Log beekeeping

What is log beekeeping? This concept appeared a long time ago, when the board was replaced with decks, but hives had not yet been invented. Such a house is closer to the natural dwelling of bees, because in it they can organize their nest in the way they need, and not in the way the beekeeper wants. The hive deck allows the bees to make their own combs, making their honey more aromatic and tasty.

Nowadays, bee breeding is a rather laborious occupation, especially during the period of active honey collection. Then the time comes when the workers need to be treated, and the hives must be prepared for wintering. Whereas log beekeeping for beginners practically does not require human intervention. All that is needed for this is to build a log and populate a bee colony in it. And only in autumn the time comes when you need to take honey.

How to make a deck for bees with your own hands: drawings

A bee deck is made quite simply, for this you need to have the necessary tools and devices.

Beekeeping in logs came from ancient times, earlier it was called board beekeeping. And it all started with the fact that people came up with the idea of ​​hollowing out sides (hollows) in tree trunks, thereby creating a natural habitat for bees.

Making a deck for bees with your own hands is very simple

Hollows were hollowed rather high, because the natural dwellings of wild honey plants are located at an altitude of about 3-4 m from the roots of trees. And continuing to fight for bees is only half the work, you need to create all the necessary conditions for settling. Usually, it took almost 24 months to fully provide comfort for insects.

And a little later, they began to gouge the sides in the trunks of hollow trees, thereby increasing the apiary. To do this, it was necessary to cut the tree trunk into 2 parts, hollow out the hollows and connect again. It was this type of activity that was called beekeeping.

Making a deck

How to build a log deck and how to lubricate it so that bees settle in it? The first step is to prepare the necessary tools and materials:

• a hardwood log, the diameter of which must be at least 90 cm, for which birch is perfect;
• cuts of trees 6 cm thick in the amount of 2 pieces;
• a piece of cotton fabric;
• large chisel;
• saw an electric or gasoline;
• nails;
• loops.

Dimensions and Drawings

Before starting construction, you need to make a drawing of the future hive, on which you indicate the exact dimensions of the structure. It is painstaking to draw, since you need to very accurately calculate all the necessary dimensions.

Instructions for the production of bee houses:

1. Using a cutter, circles are cut from the ends of the log, retreating a few centimeters from the edge of the log. This notch will serve as a guide for cutting the core of the trunk.
2. Use a chainsaw to cut the wood and remove it with a chisel. You should get a hollow with a diameter of about 6 cm.
3. To give the hole a smoothness, it must be processed with coarse sandpaper.
4. Close the upper and lower holes with prepared cuts. Moreover, the upper saw cut must be nailed, and the lower one must be attached with loops. This is necessary so that you can subsequently climb into the hollow. It is better to immediately upholster the lids with a cloth, since bees can build combs right on it.
5. Using a drill, drill a tap hole, the diameter of which should be about 9 mm.
6. If one whole 1.5-meter log was not found, then several pieces are fastened with self-tapping screws.
7. The inner walls of the log should be thoroughly lubricated with propolis, this will attract bees, thereby populating the hive.
8. They fasten the hive to the tree with ropes or insert it into the spears between thick branches.

Benefits of beekeeping in decks

Keeping bees in log nests has some differences, the main of which is their complete independence. As soon as insects settle in the hive, they begin to equip it. Device diagrams can be very diverse. The hole for the passage into the log is coated with propolis, leaving only a small entrance.

Bees build honeycombs in nests that are close to each other, the distance between which does not exceed 3 cm.

A log apiary requires attention only 2 times a year

A log apiary requires attention only 2 times a year: in the fall to collect honey, and in the spring to clean the bee house.

Such keeping of bees has a huge number of advantages:

• due to living conditions that are as close as possible to natural, bee colonies are less likely to get sick;
• in such hives, bees themselves create honeycombs, and most often their sizes exceed artificial ones;
• the number of bees in a deck is much higher than in a regular hive;
• caring for such an apiary takes very little time;
• due to the fact that this type of beekeeping is the least dangerous, even the most inexperienced beekeepers can do it.

Bortevoy beekeeping

Bort is a bee dwelling in the form of a hollow. To create honeycombs in a hollow, you need to fix two crossed perches. And to make it more convenient to collect honey, it is recommended to make special holes in which to insert sticks. Usually the dimensions of the board are 1 m long and 50 cm wide.

To fight

Each tree can contain from 1 to 3 nests, and such a neighborhood is absolutely not harmful to the trees. The height at which the lowest hollow is located should not be less than 4.5 m. By the way, according to experienced beekeepers, the honey collected from the upper hives is the most delicious and aromatic. There were cases when the boards were located at a height of 15 m.

What is beekeeping

Borting is an old form of bee breeding, which involves the settlement of bees not in ordinary hives, but in hollows. It is known from Dahl's dictionary that bee-keeping means to be engaged in forest bee breeding.

Unfortunately, at present this type of beekeeping has practically disappeared. Still, there is a place in Russia where people are still engaged in beekeeping. And it is located in the Bashkir town of Shulgan-Tash. This reserve is the pride of the country, as only there the traditions of their ancestors are still sacredly honored.

Bortnichestvo

Everything related to the work of the beekeeper was strictly kept secret and was passed on only by inheritance. People who did not know all the intricacies of the profession, sincerely considered it very dangerous and mysterious, and people who were engaged in this type of activity - sorcerers or werewolves.

Indeed, bee-keeping is one of the most mysterious spheres of activity. Indeed, if the beekeeper is bitten 100 times, then he can be fatal. And forest bees are much larger than all the others. Each side can live up to 20 thousand insects at the same time. That is why people involved in this profession must have special skills and knowledge about bees, as well as have experience. A bortnik must be a physically hardy person, because to collect honey, you need to climb to a great height.

Differences of onboard honey

Honey from forest bees is a unique delicacy.Its differences are considered purity and a huge amount of useful substances in the composition, which is why it is so fond of using it in alternative medicine. Since its composition is a storehouse of nutrients and useful substances, it perfectly strengthens the immune system and treats many diseases.

A log apiary is the best option for beginners

For a log hive, a family of bees can be grown independently, but it is best to buy a ready-made bee package.

The finished deck must be installed on a special stand, while maintaining an angle of inclination of 30 °. It has been proven by many years of experience that this arrangement of the hives promotes excellent ventilation and also makes it easier to collect the honey from the top. But if the angle of inclination is slightly increased, then this will significantly complicate the approach to the house. There are also certain rules regarding the height at which the deck should be located - 65-70 cm from the ground. This will help protect the bee housing from rainfall and improve access to it.

Log apiary

It is necessary to arrange the hives so that they are not exposed to the midday sun, but are in a sunny place, and the entrance should be on the south side. If possible, then the deck should be installed in the attic or attic. This height is the most optimal for bees in their natural habitat.

Despite the fact that log beekeeping is quite a safe occupation, when collecting honey, you need to be dressed in a special suit - a smoker. It is also recommended to choose the right time for honey collection. This is best done when most of the bees have left for their business.

So, easy and simple, you can become a beekeeper overnight. The main thing is that there is a desire to learn something new and opportunities!