AZ Hive discussion- Drebbieville Ga.

Brian Drebber discusses AZ bee hive with Janko Bozic, Professor at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
AZ Hives can also be seen at Beekeepers of Gilmer County Apiary, Ellijay, Ga.

[@JBlackrose]

Drebbieville Honey is Wonderful! Love the Hives!

[@briandrebber8227]

The short version of the end-of-season update is: I lost 4 hives (eight remaining) completely due to negligence on my part. I feel I could have done more to prevent wax moths and other issues. I was more focused on building hives than keeping bees. That's over, hopefully. Onward! I am still hugely committed to the AZ hive/BeeHouse concept and will continue to learn how to use them to full advantage. So far I like everything about 'methods of intervention' allowed. Treating was a pleasant chore; feeding is elegantly simple; cursory inspections are a matter of opening the door and peeking thru the screen with a small flashlight. My advice on the beehouse would be to create enough room for a partition between the hives and the uncapping/extacting operation with a pass-thru window. I'm pondering that modification.

[@otisbaker1066]

I read that you were building modified A-Z hives that would use the standard Lang. frames. Other than the side of the box, what modification did you have to make and did you cut the TABS off of the Lang. frames? I am 60yr.s old and the lifting of the Lang. hives is starting to ware on me. I like the ease of operation these hives seem to give. I hope to try out the A-Z hive soon. I live in the northern panhandle of West Virginia and the winters get a bit cold at times, so the housing of the hives is a plus also. Thanks for letting me say me piece and hope to hear back from you soon.

[@briandrebber8227]

+Otis Baker The modifications do not include the use of Langstroth frames. Rather the frame dimensions were modified to accept Langstroth size foundation. The design of the frame is the same. The box was then re-sized to accommodate the modified frames. Same design; different dimensions.

[@LolitasGarden]

+Otis Baker I purchased a Drebber AZ hive last summer and brought it up to our home in Maryland. I'll begin my management of the hive and a video series of it this summer. Check my channel for details. Our family has plans to move West to your area shortly. Be well.

[@maryblohm9181]

+Lolita's Garden I am looking forward to viewing your video experiences with the AZ Hive.!!! Thanks for sharing.

[@maryblohm9181]

Plans for the AZ hive construction are available, sourcing the metal parts is the real problem.

[@antonion84]

+Mary Blohm which metal parts can not be bought? maby I can help for some parts and sand (sold) it from Slovenia.

[@antonion84]

+Mary Blohm maby I can help you with metal parts from Slovenia!

[@antonion84]

+Mary Blohm I can help you with metal parts from our country!

[@antonion84]

+Mary Blohm i can help you with metal parts!

[@donsscooters]

Seems like it would be a perfect environment for Small Hive Beetle to be a larger problem than hive in the sun.

[@BarbikaPahor]

downside is more costly hive but with proper care it can last longer. 30+ years is not uncommon for those hives to be used. honey extractor is a bit more complicated so is the lack of machines for really big beekeepers. but no doubt with need those would be made too.

[@BarbikaPahor]

but you will need more complicated honey extractor since comb cells will not be aligned all the same... also when you want t prevent bees swarming try to rotate frames. will keep them busy for some time.

[@francoisviljoen3783]

any idea if this would work with African bees in South Africa?

[@otisbaker1066]

Brain, Thank you. Next question if I my what and where do you get the rods the frames rest on? I assume they are Stainless.

[@briandrebber8227]

+Otis Baker The rods I used are 5/16 cold rolled mild steel and commonly available (Home Depot, Lowe's, Metal Supermarket, etc.).

[@briandrebber8227]

More good information on Facebook "AZ Hivers" page. My hives should be in production and available by mid- March. I do have six (6) two-chamber 'Drebbieville' hives available now -- the same as purchased by Lolita's Garden who commented here. Production models will be 3-chambers.

[@mgfarmer1]

How do you control betel in your Slovenian AZ hives?

[@farmer998]

have you found any difference with hive beetles or vorra

[@Westernwilson]

Hey Brian, I have trouble finding eggs etc. in anything less than full sunlight. How do you get enough light inside the shed??

[@briandrebber8227]

+Westernwilson I've gotten somewhat used to working in subdued light, but I find one of those LED "headlamp" things helps. Frankly, artificial vs. natural light is a balance I have yet to find.

[@Westernwilson]

+Brian Drebber I do find the yellow tinted safety glasses really help with the egg spotting!

[@KellyBurnham]

I think the other potential downside to AZ hive other than the Size or Space Restriction would be that with so many hives in close proximity to each other, I would expect to see a lot of robbing of hives by the bees.

[@antonion84]

+Kelly Burnham that is false! Not much more robberies hives because they are near each other ... In Slovenia we used approximately 95% of AZ hives and They are the best. But robbery is definitely not more than in other hives. This is my opinion!

[@antonion84]

+Kelly Burnham ...no more robbing in Az Hives! If bees robbe that is mean that they dont have inaf food or something is wrong. but deffinetly they dont roobing because of they are close each other... In Sloevenia we use 95% or more AZ Hives! Greetings from Slovenia!

[@briandrebber8227]

+Kelly Burnham Robbing is potentially a problem even when hives are separated by feet or even yards. It is in the nature of strong hives to rob weak ones no matter where they might be. The AZ hive offers so many configurations of entrance reduction to choose from when trying to prevent robbing. Bottom line (again) for me: advantages outweigh potential downsides. Beekeeping is a personal adventure fraught with problems that are completely independent of hive design.

[@BarbikaPahor]

there are few donwsides. new hives cost much more than any other hives since they are more complicated to make but on bright side well protected hive can easily last 30+ years. they might not be the best hive for really large beekeepers (1000+ hives) since there is no so many specialized machines for harvesting honey. but for small beekeepers they are really good.

[@pewterpair]

I am unclear about queen requirements. Does the set up behind your interview then contain twelve hives and require 12 queens?

[@briandrebber8227]

+Vicki and Trygve Aarsheim Yes, there are 12 families (hives) pictured -- each with a mother (queen).

[@pewterpair]

I am used to hives that are much larger and using only the one queen with several hive boxes full of bees. How does the year progress with such small chambers to work in? Do you then have to somehow manage to raise queens? Do you have an instructional website so that I can study further. It seems like a mismatch. Do the queens just slow down with egg laying and last more than one or two years? Do you understand my confusion?

[@BarbikaPahor]

1 queen per 1 hive. its not so small box. besides if queen will use all the space you can put some frames with old brood on upper floor. just be careful about your queen. also you can make hives with more frames. 12 frames per floor is great way. and there is so much space for queen. since you dont need to move hives you can make them even bigger. you can easily just make wider hives for more frames.

[@FolkCoTube]

are there plans available?

[@OddBall1958]

Looks like they are getting ready to swarm to me. I could be wrong.

[@SVAROG_FREE_ENERGY]

👍

[@antonion84]

Where you can buy AZ hives in US? Im from Slovenia but my buddy from Us want to buy this Az Hive and will be more economic if he can buy somewhwre in US... Thanks for all informations! Greetings from Slovenia!

[@midkiffsjoy]

+antonion84 Post plans for your buddy and the rest of us who can't find any plans for them!!!! :)

[@antonion84]

+Joy Alba I will try to find some plans and sand it to you. give me your email adress on [e-mail]

[@briandrebber8227]

+antonion84 You mentioed you could help with metal parts. Contact me, please ([e-mail])

[@briandrebber8227]

+antonion84 You mentioed you could help with metal parts. Contact me, please ([e-mail])

[@marcelopadillaopplig]

Has this been tested in warm climates. Example: Belize?

[@BarbikaPahor]

probably not as those are mostly used in slovenia and some balkan countries use those too. but i dont think it would be much of a problem. the real difference is that hives are stacked on top of each other and thus better protected. i suppose in warm climate bees would be able to better protect them self against heat too since no need for protection against cold. main difference is that hives are are more expensive to buy or make but better protected under roof will last very long. even more than 30 years. (at least here in slovenia) well you have 50+ years old hives too. how much frames you usually use? AŽ hives rande from 9-12. so if you want to try find what size would be the best for you. or even experiment on changing existing form.

[@jenniferwhite6089]

cool the bees I have they prefer to live in my shop walls and ceilings just found out I had a bee condo development here they lady have been here 10 years now found to the queen and put them in the boxes take a break both boxes had bee's on side of them they are doing well 5 miles away for me now 4 deep were used to catch them too

[@johnjohnston1122]

you speak english?

[@briandrebber8227]

More good information and links: beekeepersofgilmercounty.com