Making decorative beehives for a summer cottage. Bee hives: design, varieties, DIY production Making different types of hives

In this article we suggest you make a craft from plastic bottles in the form of a beehive. For what? In this case, the waste is not sent to a landfill, but gets its second life as decorations for the home and garden. Plastic hives will add zest to your site. And original bees, made by yourself, will only complement such a house.

Materials

Plastic bottle with a volume of 5 liters.
Willow vine.
Self-tapping screws.
Scissors.
Water-based paint.

Manufacturing

A pot-bellied 5-liter bottle is covered with a frame; you can take a round hanger for this purpose. The structure is painted with water-based emulsion.
After the paint has dried, you need to draw a notch in the middle.
The frame is strengthened in two rows using willow vines. It is braided and then twisted around the circumference of the frame.
Additionally, the roof is coated with unpainted glue.
When the tail is formed, it is secured with several turns of twine.

Making bees

To make the composition unique and unique, you can make small decorative bees from plastic. You can make bees from Kinder Surprise capsules or from rubber gloves.

Materials

Colored threads (two colors according to the color of bees, yellow and black).
Contour for drawing veins (bronze and gold).
Stencil in the form of wings.
Scissors.
Marker.
Crochet hook.
Pencil.
Screwdriver.

Manufacturing

Kinder surprise capsules are crocheted with alternating thread colors. The ends are neatly removed.
From plastic bottle The wings are cut out using a stencil. The veins should be drawn with a contour for greater realism.
Using an awl, holes are made in the workpieces, and the wings are attached using bolts; they can be placed up and down.
A small tail is made at the back, like a sting.
Make a nose and eyes from beads and buttons.
If you carefully draw the outline, the bees' wings will shine beautifully in the sun.
The last step is to make a hole in the abdomen. An unnecessary knitting needle is inserted into it. All that remains is to attach the bee to the evidence.

Ready! Choose a place in your apiary where our bees will live. Now your yard will be cozy and joyful.

How else can you make bees that fit perfectly into a hive from a plastic bottle? Check it out with us!

Do-it-yourself dacha buildings

Manufacturing of decorative hives for summer cottage

Among the elements of modern landscape design special place is given to the use of a variety of decorative hives, which can be made with your own hands or purchased ready-made.

Artificial dwellings for bee families have been adjacent to humans for many centuries and rarely cause surprise to anyone. The appearance of funny and whimsical forms of beehives as a decorative element is only becoming widespread on the territory of Russian household plots.

The main purpose of these unique decorative structures is not to accommodate families of honey bees, but rather to decorate the surrounding landscape space. The summer residents who install them are far from apiary knowledge, and their main goal is not to care for bees and consistently obtain bee products.

Most types of decorative hives fit very harmoniously into landscape and design features country garden and are able to give it an individual and pastoral look. Depending on the gardener’s imagination and budget, this type of hive can be made from various materials and using a variety of design solutions.

Hive options

Based on the main purposes, hives can be populated by bees or be an ordinary garden setting. It is possible to use both a ready-made decorative bee house and a home-made version.

Depending on the material used in construction and the history of beekeeping, two types of hives are known:

based on natural materials (clay, straw, cork and others);
based on synthetic materials(most often - polyurethane hives).

Polyurethane hives appeared in Russia relatively recently, but a number of advantages have made them quite popular and well-known.

Polyurethane hive

The main advantages of this type of decorative hive are:

variety of shapes and wide choice of colors;
completely collapsible design;
resistance to temperature changes;
design features allow you to easily change the size of the decorative bee house if necessary;
can be easily transported and moved to a new location;
environmental friendliness of the source material;

interchangeability of almost all parts;
durability and resistance to damage and adverse external influences.

These ready-made bee hives are easy to assemble and disassemble. Self-respecting manufacturers include hive drawings and assembly diagrams with the finished product.

Maintenance of such decorative structures requires minimal maintenance and consists of periodic cleaning internal surfaces. You can wash the hive with a warm soda solution. Subsequent disinfection is carried out only with drugs approved for use.

When choosing a polyurethane decorative hive, you need to ensure the quality of the source material and check for a certificate. This hive is a completely budget option and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Except ready-made options beehives, most gardeners have an excellent opportunity to make a hive with their own hands. Most often, improvised materials are used for homemade bee houses. For such a creative process, you can use completely different components or use special publications that contain a variety of drawings of hives.

How to make a hive from wood

Any decorative type of hive must not only be suitable for a bee family to live in, but also be a harmonious component of the surrounding landscape. For this purpose, you can use a wooden block, from which the core is removed using a hammer and chisel. Then a hole is made that will allow the bees to freely fly in and out of the hive. An approach board is attached under the entrance.

Various hive designs allow the use of a variety of materials as top cover. A wooden round hive with a high thatched roof looks most impressive. Using wood to make a hive is very justified. If such a hive is coated with a special varnish for the greatest decorative effect, then it will look very organic against the background of any garden plantings.

How to make a hive from improvised materials

Quite often, plastic five-liter bottles are used for decorative purposes, which can be found in almost every household. Decorative bee houses made from this material look very original and fun. In addition, such hives are not populated with live bees, which is very reasonable if there are small children or people suffering from reactions to bee stings in the house.

In addition to empty five-liter bottles for making such charming decorative houses you will need the following material:

various small plastic bottles for making bees;
a can of yellow paint or a can of yellow acrylic paint+ brush;
black electrical insulating tape;
four wash brushes;
glue for plastic;
decorative eyes and beads;

a small ball of twine;
synthetic white or colorless thread.

For more long-lasting color and impact protection ultraviolet rays small bottles need to be painted yellow several layers of paint. It is advisable to apply at least three layers of spray paint. After the paint has completely dried, stripes are made using black electrical insulating tape. The eyes and noses of future decorative bees are attached to the blanks using glue. The wings are cut out of transparent plastic bottles and attached to the bees using synthetic thread.

It is marked on a five-liter bottle and then cut out square hole. The future hive is covered with multi-layers of yellow paint. Four washcloths are fastened with twine, which are attached to the lid of the bottle as a roof.

The improvised decorative bee house is ready, and all that remains is to place it on the branches of the tree. The composition is complemented by bees, which must be placed around the decorative hive.

Beehive (video)

Any garden decorations and decorative elements have become very popular, and their prices are unreasonably high and inaccessible to most summer residents. Homemade decorative bee houses are very budget option landscape decor. They will give the garden originality and will for many years delight not only the owners, but also the guests.

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Beekeeping is a painstaking, but very interesting activity. The hive performs an indispensable attribute apiaries, but usually this is just a house for bees and there is no talk of any decorative effect. However, there are hives that will definitely decorate a house or summer cottage, while still performing their main function.

This is what a hive usually looks like - just an unsightly wooden box with honeycomb frames inside. The bees, strictly speaking, are happy, and the beekeeper doesn’t need anything more, especially since you can build and repair such a hive yourself.

Just thatched roof and a bee made by hand from a plastic bottle. The decor is minimal, but the small hive has already been transformed and began to attract the attention of guests. A good example the realization of the fantasy of the owner of the apiary, who decided to make a little more effort.

This bright hive was invented and assembled with his own hands by designer Massimiliano del Olivo. The design was called Bienenhaus (“House for bees” in German) and is now widely used in the Alps, where bees collect honey in mountain meadows. The area of each such hive is 6.5 square meters.

In general, an ordinary hive, but neat, painted in an attractive turquoise color, and even with a real roof. And the bees are warm and comfortable, and the site has become more attractive. Roof in mandatory should be removable, because the beekeeper will have to look in quite often and monitor how his pets are doing there, how much honey has already been collected.

Bright wooden houses for bees look especially attractive against the backdrop of a green lawn. One hive even received carved balconies and windows. You can sit in such an apiary for hours, watching the activities of tireless honey growers.

Of course, hives are always made of wood, a natural material that provides the bees with maximum comfort. If you are interested in wood carving, nothing will stop you from creating such attractive and functional masterpieces - carved hive towers.

It is advisable to hang such small houses for bees on fruit trees and near lush flower beds to attract insects and increase yields, such as apples, which will be actively pollinated. An unusual option, but experts insist that there are fewer and fewer bees on the planet, people should think about their comfort and help them find shelter for the night.

Beehive mill. The option is not new, but always very attractive. Homemade mini-mills are often used as decorative elements on personal plots. IN in this case They simply decided to combine beauty with a practical function, creating a small apiary.

A tall house for bees and other insects that collect and transport pollen. Such houses are assembled from scrap materials, the main thing is that there are enough holes where wild bees can settle. Of course, such structures should be installed away from recreation areas so that insects do not bother people.

You think this is just an abstract installation from natural materials, suspended on wooden wall? Meanwhile, this is a very unusual hive, designed by Urban Hedgerow and created by hand.

Hive Temple. Some will say that this is too much, why spend so much effort and wood on creating decor that the bees themselves will definitely not appreciate. But how beautiful and unusual! It is also worth noting the skill of the creator of this unusual hive.

And finally - the dream of every beekeeper. This is a modern hive equipped with a system that allows you to collect honey without removing the frame or making any effort. We are sure that it will be very pleasant to watch how day after day the jars are filled with aromatic, fresh and very healthy honey.

Beekeeping is a painstaking, but very interesting activity. The hive is an indispensable attribute of the apiary, but usually it is just a house for bees and there is no talk of any decorative effect. However, there are hives that will definitely decorate a house or summer cottage, while still performing their main function.

Just a thatched roof and a DIY bee made from a plastic bottle. The decor is minimal, but the small hive has already been transformed and began to attract the attention of guests. A clear example of the realization of the imagination of an apiary owner who decided to put in a little more effort.

In general, an ordinary hive, but neat, painted in an attractive turquoise color, and even with a real roof. And the bees are warm and comfortable, and the site has become more attractive. The roof must be removable, because the beekeeper will have to look in quite often and see how his pets are doing there, how much honey has already been collected.

It is advisable to hang such small houses for bees on fruit trees and next to lush flower beds to attract insects and increase the yield, for example, of apples, which will be actively pollinated. An unusual option, but experts insist that there are fewer and fewer bees on the planet, people should think about their comfort and help them find shelter for the night.

Beehive mill. The option is not new, but always very attractive. Homemade mini-mills are often used as decorative elements in personal plots. In this case, they simply decided to combine beauty with a practical function, creating a small apiary.

Do you think this is just an abstract installation made of natural materials, hung on a wooden wall? Meanwhile, this is a very unusual hive, designed by Urban Hedgerow and created by hand.

Beekeeping is the most important industry agriculture different countries. The importance of beekeeping is determined not only by the most valuable products obtained from the apiary, but also by the role of honey bees in cross-pollination of plants and, as a result, increasing the yield of various crops.

The work of a beekeeper is hard work, requiring year-round attention and care from the beekeeper. First of all, high-quality beehives for bees are important, which must meet certain criteria. When choosing a house, the climatic and honey collection conditions of the region are taken into account, but there are a number of conditions that any of them must meet. So, what types are there, how to assemble beehives for bees with your own hands and how to properly place them in the apiary - you will find all this in our article.

General requirements for bee houses

Regardless of the design, each bee hive (a house where one or more families live) must meet fairly stringent conditions:

dryness at any time of the year and with any amount of precipitation;
high-quality thermal insulation, due to which a comfortable temperature is maintained inside in winter;
good ventilation;
space and potential for expansion as the family grows;
relatively low mass designs;
quality of finish - wooden house, painted and puttied, lasts at least 15 years.

A bee house of any design must also meet certain dimensions:

between the wall and the side bars of the frames - at least 8 mm;
between the central parts of nearby frames - 38 mm;
frame thickness - 25 mm.

As practice shows, it is more convenient to use hives with magazine extensions in apiaries - they are lighter than nesting bodies.

Wooden parts that are used to make hives are prepared from aspen, linden or pine. Maximum humidity - 15%. There should be no cracks or fallen knots. If this is found, the holes are filled with putty.

Gaps in the houses are unacceptable - heat will escape through them and, accordingly, honey consumption will increase. To replace energy, the family will have to take in more food.

Since you need to build a hive accurately and correctly, this will allow you to combine their individual parts with each other. If we are talking about how to build a hive for bees with your own hands, then the walls of the housings are assembled from 2-3 boards using the tongue-and-groove method and additionally glued with waterproof, non-toxic glue.

The outer side is treated with drying oil and painted in 2 layers of blue, yellow or white paint. The roof is made of stainless steel sheet.

Design (components) of beehives for a bee colony

Since making a beehive for bees yourself is quite troublesome, let’s decide on its main components:

frame;
store extensions;
liner;
ceiling boards;
roof;
arrival board;
insert board (diaphragm);
nesting/magazine frames.

The magazine frame is easier to remove from the honeycombs; it is easier to print the honeycombs in them and, accordingly, pump out honey.

Frame

Externally, it is a box made of boards. Depending on the size and type of the hive, where there are more than 10 nesting frames or about 20 store frames, since they are smaller in size. The latter are secured by the shoulders on the rebate.

An entrance is made on the front side through which insects get inside. In some buildings there are 2 entrances - upper and lower, in others - one at a time, in still others (multi-hulls) there are also several, each of which serves for a specific family.

Knocked together from 3-4 boards or one flat one. Can be retractable or stationary. A protrusion is made so that the hinges for the flight can be screwed on.

Loops are used for fixation so that this board can be removed at any time. Remove it for the winter to prevent rodents from getting inside, or when moving for convenience. Bees need it for flight and landing.

Magazine extension

A ready-made sample that is needed to artificially increase a bee colony. As a rule, standard frames are smaller than nested frames, but the same in width and height. If the evidence is for the bees standard size, the store frames fully correspond to them.

Used to fix the ceiling insulation, resulting in a warm beehive. It can also be used to separate a family in order to form a layer with a fetal uterus.

Ceiling

The ceiling strapping is a block as thick as the body. The bottom of the board is 20mm. Then the reflective insulation. Then - 20mm foam

A standard part, which is assembled from individual planks or made from solid wood. The temperature inside depends on the thickness and integrity.

Roof

Beehives need protection from rain and snow, wind and debris. It can be different in shape - single- or multi-slope, sloping, acute-angled, etc.

For high-quality ventilation, ventilation holes or small slits are made in the sidewalls through which air will flow.

Used to reduce space inside the house for various purposes. So, during a sharp cold snap, you can put insulation behind such boards (polyurethane foam, moss, etc.). In a multi-body hive, the insert board is usually smaller than that of the bed and other samples.

The diaphragm shield is made from a board 45x32 cm, length - 47.2 cm, width - 2 cm. It is assembled from boards 1.4 cm thick, which are assembled by ¼.

For maximum tight fit, the ends are glued rubber seal, usually used to insulate entrance doors.

Required for the formation of honeycombs by workers. Consists of the following elements:

top and bottom strips (hangers are made on the top for fixing on the fold);
2 dividing bars.

The standard size is 43.5x30 cm. In a lounger - 30x43.5 cm, in a multi-body, on the contrary, 43.5x30 cm.

The sizes of the frames differ depending on the type of hive:

in a lounger - 30x43.5 cm;
multi-body - 43.5x23 cm.

To assemble the frames, use standard nails 3 cm Ø 1.4 mm.

Sectional frame

It is used to obtain honey in small quantities, for which it is divided into sections measuring 11x11 cm. Such sectional frames are made from wood chips 45x35x0.2 cm, after which they are placed in stores. On average, 380-400 grams of honey are removed from one section.

Types of cases

In total, the following types are distinguished:

multi-hull;
double-body for 24 frames;
single-case with two stores;
sun lounger for 20 frames;
lounger with 16 nesting frames;
bed for 16 magazine frames.

In this article we will tell you how to make beehives for 20 frames and multi-frame hives. These are the most popular types that can be found in most apiaries in Russia. Let us immediately note that the sizes of the hives are standard.

Multi-body (TP No. 808 5 1)

It consists of 4 buildings, each of which can accommodate 10 nesting frames measuring 43.5x23 cm. This is a prototype of a stationary and nomadic modern beehive.

What you will need for construction:

boards - 0.3 cubic meters;
galvanized - 2 kg;
investment steel - 0.2 kg;
galvanized mesh - 0.2 sq.m.;
nails - 1.5 kg;
galvanized nails - 0.1 kg;
screws - 10-12 pcs.;
loops for the arrival board - 10 pcs.;
wooden insert for the taphole - 4 pcs.;
holder for ventilation frames - 2 pcs.;
drying oil - 0.5 l;
whitewash - 0.3 l;
paints - 0.3 l.

The box is assembled from boards 3.5 cm thick. The internal dimensions of the house are 45x37.5x25 cm. The walls can be made of solid wood or assembled from several boards, but must be glued together with non-toxic waterproof glue to avoid cracks and holes.

For nomadic houses, folds of 1.8 x 0.5 cm are hollowed out on the walls at the top and bottom in order to insert one into the other during transportation.

Folds are hollowed out inside for attaching frames. Their dimensions are 1.1x2 cm.
On the front part, at a height of 12.5 cm, a hole Ø 2.5 cm is cut out - this is the future entrance. A bushing is immediately prepared for it, which will fit tightly, but in such a way that it can be removed without significant effort.
The length of the sides is 49.6 cm, the height is 25 cm, the length of the walls is 44.5 cm, the height is 25 cm.

To make it convenient to move the structures from place to place, you can make a recess on the top part as a hand holder.

The bottom is removable. This is a sloping shield at an angle of 23°, which goes from the back to the front. It is usually made from 2-3 boards 3.5 cm thick. Be sure to make edging at the ends, and protrusions are made on the side of the landing board, where the hinges are then screwed.
Bottom part The bottom is covered with 5x3.5 cm boards, which will prevent the bottom from rotting and the hive coming into contact with the ground.
The ceiling is put together from 5 boards, which are fixed across the top with planks. Ceiling dimensions 496x40x1 cm.
Dimensions of the roof liner outside 52x44.5 cm, from the inside - 45x37.5 cm.
The roof is made completely flat so that the hives can be assembled during transportation. They are tied with 10.5 x 2.4 cm boards, joined using the tongue-and-groove method and additionally fixed with non-toxic waterproof glue.
The dimensions of the frames are 43.5x23 cm with stationary slats.

The parameters of the top bar are 47x2.5x2 cm.
Side bar - 22x1 cm.
Bottom bar 41.5x2x1 cm.

The ventilation frame is used to transport insects or to isolate them during the period of house treatment and prevention.

side bar length - 47 cm;
walls - 37.5 cm;
thickness - 2 cm.

They are attached to the vent frame metal mesh with holes up to 3 mm.

All wooden parts smoothly planed and protected with fine sandpaper. The dimensions of the hives are strictly observed.

As the experience of beekeepers shows, such a construction is not very complicated and at the same time, it is the most convenient design. First, it helps strengthen the family and increase productivity. Secondly, it allows you to combine cases with each other. Thirdly, such convenient boxes are easier to transport and carry, including in stationary apiaries to and from the winter hut.

VIDEO: How to make a multi-body hive with your own hands

How to make a beehive with 20 frames

Drawings of these varieties are made according to standard project 179 60. The convenience lies in the fact that you can keep 2 families at once - provided that the housing is divided into two independent compartments and each is equipped with its own entrance.

The maximum benefit can be seen in winter - 2 families, although separated by a bar, spend less energy and feed in total. In such evidence it is always warmer than in multi-hulled ones, even for several bee colonies.

What you will need:

boards - 0.2 cubic meters;
galvanized sheet - 3 kg;
galvanized mesh with a mesh size of 3 mm - 015 sq.m;
round washers - 0.02 kg;
screws - 0.2 kg;
nails - 0.25 kg;
galvanized roofing nails - 0.1 kg;
staples - 2 pcs.;
metal clamps - 2 pcs.;
inserts for the arrival board - 4 pcs.;
drying oil - 0.5 l;
whitewash - 0.3 l;
paints - 0.3 l.
crushed chalk - 0.4 kg.

The main difference between the Ukrainian model and the Belarusian and Russian is the insulation of the front and rear walls.

The body is knocked together from boards. Dimensions finished box on the outside 83x44x60 cm. The thickness of the outer walls is 1.5 cm, the inner ones are 2.5 cm. The length of the walls is 83 cm.
The sidewalls are assembled from 5 planks, a shell-shaped hole is made on top for the pressure board, and at the bottom for inserting the bottom. Wall size 42x3.5 cm.
Make 2 lower tapholes 20x1.2 cm - one on the front part, the other on the side. The top two are also made, but with different dimensions - 10x1.2 cm. Be sure to maintain an equal distance from the bottom of 34 cm, and from the edge - 16 cm.
The landing board is attached to the bottom with loops.
The bottom is made from 3 planks. Be sure to provide a clamping bar with which to secure the frames during transportation of the apiary.
The frames are made high, but narrower than the standard - 30x43.5 cm.

VIDEO: The most detailed description sun lounger for 20 frames

It is important to understand not only how to make hives for future families. But also how to properly place them in the apiary, so as not to lose them in the first year.

The ideal place for an apiary is moderately sunny, moderately shaded. Honey plants nearby

The location is chosen depending on the conditions and terrain. If you put them on open area, then at noon the workers stop working, everyone leaves the house and hides in the shade under the landing board or even crawls under it.

For hives located in unshaded areas, the swarming rate is more than 70%. And productivity is 45% lower.

The direct consequences are very severe sun rays during transportation - the next shock on a road bump leads to the fact that the softened, newly built honeycombs break off. This leads to the death of not only the workers, but also the brood, and in some cases the queen may also die.

There are certain requirements for setting up hives in an apiary:

The hives are placed “facing” south. This will provide excellent lighting during daylight hours, and the back wall facing north will protect the family from strong gusts of wind.
It is advisable to grow behind the houses large shrubs or trees to serve as an additional barrier to the winds.
Even before you make a hive for bees yourself, make sure that there is a source of water in the place where they will stand. But even if it is not there, the problem can be solved through collective or individual drinkers.

There must be a source of water nearby - it is no less important for a bee than for a person

Do not allow direct contact sunlight on the roof and the house itself, but you shouldn’t shade it too much. This arrangement will limit ventilation and artificially increase the length of the day for bees - they will fly out earlier and return later. This will accelerate their wear and lead to earlier death.
The location for the apiary is chosen so that honey plants grow nearby. This will enable workers to prepare food faster. The maximum distance should not exceed 1.8-2 km.
It is necessary to make hives in such a way that it is possible to insulate them for the winter using moss or polyurethane foam.

When insulating, avoid direct contact of insects with polyurethane foam. To do this, it is lined with canvas.

All the grass is pulled out in front of houses that have already been exhibited and those that are just being exhibited - the beekeeper should have the opportunity to control the type and quality of garbage thrown out daily by minke whales. On the one hand, the quality of the garbage will show the condition of the family. On the other hand, the absence of grass will make it possible to notice the prolapsed uterus in time - this happens quite often.
Attach planks to the landing boards - this will allow loaded bees to get into the house faster. This device is especially important during windy times.

So, we told you how to make a hive for bees yourself, what materials are needed for this and how to properly install houses in the apiary. If you have any questions or want to clarify some nuances, ask questions in the comments - our specialists will be happy to help you!

VIDEO: Moving an apiary, fastening hives, transporting bees