As you know, in nature, bees prefer to live in hollows and crevices of trees. Experienced beekeepers try to recreate conditions in the apiary that are as close to natural as possible. Therefore, they contain insects not only in hives, but also in decks. This method of keeping bees is called deck beekeeping.

What is deck beekeeping

This type of beekeeping originated in ancient times. In order not to have to look for honey in the boards on the trees, people replaced them with logs. It is the deck that is a home for bees, in which insects can build their nest as they want, and not as the beekeeper programs them. In such natural "houses" and honey turns out to be tastier and richer.

Modern apiary requires constant attention of the beekeeper. In addition, you have to devote a lot of time to her during the honey collection period, which is very long. Breeding bees in decks is good because it implies minimal interference in the life of bees. Therefore, a bee apiary is perfect for beginner amateur beekeepers, since they do not have to participate in any way in the life of a bee colony. The only thing that needs to be done is to collect honey.

Features of keeping bees in decks

In decks, insects build honeycombs quite close to each other. Between them there is only 1-2 cm space.

You will have to take care of your apiary only twice a year: in the autumn when collecting honey and after winter, while cleaning the hive and checking the family. At this time, you can see black honeycombs, which differ from the rest in their small size. Such combs must be removed, as they are much smaller in size and new young individuals in such combs become smaller and develop poorly.

Wrestling and deck content are very similar to each other and have many advantages:

1. Bee families living in such conditions are healthier.
2. Insects themselves determine the size of honeycombs and often it is larger than artificial ones.
3. There can be many more bees in a deck than in a hive.
4. This type of beekeeping is much more economical in terms of financial costs.
5. Maintenance of such bee houses is reduced to a minimum.
6. Due to the fact that deck beekeeping is quite safe, it is great for beginner beekeepers.

Hive deck device

The hive deck is frameless, it resembles in its appearance a part of a tree trunk with a hollowed out middle. A plug is installed at the end of the upper body, a hole is drilled on the side for the entry and exit of bees, and a lid is attached below.

Previously, for the manufacture of such a hive, they took a single piece of wood - 1.5-2 meters of a tree trunk, hollowed out the middle and equipped a house for bees. Now, for convenience, the trunk is sawn into segments, and then assembled into a single structure.

In order for insects to fall in love with such a hive and beekeeping in decks brings the maximum result, when making such a hive, you need to remember some conditions:

1. Large trunk circumference. This is due to the fact that the inner diameter of the free space should be from 22 cm, and the wall thickness should be at least 6-7 cm.
2. The tree for the hive-deck must be hardwood. Poplar, oak, birch, linden, alder are perfect.
3. To prevent mold and mildew from growing inside the deck, the wood must be completely dry.

Today it is difficult to find such a tree in the forest, so some beekeepers gather decks from boards - the so-called Shapkin's hive. The shape of such a hive can be not only round, but also square. From the inside, it is better to upholster it with a triangular cross-section rail, so that the internal space resembles a circle. The insect deck must be at least 120 cm high.

Installing the deck

There are several basic rules for installing such a house for bees:

• If there are a lot of hives, then they are placed on stands. If you have few houses, try to find a place for them in the forks of tree branches. In any case, it is necessary to fix the house for bees at an angle of about 30 degrees to the ground. This is the optimal location, which provides good ventilation in the hive. If the angle of inclination is greater, then the maintenance of the hive will become difficult.
• The minimum distance from the ground at which the side should be is 70 cm. This height provides a convenient approach and protects the lower body from snow falling into the hive in winter.
• The hive should stand in a sunny place, with an entrance to the south.
• The deck should not be under the exhausting rays of the sun or in the rain. For protection, it is better to make a canopy.
• You can not put the hive in a draft or in dampness, since such conditions are not favorable for the development of a bee colony.
• Do not place a house for bees near rooms that exude strong odors: a barn, a summer kitchen, a poultry house. Bees have a good sense of smell and they will not like such a neighborhood. They may leave the hives.
• It is not worth rearranging such a bee house, since the honeycombs in it are weakly fixed and carrying can lead to their breakage.

Preparing a hive deck and settling bees

In order to properly prepare the deck for the reception of bees, as well as for the comfortable maintenance of the family, you should know some subtleties:

• If you have made a board, but you are not sure that the wood is completely dry, leave the hive until next year. If possible, this year put a family of hornets or wasps in it. By winter, live insects will no longer be there, so in early spring their combs can be crushed and poured onto the bottom of the hive. These smells will make it easier to attract a bee swarm if the beekeeper decides to catch it. In order to prevent further entry of hornets into the hive, the notch must be reduced to 8 mm so that only a bee could fly in.
• If the deck hibernated without bees, before installing it in the apiary, it should be cleaned of dirt, dust, and other debris that has fallen. The inner walls of the house are scraped off, and to remove the unpleasant odor they are rubbed with plants such as lemon balm or mint.
• In the case when the swarm settles in the hive on its own, it can not be touched for several days. Otherwise, insects can simply be scared.
• Whether the insects liked the logs or not, it will be possible to say in the summer. If a bee, flying out of the hive, immediately goes to the field and takes a good bribe, then everything is fine. If, after the bees have flown out of the deck, they fuss and move chaotically, they don’t like something.
• In cases where the swarm is populated by hand, insects from the bee package are transferred to a new house with a wooden ladle. At the same time, it is better not to use a smoker or to reduce its use to a minimum.
• The uterus sits down in a cage on a long wooden stick. The next day, she must go out herself, if this does not happen, she is released.
• It is permissible to start pumping honey only a year after the bees settle in the well apiary.

As you can see, keeping bees in decks does not require special skills and knowledge. It is enough to love these insects and follow some rules. Enthusiastic beginner beekeepers achieve significant results when collecting honey from logs in their apiaries.

Video

The hive deck is a stationary hive that does not require regular maintenance by the beekeeper. is not an innovation, it is a long-practiced method that does not differ in high labor costs. But the hive - the Combi deck is a more modern structure, which is based on the centuries-old practice of classical and modern methods of beekeeping.

In a hollow hive, there is no need to replace, collect and build up frames, rearrange the bodies, and regular maintenance, which is especially important for beginner beekeepers. All you have to do in deck hives is to periodically remove some of the combs and thus force the bees to build new combs instead of swarming.

Design

The hollow hive is frameless and most often looks like a part of a linden trunk, in which the core is hollowed out. From above, this structure is closed with a special lid, and a hole is drilled on the side for the entry and exit of bees. This deck is placed on pegs, 20 centimeters high above the ground. It is good if there is a canopy from the sun over such a hive, but for the winter it needs to be insulated. When settling bees, you just need to put a swarm in the deck, put a piece of wax and provide the required amount around.

To extract honey, open the lid at the end of the deck, break off the hanging honeycombs and then pump out the honey. There are no frames inside, so the bees build honeycombs the way they want. A hollow deck hive cannot be combined with traditional hive types. It looks like a natural hollow, in which there are crosses for convenient work with comb honey.

What is known from history?

Russian beekeeping began with deck beekeeping, and it is the most gentle in relation to these beneficial insects. Bees exist in almost the same conditions as in the wild. With the development of mass beekeeping, bees migrated from the wild, where they existed in a hollow, to human habitats. For comfortable keeping of insects, special frameless decks were built.

The appearance of modern decks is not much different from the old one, with the exception of some details. They were made from a thick stump of ridge, the length of which reached one and a half meters. The insides of this ridge were hollowed out, and a hole was made on the side, which was closed up with dues, leaving holes for the entrances. The sampling of honey and examination of the bees was carried out through the manhole.

The top of the deck was called the “head”, and the bottom of it was called the “fifth”. Crosses were attached to the “head” from the inside so that the bees built honeycombs on them. The deck was covered from above with birch bark or straw. A swarm of bees was placed in it, and in the summer, honeycombs filled with honey were broken out of the “heel”.

In different parts of the country, various decks were made, which differed in weight, design and position relative to the surface of the earth: horizontal or vertical.

One of the most popular Russian beekeepers who advocated contactless beekeeping was V.F. Shapkin. It is known that in 1990 he studied the experience of the ancient, and then created his own hive design called USh-2. Later, he successfully improved the hive and, at the same time, completely abandoned the use of a smoker and other attributes of beekeeping. He also refused drugs.

Deck beekeeping is a technology used by our ancestors. It is based on the principles of a non-contact method of obtaining honey. Depending on the goals and experience, the bee house can be either an inclined deck or made like an old board. Anyone who has the desire and initial construction experience can make a deck house with their own hands. Natural and healing honey will be a reward for your efforts.

The breeding of bees in logs or tree trunks has historical roots. The use of parts of felled trees for the domestication of wild bees dates back to the time of Peter I - the era of mass deforestation for shipbuilding. From the remains of the trunks, people made decks and installed them near their homes.

Kolodnoe beekeeping has replaced beekeeping. The only difference was that the boards, the first of which were non-separable, made from a natural hollow, were hung out in the forest on a tree, while the decks were installed directly near the village.

Subsequently, this method lost its relevance and for the industrial production of honey, frame hives began to be used, which are convenient for taking the product.

The return to forgotten traditions is due to environmental trends both in agriculture in general and in beekeeping. Therefore, the deck method of obtaining honey has become popular again.

Types of modern decks

Modern deck beekeeping uses several types of decks to keep bees and produce honey:

1. 1. Vertical, board type. The base consists of a round section of a large diameter log with a selected core and access to the inside for harvesting.
2. 2. Inclined frameless deck chairs. They are carried out either according to the type of boards made of round timber, or in a carpentry way from boards. The cross section can be either round or square.
3. 3. Frame hive decks. A well-thought-out combination of the advantages of deck and frame methods of arranging bee houses allows you to get more natural honey using contactless technology.

It is necessary to choose the type of deck based on personal practical experience in beekeeping, as well as depending on the goals and objectives that are planned to be solved through the arrangement of a personal apiary.

Vertical decks mimic the life of insects in the wild. Removable panel allows you to select honey without disturbing the bee colony

Comparison of beekeeping technologies

The table shows the main fundamental differences in the arrangement of the apiary with standard hives and frameless decks.

Using the contactless method of deck beekeeping allows anyone to equip a personal apiary without restrictions. A woman, teenager, or retired person can easily handle bee breeding and organic honey in stacks.

DIY construction

Thinking over a personal apiary, you need to take into account that the construction of decks is carried out a year before they are settled by bees.

To do the work with your own hands you need a little:

• determine the desired type of deck and familiarize yourself with the drawings;
• pick up a set of joinery and carpentry tools;
• prepare the required material: processed boards or a piece of round wood.

Compliance with the instructions for execution will allow you to make the first deck quickly and efficiently.

Inclined lounger

This type of deck is ideal for beginner beekeepers. The following materials will be required for construction:

1. 1. Wooden elements:
   1. frame, crate - slats 20 x 40, pine;
   2. 2. inner lining - lining and plinth, alder;
   3. 3. outer skin - lining, pine;
   4. 4. stand - bars 40 x 50, pine.
2. Thermal insulation - insulation "Ecowool".
3. Waterproofing in a roll for external works.
4. Roofing - roofing felt, ondulin, profile.
5. Fasteners - self-tapping screws for wood, roofing, finishing nails.

The deck is set at an angle of 30 degrees, which allows the bees to use more space for building combs.

Materials for sheathing and insulation, you can use any of the available. But in order to make honey natural, it is also recommended to use natural ingredients in construction.

The dimensions of the deck-bed take into account the free placement and reproduction of bees for 3-5 years

Construction procedure:

1. 1. The slats of the frame are fastened and a notch is arranged.
2. 2. The inner surface, its long edges, are sewn up with clapboard, skirting boards are installed.
3. 3. From the outside, insulation is laid and tightened with waterproofing.
4. 4. Finishing with clapboard on the outside is carried out only on three faces, excluding the roof and ends.
5. 5. A well-fitted removable door is made for the lower end, the principle is the same: frame, insulation, lining.
6. 6. Lathing slats are sewn horizontally on the roofing long side and the upper end, taking into account the overhang of 10–15 cm, and its value from the notch side should be 10–15 cm larger, and covered with roofing material.
7. 7. The finished deck is placed on a stand and fixed.

It is desirable to populate the house for the next season, but it is better to install the product immediately in a permanent place. There are times when a swarm chooses a new deck and sets up its nest without an additional invitation.

Vertical board

Building a deck from a tree trunk will suit a carpenter with experience, since it takes practice with a chainsaw, ax and adze to carefully select the core of a tree. But this is the only difficulty in the whole production.

For the manufacture of a vertical side, a solid saw cut of a tree with a diameter of at least 60 cm is required.

Of the materials you will need a ridge of hardwood, preferably fresh or dried, but not rotten, and two dry boards 200 x 40 for the due, this is the name of the removable side panel.

The practical experience of beekeepers shows that the best wood species for decks are: willow, ash, linden, poplar, maple, birch. Softwood is used only as a last resort.

When sampling the middle of the log, it is important to observe the slopes of the cut: the lower one for the outflow of water, the upper one for keeping warm in winter

1. 1. On the prepared log, a due is marked through which the core will be sampled.
2. 2. With the help of a chainsaw, successive neat cuts are made in compliance with the required depth and shape of the internal space.

Hive - a deck is a stationary hive that does not require mandatory regular maintenance by the beekeeper. Keeping a bee family in a deck is not an innovation; it is a well-known way of easy beekeeping. But the hive - the Combi deck is a completely modern device, based on many years of practice in the classical maintenance of bee colonies and modern approaches to beekeeping.

A deck for keeping bees does not require such labor costs as a standard frame hive. Due to the fact that in a deck hive there is no need to change, assemble and build up frames, rearrange the hulls, and perform regular maintenance, its maintenance becomes easy for an amateur beekeeper. The entire maintenance of the deck consists in periodically removing part of the combs from the deck to stimulate the bees to build new combs. This is done in order to prevent the bees from going into a swarm state. This does not require the intervention of the beekeeper in the life of the bees.

Stack beekeeping can hardly be called an innovative approach to keeping bees. But many hobbyists are returning to this method due to the ease of maintenance of such hives.

Beekeeping is not available to everyone. There are categories of people for whom it is quite difficult to carry out full-fledged care for a bee apiary. These are elderly people or children, disabled people, women or people working at their main job far from the apiary.

Simplicity of arrangement

A beehive in the form of a deck is the best option for a beginner beekeeper. The modern development of this type of combi hives can be purchased at a specialized store. But there are ways to make it yourself. To do this, you will need to slightly modify the classic hive. The hive bodies of Dadan Blatt are best suited for creating a deck hive, in which the internal space of the hive is larger and most conveniently arranged. We advise you to immediately find or buy a Dadan hive with a bee colony, and then remake it like a deck hive.

Thus, you will need a frame nested bottom and body, a reinforcing pad and lap, a lid, a liner and a low frame body. Additionally, purchase two nest boxes, from which you will make a deck, then placing it between the bottom of the hive and the box. The resulting design is a hive - a deck.

Keep in mind that if the colony of bees is old, then most likely they will begin to swarm. To prevent this, you need to expand the nest and improve the ventilation process by placing an additional magazine housing. Already in the first season you will get delicious honey. And in the next years, you will have high-quality natural honey from the well part of the hive.

Convenience for beekeepers

Deck beekeeping is very convenient for beginner beekeepers and amateur beekeepers, limited by time and space. Hives - decks will not create unnecessary problems with their content. The frequency of visits to the hive by the beekeeper is almost once per season, when you need to get honey from the deck. With such a content, bees are not disturbed, they do not sting people, thereby ensuring the safety of loved ones.

Such hives - decks can be installed even in small summer cottages, where neighbors are located quite close to you. Therefore, deck beekeeping is becoming more and more popular in the dacha version.

An important advantage of a deck hive for a beginner beekeeper is relative safety. After all, the first contacts with bees cause fear in a person, he is nervous, twitching. The bees react accordingly, they get angry, they can sting. The classic versions of the hives need to be regularly maintained: change the body, put up new frames, monitor the scarring of the queen bee and the development of the bees.

A deck hive does not involve regular worries, only once a year the beekeeper takes honey from it for his own use. And honey is taken only from the well part, the beekeeper does not touch the nest, thereby not disturbing the bees.

So, making a combi hive yourself is quite simple. Buy only the Economy deck, unifying it under the Dadan hive. Install the Economy deck to the bottom of the Dadan hive in such a way that the notch is behind the body wall. Install a protective mesh on the notch, which will act as a ventilation hole. Then install the bodies of the Dadan hive with the bee colony on the frame on the structure and cover with a lid. Parts of the structure from different hives will be interchangeable with you, and at any time, if necessary, you can repair or reconstruct.

5 facts in favor of beekeeping at their summer cottage

1. A noticeable increase in the yield of fruit-bearing trees (apple, pear, plum, etc.)
2. Two log hives in the summer cottage will fully provide the family with honey, and a larger number will make it possible to sell honey and make a profit
3. Bee stings can be seen as an expensive apitherapy
4. The deck beehive can be designed as a small architectural form and the summer cottage will be transformed aesthetically
5. Getting positive emotions and satisfaction from your own hobby

Obvious Pros and Benefits

Summing up, Let's consider the main advantages that deck beekeeping provides over classical beekeeping.

1. The technology of keeping and servicing bees is much simpler. No need to monitor the queen bee, her oviposition and movement.
2. Hive - the deck requires little time, which is very attractive to summer residents who work in the city and visit their bees once or twice a week.
3. Such a hive does not require much space, which allows you to put it in small summer cottages or in small yards.
4. No inventory and related materials are needed, usually quite expensive, such as frames, foundation, the same honey extractor, etc. Significant savings for the beekeeper.
5. Any person can handle the deck hive - women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. There are no heavy structures that need to be constantly moved.
6. There is no obligatory task to prepare bees for wintering, hives are not transferred, wintering in the wild is recommended. Double-walled hives have excellent conditions and wintering results for bees, even in the north of the country.
7. In winter, the bees provide their own food, there is no need to feed them with sugar syrup.
8. The bees work while the beekeeper rests. But the product - honey - is just as natural and of high quality.
9. It is necessary to say about the ecology of beekeeping in the case of a deck hive. Thanks to the non-intervention of man, the bees behave calmly, rarely sting, and work well. The interests of the bees in this case are respected. The bee lives its due date, thanks to the non-intervention of man. Bees are adapted to weather conditions, get sick much less often, and are efficient. They have good immunity, are able to cope with diseases and ticks on their own, without the use of chemical treatment preparations. This is due to the conditions of detention as close as possible to the natural habitat.
10. Easy access to the intrahive space ensures the ease of work of the beekeeper, besides, the bees are not disturbed. It is much easier to provide prompt assistance to the family in the case of a deck hive due to the ease of construction and general access to the hive.
11. Kolodny honey has a higher diastase number in comparison with centrifugal.

Thus, if you are a beginner beekeeper, we advise you to start your hobby with a deck hive. Perhaps you are just limited by space or time, then deck hives are also your option. Or, due to some circumstances, you have lost your former physical capabilities and strength, having experience with classic hives, also use the option of creating a hive - a deck on your site.

We wish you a fruitful honey season!

• 1. Comparison of decks with modern hives
• 2. DIY
• 3. Features of deck beekeeping

During the time of Peter I, Russia developed vigorously, which is why beekeeping felt significant difficulties. Forests were actively harassed for the construction of ships, wood was burned for coal for a rapidly developing industry, soil was required for arable land. The beekeepers began to save the boards: cut off a piece of wood with a bee family, and drag it into a pile at the cutting site. So after cutting down, "apiaries" appeared.

Over time, deck beekeeping developed: hollowed-out pieces of wood were covered with a thatched roof, placed in a group near the house, populated by swarms. It became easier to work, no need to walk all over the forest, climb trees.

The deck for bees was made by burning or gouging. The device of the bee house is simple: a hollow cylinder of a meter and a half high with an internal diameter of 30–40 cm. A wooden cross is strengthened at the top, insects will build honeycombs on it, the structure was covered with a thatched roof, a vertical notch was made a little higher than the middle.

Comparison of decks with modern hives

Of course, field beekeeping is less convenient than stock beekeeping: the apiary is not scattered over the area, there is no need to drag around the forest and climb trees. But after all, almost no one does it anymore. So let's compare the benefits of keeping families in a deck and frame hives. Benefits of deck beekeeping:

• hives are stronger than composite ones;
• the deck is made with a minimum of the simplest tools. With his own hands, a novice carpenter easily makes;
• The area/perimeter length ratio is ideal for a circle. Therefore, the hive deck wins against square or rectangular ones, the volume is maximum with a minimum of surface area. In winter, heat is saved;
• it is easy to clean it from deadness in the spring: moved it, removed it, put it back;
• the presence of space under the comb helps the family to self-cleanse a little from varroatosis. A tick that has fallen from a bee cannot reattach itself to a passing bee - they do not walk along the bottom;
• decks look solid, solid, reliable. A find for summer residents who love the old Russian style;
• a minimum of knowledge is enough for housekeeping, all the same, a beekeeper can change little in the development of families.

Deck beekeeping also has disadvantages:

• decks are non-transportable. Nomadic beekeeping, even a one-time transportation of families, is very difficult;
• the beekeeper is very limited in the impact on the bees. It is difficult or impossible to carry out well-established techniques that are easily used when kept in collapsible frame hives. Everything is difficult: the selection / giving of food, the strengthening / separation of families, the removal of queens, breeding work, any control over the activities of the swarm.

DIY manufacturing

Making a hive deck is not at all difficult, the main thing is to have the right tool. We have selected a video for you, where it is more than clear how to build such a house for bees with your own hands.

Features of deck beekeeping

The owner is only able to slightly influence the development of families. If necessary, add volume, it is easy to dig a little under the deck. Beekeepers are also trying to make multi-tiered decks with separate sections. Such a cylinder with a cross is placed shortly before the main bribe. The bees prefer to fill the top of the nest with honey, the selection of the extension will be the beekeeper's reward for his work.

It is difficult to take part of the food from the deck, especially since it is the top of the combs that is filled with honey. After all, it is impossible to cut off the top, leaving the bottom. Usually, during selection, the family lights up (destroys). Moreover, negative breeding work is underway: the most productive swarms are eliminated first ...

Wasted in vain the work of the bees on the construction of honeycombs. When selecting honey, wax buildings are cut out; there is no way to substitute them for other families, only remelting.

The amount of honey in the deck (approximately) is estimated by the following trick. The deck must be placed on a knee or support, finding the center of balance. It is imperative that the honeycombs lie edge to the ground, otherwise they can be broken, they are long! Honey is heavier than empty cells or cells filled with brood, and it is folded mainly from above. According to the deviation of the center of balance from the middle of the deck, they estimate the amount of collected food.

Kolodny beekeeping complicates breeding work. To increase the apiary, natural reproduction is used, the caught swarm simply spills out into an uninhabited dwelling. And with a high probability, the new family was going there on its own. Empty decks standing in the apiary are the best option for a new apartment, according to scout bees.

If some of the bees are kept in frame hives, it is possible to set up a store before the bribe. True, only with a relative coincidence of sizes, when there are no gaps left. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to combine a rectangular magazine with a deck that is round in section without gaps.

Onboard beekeeping is backward compared to deck beekeeping, but that's all history. Who is doing it now? Kolodnoe beekeeping loses to the content in modern frame hives in terms of commodity output - it is difficult to conduct it intensively, directing the development of families in the desired direction. The bees flying out of the logs pollinate the garden no worse and no better than those starting from the frame hive.

Of course, there are fans of "close to natural" beekeeping, the old Russian style of the estate. Also, they tend to work less with bees, albeit due to a shortage of honey. Here a well apiary suits them, not for getting high honey yields, but for the soul.…