- Tuesday, 09 May 2017
Having your own honey bee hive isn’t as difficult as it sounds. You can make one yourself in a short time that takes up very little space. In return, you can attract bees who will pollinate your garden and surrounding green spaces. Bees will travel up to seven miles to forage and give you pure honey in return;
DIY Mason Jar Honey Bee Hive :
Materials needed:16″ X 20″ rectangle of thick plywood - Two 2” X 12” X 22” pieces of wood (sides of beehive) - Two 2″ X 12″ X 18” pieces of wood (front and back of hive) - Two 1″ X 1″ X 22” pieces of wood (sides of top frame) - Two 1″ X 1″ X 18” pieces of wood (front and back of top frame) - Bottom beehive kit (you can order one online from many sources) - 12 big mouth quart canning jars (for honeycomb) - 1 box of 1” wood screws - 1 can of wood stain (optional) - Bees.
Directions: Measure and mark 12 evenly-spaced 3 ½” holes in the 16” X 20” plywood.
Use a hole saw to drill the holes for best results. Try drilling one hole first, then test the opening with one of the mason jars to make sure it fits snugly. You want the bees to enter and exit through the base of the hive so there’s no mess on the top to attract ants. You may have to insert shims to make sure jars will remain solidly in place; they’ll get quite heavy when full of bees, combs, and honey!
Place the plywood piece with the holes on top of the bottom beehive kit. Screw together the front, side, and back panels of the hive around the pre-made kit.
Stain the wood, if desired. (Check with the retailer for the best stain for bees that doesn’t include anything harmful.)
After the stain is completely dry, sanitize the jars, allow to dry, and insert upside down into the holes on top of the hive. You may place starter strips or empty combs into the jar(s) to give the bees a head start. Place the hive out of direct sunlight and release the bees into the hive.
It’s interesting and amazing to watch the bees work. Watch the video below to see what you can expect from these remarkable creatures once you set up a honey bee hive.
Translate - Traduire
