trade off is not seeing bees bearding, or their beekeeper fretting about excessive condensation within the hives. There are more boxes to handle when moving and during honey harvesting. It can further be perfected by a number of modifications: If you havent signed up for our email list yet, please join it below so we can notify you when free plans for the above modifications and other horizontal hive models become available. Outer (stores) frames from bottom, brood frames from bottom, brood frames from top, stores frames from top? This enables an effective air circulation in the hive. I made sure to check measurements for my hive before cutting. The racks are 13" wide and 16" deep. The Langstroth hive just got a facelift. I have pulled about 8 frames of brood out of this hive this year. And heres hoping both of you also have Happy Thanksgivings! However, this price point may balance out because you will need to purchase more boxes for 8-frame hives. The length of the top bar is 315mm, the floor board can be measured from 15 to 20mm, the floor boxes should be 1mm and the entrance notch in the floor should be 40mm to stay rigid. Cut a rabbet 3/8 by 3/4 along the top inner edge of the long boards. Alternatively, use glue if you're sure that the placement of the hive is permanent. Included is a fitted sheet of rigid insulation which protects the colony from icy-cold or super-heated ground temperatures year-round: less work for the ladies!. Otherwise pre-drill and assemble on 1-1/8 screws. 8-frame hives require more boxes because bees will build comb on frames much faster due to having two less frames. The legs are cut from the 2x4 at a 45 degree angle to help shed water. Because of their nature, bees will more likely use all eight frames and move up quickly. The Valhalla hive was unique in many ways, including the fact it used standard Langstroth frames. Apply wood glue and attach the top plywood panel. This website is made possible by people like you. Keep us all posted! The drape helps to keep the bees out of grasses and to facilitate an easier climb. All our long langs have insulated lids to help the bees maintain their own temperatures in the hot Texas sun or in the dead of winter. The back is 2-1/8" wide. The canvas top-bar cover comes standard, and the woolen insulating blanket is an optional item. I have a new Valkyrie hive from Right Hand LLP. Finish with the inner-cover cloth. I am thinking I will leave it on all year. The entire hive is disassembled and packed in two boxes for shipping. Feeding supplies and containers can be placed directly inside the hive body when using less than 24 frames, so the need of an exterior boardman feeder was eliminated completely. This will produce four 30-1/2 legs with one end slanted at 45. 8-frame hives hold less frames, which makes them generally lighter than 10-frame hives. Your hive box is now ready! Frames can use foundation or be foundationless . The February, 2020 issue of American Bee Journal has an informative, research-quoted article, The Condensing Colony authored by Bill Hesbach. Boxes are lighter and generally can be carried by one person. Then flip the box over and attach two more legs. Thank you. While researching natural beekeeping, I came across the Long Langstroth Hive and plans by Dr. Leo Sharashkin on horizontal hive.com. However, boxes of different depths can be mixed in the same hive, with the following standard sizes available: Deep: 9 5/8" Medium: 6 5/8" Shallow: 5 7/8" For example, a deep box has the dimensions 16" x 19 7/8" x 9 5/8". Hive prices start at $480 depending upon the lid you choose and other options. They are definitely heavy duty and seem built to last! The hive is ready! Based on the pictures, there seems to be more than a 3/8 inch space between the top of the slatted rack and the bottom of the frames. The receiving colony could also be dusted with sugar powdered to help busy and distract them from the incoming bees. (Alternative: if you do not have a router to cut this rabbet, you can just screw the bottom onto the hive box, with no rabbet cut. Pre-drilling the landing board is essential to prevent splitting. . One question: suppose I decided to retire from shifting hive boxes but wanted to move a thriving hive to a Valkyrie. I may have missed this info, but how do you combine hives in a long hive? But for clarification, I love top and bottom insulation, but in summer I would be wary of a so-called wrapped (or side insulated) hive. Since heat rises it will go to the top of the vertical hive while the bees are more likely to be hanging out at the bottom. Do you shift the frames towards the bees and remove them as they fill? Ergo PLUS Single Brood Box Beehive Set $250.00 Ergo PLUS White Single Brood Box Beehive Set $250.00 Also, if you get a Valkyrie, be sure to report back. The hinges make the lid easy to open and have been tested against a stiff breeze. Replacing Styrofoam with a more ecological insulation. Stability entails economy, and I think this goes for bees as well as plants. Currently my hive stands are standing in cans of oil. This website contains affiliate links that are ads recommended to you, that we can earn a small payout on. I have to say, the Valkyrie hives are so lovely Id like to buy one for my dining room. Download scientific diagram | Plot of carbon-dioxide clearance efficiency at different values of T amb in a model beehive with b gradient 14 70 2 30 in (a) and b gradient 14 70 2 50 in (b). Lorenzo Langstroth in the mid-19th century and features removable frames that the bees build comb in. Thanks for contacting us with your comments and questions. These hives have the same basic structure as conventional Langstroth swarm boxes, but are designed to sit still. Although 8-frame hives are lighter, a beekeeper will have more boxes to inspect if they choose that hive style. More tools and accessories are compatible with 10-frame hives. I just purchased (2) Valkrie hives in Swptember and will install bees in spring of 2020. Capacity: Because this design consists of modular, interchangeable hive parts, you can add extra medium honey supers as the colony grows and honey production increases. These are applicable to the Valkyrie Long Hive, and I cant speak for other horizontal hives. This is what I use: Building instructions How would I ant-proof the stand? These are frame rests. Thanks for the review, Rusty its very impressive! One 4 x 8 sheet makes top and bottom for. It is lighter, taller, and built to last. Is losing heat from the bottom of the hive such a bad thing? The painted top should last many years. I am truly impressed by the craftsmanship poured into the Valkyrie hive. Hence, burr comb. Also I would move them to the long hive, early in the summer so they figure out they are in a different configuration and they will set up the stores on there own. Some of the advantages to consider regarding the Langstroth hive include. When I visited the shop, they were still finalizing the packaging method, but what I saw was impressive. Is there a queen excluder to one side? A special filling material used in the top cover and side walls of Thermo Hives provides thermal insulation, offering a suitable habitat for the colony in different climateconditions. Good work, Minnesota! The canvas is multipurpose, keeping the bees calm during inspection and conserving heat in the winter. How much space is there between the slatted rack and the frame in a Valkyrie long hive? Mitchell took 2.3 million temperature measurements from 12 hives 8 different styles. Pourriez vous me faire connaitre la demarche suivre pour avoir les plans si possible, et sinon quel est le tarif de la ruche pour la france? Both rails are 15-7/8" long. I am impressed with the construction of the Valkyrie long hive and the concept is very appealing to me. LBF1 - Bottom frame extension with screws and brackets $7.00. LT8F - Lazutin Trap 8 Frame $50.00. The entire hive is disassembled and packed in two boxes for shipping. The Valkyrie has an hinged gable-style lid that comes in two standard finishes: deluxe powder-coated and textured aluminum. No wonder Jack picked this design for his hive! Vino Farm 105K subscribers Subscribe 215K views 1 year ago I went through the Ol' Langstroth Beehive with a fine-toothed comb and. I really like the long hives and there are a couple of local people making Langstroth Long Hives near me but they have a flat telescoping roof, 30 frames and they use honey supers on top. Moving them late fall would perhaps not allow enough time to shift stores if needed. The Colorado Top Bar Beehive If you are new to beekeeping, a top bar hive might be of interest to you. All packing materials are recyclable and designed to protect the hive. Disadvantages of a horizontal hive with extra deep frames With my Langs, Ive developed an entire wintering protocol based on high winter moisture. ), Table saw to cut frame rests (rabbets). In this case, with extra insulation, it may be OK for the colony to overwinter in our area. The Valkyrie is designed to make the cross-over from a Langstroth quite seamlessly. Insert the bottom and attach it to the hive body with 1-1/8 deck screws. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. If the long Langstroth has honey supers on top, then youre still needing to lift a pretty hefty weight once the frames are full of honey, right? A 1-inch thick piece of R5-rated hard insulation over the inner cover in the winter position apparently will prevent condensation from building up inside the hive during the winter. And these are the plans to craft the hive that Jack built. In this hive, is the entire box a brood box? . To attach, predrill holes and attached with glue and screws. Easy to use and one hive actually made it through the harsh Minnesota winter this year! Drill 1/2 holes on each end of the entrances and then connect them with a router and or jig saw. Your opinion would be appreciated as well as anyone else that has any experience with an insulated hive. The canvas cover keeps the bees calm while working them. Next I ripped the bottom pieces from the shorter half. 10-frame hives give bees two additional frames for honey and brood production, which means you can harvest more honey. Im not an expert: just guessing, really. I am hearing-impaired and cannot call. My colonies are not confronted with honey badgers, just inquisitive horses. Thank you. The outside measurements of all Langstroth hive boxes is 16" wide by 19 7/8" long. That being said, the wool cover is cut to fit right on top of the canvas inner cover, so the ladies wont really ever come into contact with the wool. The follower board is a piece of 1/2 plywood 18-5/16 wide by 9-1/2 deep, attached to the center of a top bar (19 long, 1 wide, 3/8 thick) with three 1-1/8 screws. (If you do not have a router, you can use a jigsaw instead.). Thick warm walls twice the insulation value. Thanks again for all your wonderful assistance and knowledge. Honey bees are extremely versatile and are perfectly equipped to live in a horizontal hive. Hi Terry, did you get your blocker boards? One of the things it DEFINITELY depends on is your climate. I live in a relatively mild sub-alpine climate, where we have lows of 20 (F) or -6 deg C, and highs of 104 F (or 40 deg C). The location is mountainous terrain at 4200-feet backed by ponderosa pine and Douglas-firs. Could you let me know the procedure to follow to have the plans if possible, and if not what is the price of the hive for France? To assemble, I used wood glue and 3 screws to hole the ends together. Among the many features I admire about the Valkyrie hive, I particularly like the insulation components designed into the hive & hive stand. I just picked up a Valkyrie long hive from Vivien. It ultimately comes down to your own preferences. This is a very good horizontal hive model. I thought they did not like wool? Mark the sides that will face outside. The bees travel into the stores in the winter as far as they need to. I just returned from the Olympia WA area: so far, Rusty, youre joined by Tina L., Jan H. (two Valkyries) and Marge P., each in the Olympia area or within 20 miles of it. Now lets assemble the top. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Apimaye 10 Frame Langstroth Insulated Bee Hive Set with Plastic Handy Frames at Amazon.com. In the Valkyrie Long Hive, the canvas cover (and triple layer wool blanket) help prevent heat loss from the top, and theres no upper entrance to worry about. Im VERY HAPPY to point a link to your site. There are many Valkyries in the Olympia Sound that havent reported any problems and the Valkyrie that resides on the Oregon coast in Waldport really just a few hundred feet from the shoreline are all of them doing just fine. The best part, they are super cost . And the propolis becomes gooey and strings without insulation. If not, use some construction glue to secure it to the top. Looking forward to splitting into this hive and experiencing how it goes. 1. Do drill pilot holes to prevent board from cracking. This serves as a cold-air sump area, (leaving the warmer air at the top-bars), as well as a meeting place where the girls hang out in the warmer months of summer, (Id love to know what theyre gnoshing-on about). The Apimaye Medium Insulated Super for Langstroth Beehive, while an expensive option, is the best product on the market for raising . Next the wood is cut to length, any length from 7-10 is ideal. I wonder if the Valkyrie, seated in the stand and full of bees would weigh enough to convince a honey badger to look somewhere else for a snack? $256.49. Youre welcome, Rodney, Rusty is the best! Yes. How long will a Queenless hive survive? I think the people who say the bees like to move up and wont move sideways are oversimplifying to the point of wrongness, but I think in a vertical hive, with the cluster warming the honey above them, the bees have more available warm honey in a sudden cold snap. Preventing condensation, though, is the top priority. It works the same way as a top-bar hive. Here's my take on a horizontal hive. Hopefully by next spring my husband will have built a second Long Langstroth hive and I can put the second colony in it, omit the supers and add vented gable roofs. It costs under $50 in materials and only takes a few hours to build. Capacity: Because this design consists of modular, interchangeable hive parts, you can add extra medium or shallow honey supers as the colony grows and honey production increases. Large box is 44 lbs and the small box is 34 lbs. View of the inside. Bees tend to use more frames before moving up. However, bees tend to move up before using the two extra frames in 10-frame hives because they instinctively inhabit smaller spaces, such as hollow tree trunks. Feeding can be done adding 3 or 4 frames of honey to the end farthest from the entrance. I worry more about heat than cold, although heat is probably less of a problem in a long hive. Of course, you aren't going to move a 4 foot long hive easily, and I don't plan to. Hi I am new to beekeeping taking a class actually and have yet to get bees, hives, etc but trying to do my research first. To make an inner cover for a 10-frame Langstroth beehive, follow the procedure below: Cut the pieces of wood that make the outer frame of the inner cover. Glad to address your flow hive question: it seems that the frames which are used in the flow hive are sized differently than the standard deep frame used in the Valkyrie Long Hive. I live in the Appalachian Mountains, and the beekeepers I know that have tried top bar hives and the extra deep Layens style long hives have not been too successful wintering the bees in our climate. This is the utmost reasoning that care was incorporated into the Valkyrie design. *Grind sugar in a coffee grinder to make sugar powder for dusting honey bees. Just sent you an email, also. A key benefit of the Langstroth long-hive is that it minimizes the amount of heavy liftinga feature which is great for the back! That wax or plastic foundation has a pre-determined stamped cell-size, usually worker cell. Hive placement: how to choose the best backyard spot, Surprising ways to identify a honey bee like a pro, Grow a no-till, herbicide-free bee meadow, One truth about honey: its not made from pollen grains, The truth about uncapped cells of honey & what to do. The bottom will go into this groove. Hoover Hives 10 Frame Langstroth Beehive. I understand that the Apimaye would be too expensive for the mega honey producers but it's perfect for the small beekeepers. On the bee side of the hive, the bees have a covered, closable entrance. The basic Langstroth hive is composed of seven basic parts: hive stand, bottom board, hive body (also known as the brood chamber, brood nest, brood box, and deep box/deep super), queen excluder (optional), honey super (usually a shallow box), inner cover and telescoping outer cover. 10-frame hives are shorter because they have fewer boxes, which means you will potentially be allocating less time to hive inspections and save money. I think it will be great for this crazy Texas weather, Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, choosing a selection results in a full page refresh, press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Id like to get a group together to compare notes on using the Valkyrie and trade management ideas. as the bees are building out the hive, you will want a divider to separate the open area to where the bees are. Some phoretic mites get left on the ramp and many of the sick bees will walk away, refusing to enter. They originated in Kenya where bees have a tendency to be more aggressive versus those we have in the United States and Europe. Je serais interesse comme michelle par des plans de votre superbe ruche. THANKS ever so much for your advice. Many beekeepers who fail like to blame the equipment, but I think thats nonsense. Overall size: 22 inches x 18 inches x 29-1/4 inches (ten-frame version); 22 inches x 15-3/4 inches x 29-1/4 inches (eight-frame version). Im not sure how to do it yet, but I want to set up a section where long-hive beekeepers, especially Valkyrie and Valhalla beekeepers, can compare notes. Contact us using the form on the right, or give us a call! It is highly expandable, and each box holds eight to ten frames. From Anatomy of the Honey Bee by Robert E. Snodgrass. The Langstroth hives are bigger, made from polystyrene, and seem overall to be better at keeping the bees throughout the year. Nan. *You may notice slight variations among different references. I live in Clallam County, Port Angeles. It will make a big difference and help you a lot. There are so many opinions and different configurations of equipment, it is fun to build the variations and try them out myself. Beneath the frames is a built-in slatted rack with new, tighter spacing on the ends. give the beekeeper an ease of operation which help those with arm, shoulder, or wrist problems. I like, I like !! Much to the chagrin of the developers of the Valkyrie, I did drill ventilation ports. Langstroth Hive Setup The Hive Stand The hive stand is your first step in setting up a Langstroth hive and is one of those pesky decisions you have to make. Plus, when I got to see the hives in action, I was impressed with the ease with which the hivesand the beescould be handled. Various size screws - 1 1/4 and 3 are what I used. A long hive often features a lower level with a brood box that is equal in width to two brood boxes on the top level. But thats my opinion. . The front, which sits on the portico roof, is 1" wide. PayPal wont be fully operational until just after the holiday, and Ill still need to add a pricing sheet/shipping information before the weeks end. The Most Advanced Beehive Ergo Series bee hives are our signature 10 frame hives available in the US. The wool cover stays on the canvas cover 24/7/365 and helps to avoid the temperature spikes that can be so troublesome. In this case you should rip all four walls down to 10-3/4 width in Step 2.). Long Langstroth Hive: This beehive plan builds a horizontal hive instead of a vertical one. Langstroth studied countless beehives before coming up with the classic design. The top was glued and screwed together and should be loose fitting enough to allow air to escape and to easily remove and put back on. Honey bees in my 13 long hives demonstrated that strategically placed insulation is a huge step in reducing much of their ventilating activity. The long Langstroth hive uses the same frames as standard Langstroth hives, so it's easy to switch over and finding replacement parts should not be a problem. Call Vivien directly at (541) 771-7278 for pricing and ordering. [I would be interested, like Michelle, in plans for your superb hive. Cut the strip into six landing boards 7-1/2 long. This is the hive that Jack built. Center the landing strip under the entrance and attach to the hive body with two 1-1/8 screws, one on each side of the entrance. Thanks! You know, just for show! In the 1-3/4 rim the long strips (Strip-2-Long, part c) go between the short strips (Strip-2-Short, part d). Jan H. lives on the bay in fact, just by the Capitol building so her moisture amounts will be interesting. Thank you! Home Bee Blog The Valkyrie long hive: built with love for bees and their keepers. There are many options for hive stands including metal, durable plastic, and plain old cinder blocks and plywood. . Step 1. Winter food intake increases without insulation. Repeat with the remaining two entrances. My favorite part of beekeeping continues to be woodworking. If the insulation is not wet, then it is doing its job in allowing the colony to maintain the temperature of their choosing, including high humidity that brings some moisture needed by the bees. Her hives were insulated on top with the canvas covers and folded army blankets, so no heat was escaping through the lid. Like a well-insulated home, the hive interior is protected from temperature extremes. Drape your choice of paper from the top bar of frame 16, down its face and continue across the slatted bottom toward the space of frame 24. We believe that wood has a natural beauty that should be brought out and restored, not covered or thrown away. I LIVE IN PORT ANGELES WASHINGTON 98362. There are a handful of folks here in Central Oregon who have Valkyries that house thriving colonies which have over-wintered beautifully, so thats a wonderful thing. This is a building bee hive plan for the warre or vertical top bar bee hive.