How to make an alpine hive with your own hands

Any hive should create optimal conditions for the bees to live and increase productivity. This task copes alpine hive. In this article, you will learn what the “Alpine” is, and you will also find step-by-step instructions with a photo on how to make it yourself.

What is the alpine hive

The alpine hive was first proposed in 1945 by the French beekeeper Roger Delon. The prototype for it was a hollow tree. For the habitat of bees in the "Alpine" created maximum natural habitat, which helps to increase the productivity of honey and contributes to the intensive development of bee colonies.

Vladimir Khomich, a beekeeper with great experience, who has been keeping around 200 bee colonies for many years, has offered a modernized version of the alpine hive.

Design features

Alpie, or Roger Delon’s hive, is a hive into which a beekeeper himself can substitute several buildings, and there is also no dividing grid and vent in it. The feeder is located in the ceiling of the hive and is a kind of air cushion that protects it from the formation of condensate, which is typical of other models.

Gas exchange in it occurs through the entrance area due to the fact that warm air rises, and carbon dioxide goes down. Outwardly, it resembles four body hives, but it also has significant differences. Thanks to the thick insulator cover, which is 3 cm thick, insects are perfectly protected from temperature differences.

The picture shows the construction of the Alpine hive and the arrows show air circulation. The size of the alpine hive depends on the number of buildings you add. Its height can reach 1.5-2 m.

Required materials and tools

Before you start building the hive, you need to advance prepare such materials:

1. Polished pine boards.
2. Bars pine or fir.
3. Antiseptic for impregnating boards.
4. Sheets DVP or plywood.
5. Glue.
6. Nails or screws.
7. Screwdriver.
8. Hammer.
9. Circular

Manufacturing process

The manufacturing process is simple. Let's step by step let's figure out how to make an alpine hive with your own hands.

Stand making

The stand is not part of the hive, but it is it that provides it with stability. Stands for hives are made from building blocks. Expose them clearly on the level. It is necessary to put hives so that the tap-holes are turned to the south-east. Also for the summer beehives can be put on a stand of paving slabs. Putting an alpine hive on the ground is strictly prohibited.

Making the bottom

For the manufacture of the bottom of the hive, we cut the previously prepared boards for the front and rear walls with a length of 350 mm. We take one harvested board and make a notch with a depth of 11 mm and a width of 25 mm on both sides. We make such a cut on all the blanks of the front and rear walls, so that later they ideally dock with the sides.

For the manufacture of the bottom we take one piece, harvested under the front or rear wall, and one harvested under the sides. Bottom height - 50 mm. We cut our blanks 50 mm wide on the circular. The obtained parts are suitable for tying the bottom.

In the blanks you need to cut a quarter: leave 20 mm of the subframe space, and cut the rest. On the wall of the binding of the bottom we make the entrance. To do this, drill a drill two holes with a diameter of 8 mm and cut it with a circular on both sides.

Proceed to the assembly strapping bottom. Assembly can be done with the help of a square or conductor. Expose the binding of the bottom, dub the tops and twist self-tapping screws. Under the entrance hall fix the arrival plate. We collect a quarter bottom flap and fasten it with screws. Bottom bottom fasten runners to lift it above the stand.Our bottom is ready.

Body manufacturing

For the manufacture of the body of the hive we take the same blanks as for the bottom. They make a cutout quarters under the hanger frame size 11 × 11 mm. For the front and rear wall of the hive, choose the cleanest board without knots.

Front and back need to mill the grooves under the fingers, so that the hive can be conveniently taken by hand. When everything is ready, proceed to the assembly of the case. We assemble the hull on the same principle as the bottom strapping, twisting it with self-tapping screws.

Making the liner

After the manufacture of the body proceed to the manufacture of the liner. Take the previously harvested planks 10 mm thick and blanks that were used to tie the bottom.

By the same principle as in the bottom, we collect the liner of the liner, then take the shield in a quarter. Cut a round hole with a diameter of 90 mm under the feeder jar. Next, this opening is closed with a 2.5 × 2.5 mm stainless mesh, which is fixed to the bottom with a stapler. Our liner is ready.

Cover making

The hive cap should be loosely attached to the liner.From the bottom of the cover there is a milled quarter, on which the liner rests. Otherwise, it is made in the same way as the liner, but the bunch of the corner will look a little different. We make the connecting quarter 15 × 25 mm, the shoulder remains 10 mm. Build on the same principle.

Making frames

Let's start, finally, the manufacture of the main part of the hive - a framework for honeycombs. Frames made from lime on the thorns without nails and screws. The sides are fastened to the bottom of the frame with spikes and hammered into the upper bar. The upper plank is wider than the lower one, as it clings to the recesses in the hive. Everything is going to glue the PVA. In order to make such a framework, you will have to be patient because this is a very laborious process.

The content of bees in the hive

It is necessary to colonize bees by individual families, using an artificial single piece. Families in the Alpine hive are developing well, so they need to be inspected once a week, but at least.In families, it is necessary to make cuttings in time so that the bees do not swarm.

Bees should spend the winter in two buildings, and since it is warmer in the upper tier, the uterus starts laying eggs there and only then moves to the lower tier. Depending on the filling of the hive, the new building is added counter, i.e. it is inserted between the upper and the second, and the lower bodies are swapped.

Before hibernation, after honey is pumped out, three shells are left: the bottom one with perga, the middle one with brood seed, the top one with honey frames, and the bees begin to be fed sugar sugar. After the consumption of perga, the lower hull is removed, and two hulls remain for the winter. It is possible to keep bees in the apiary until the five buildings are filled, and after the process is over, honey can be pumped out.

So, we figured out what is the "Alpiets". It is easy to use, easy to manufacture and relatively cheap. It has a compact size and is easy to transport.Also an important feature of the Alpine hive is that it does not require special insulation in the winter. Simply wrap it with film.