Cathedral Hive Inspection

[@kellycarpenter9350]

nice Cathedral hive . my bees would never let you get that close to the brood without protection . Kel

[@guenbarnes1659]

Impressive...thank you for your time and shared design.

[@audi3318]

Looks great but super awkward as you can’t put the frames down anywhere

[@ronmimnaugh7674]

That is a really nice looking hive. I never saw anyone keep bees like that.

[@lovemagic469]

looks like a coffin to me

[@cheliae8560]

Brilliant! Thank you for showing us.

[@عليوتوت-ك7ذ]

Im from iraq u r amazing im beekeeper am not good at English I like what u offer Maybe this season l will make Thenk u

[@richardd8352]

I've built a regular top bar hive. This one looks awesome, but those combs look awkward to handle. A regular bar hive is easier to inspect I think. Those bees look super chilled btw 👍 happy bees 😁

[@timothymitchell9956]

I can see that you are an artist because, your hive is not just functional, it is a work of art ! How much honey do the bats hold compared to the Langstroth hives

[@tomcochrane56]

Looks really hard to work it takes far to long to check the frames. But you make a nice build quality hive.

[@71volare]

What a great advertisement for a Langstroth hive. This is going to develop into a massive cutout. Buenas Suerte, mi amigo.

[@freeboarder212]

The cathedral hive has had zero bur comb thus far. It had one cross comb frame which was easily fixed. My ten other langstroth hives have bur and cross comb frequently. The cathedral hive frames require a tool to free the comb from the sides just as any top bar hive would. I'm assuming you have only worked with langstroth hives. Try branching out. You may learn something new.

[@nosadonions3231]

@@freeboarder212 Yeah like learn how to make a monstrosity that takes up a lot of space so you can feel special unique butterfly.

[@AK-pg3tn]

Why didn't you give then prepared comb? it takes them so energy to build it from zero apparently?

[@super-z8943]

Prepared comb is only available on langstroth and similar hives. This close to nature. Bees certainly don't mind working harder.

[@mrbendy]

I'm getting ready to build two cathedral hives this winter for next spring. Any ideas or improvements for insulation in a cold climate? I've only worked with the langstroth hives. I'm looking forward to this new style!

[@freeboarder212]

Awesome man, I guess the only advice I would have is to decide what thickness of the insulation foam is right for your climate. Im in colorado and I ran with .5" thick insulation although it would not have hurt anything to have gone thicker. So I would go with 1" thick insulation for you hives and make sure the incorporate the foam inside (under the roof ) and outside (bottom sides, ) if possible. Cheers and happy building. Feel free to email me if you get stuck or need a second opinion on anything. Cheers.

[@freeboarder212]

I would definitely have a interior foam insulation insert and maybe even a exterior foam wrap. From my understanding your not really trying to raise the temps in he hive. Rather your trying to make the temperature swings more gradual.

[@mayariofferings]

Wow, that hive is so beautiful! You got the blue prints and built it yourself?

[@freeboarder212]

Thanks! I saw pictures of Corwin Cowels original cathedral hive and made up my own version. He sells hives and blueprints at Backyardhive.com

[@samsungtv4u]

Hi Dillon Martin I like the shape of the bars, they have a sharp edge on them unlike the flat sides of a top bar this way you have less chance of pinching a bee between the bars.. smart. I'm glad to see it work out for you :) I was thinking of getting into beekeeping this year I was going to build a topbar except using more of a diamond-shaped topbar similar to yours because watching a lot of youtube videos I noticed everyone pinching bees or having to wait for the bees to waddle out of the way before you can reconnect the bars ... Now I think I may try to build a Cathedral hive as well or maybe instead of the top bar... Can you please tell me the angle you are using for the bars? Also, do the bees try to plug the walking tunnels on top?? at a glance also looks like a good idea but as I'm typing this, I think if you don't have top walkways for the bees, the bees will keep the bottoms more open to get around between the combes and there will be less chance of them attaching the wax to the walls and preventing broken combs.. can you comment on your experience? And considering this maybe it would be more beneficial to have flat 90* walls on the bottom of the hive? I do like the organic "" hexagonal shaped from a visual point of view but from a practical do you think flat walls are more practical.. thanxs

[@freeboarder212]

Thanks for your comment. Definitely build your own hive. You will save money and it will cause you to question each aspect of the hive in regards to the health of the colony (like you already are!). Here are my thoughts: the hexagonal shape of the frames is mostly determined to provide structural integrity. Having three bars of contact points vs the one in a top bar hive means the comb is more stable. While nobody revonendes flipping comb around you have a better chance of it staying together with 3 contact pts vs 2. Regardless, you should always rotate the comb so that it stays vertical (least likely to brake.) The angle at which the bar makes a v is not critical in my opinion. The two I'm currently building have a 64 degree v. The ones before were +-10 degrees. Having the v gives the bees a much larger surface area to contact the comb so I would recomend a v instead of a flat bar cross section. The cathedral hives already have a massive volume but if you wanted more you could have the bottom half be a 90 degree box. No the bees do not fill up the holes all the way. They leave them open as they need. If I had big issues with comb adhering to the walls I think your idea would be great. For me I have only had burr comb twice so I prefer the benefit of the bee highway/holes. Lastly, I guess the frame cross section reduces the chances of bed squishing but you definitely need to wait for them to move away as you do any other hive. Best of luck and go build a sweet hive!

[@samsungtv4u]

Thanks, maybe I'll make a video when I'm done or as I'm building a hive. if you have any suggestions for me before I start the build, maybe changes you would like to have made in in first place your build,, I would appreciate any input. I just started a youtube account kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4XbpXSiiNiMiJI it my only video so far about 2018 Makita electric trimmer ...if interested.

[@freeboarder212]

You certainly should. As for changes, just search cathedral hive 3.0. I finished the newest hives and made a quick video going through the new features. Bee safe!

[@sarahgaller9041]

Do the bees ever attach comb to the sides and bottom?

[@punkeyes8401]

les crowder found that at a 120 degree angle the bees are less inclined to do so if the hive is level and plumb.

[@GornaPaseka]

thank you for the video!

[@seanmcguire7974]

Can you put a queen screen in those or are they too open ?

[@dougwentzel2358]

I know this is an old video, however, have you considered completing the frame so that there is super for the whole thing? No falling apart.

[@dlfppa]

Good idea...

[@dlfppa]

might be to hard to take out with all the propolis they would put around them

[@israeltorres8603]

I love to see deferent hives but I don,t think I its a good style of frame, bad for cross comb. thank you for your hard work.

[@davidwilliams9673]

well its almost 2020 how are things going today

[@camojoe83]

What a mess that must be to get honey out of.

[@siddhabababeekepping1174]

Witch country sir?

[@alexk6745]

THe design is impressive, but doesn't seem like easy to use. I can put frame and it stay. This one can not be set vertically. You need to keep space in the hive so that while inspecting moveing the frames there. The other most important thing I heard from you part of the frame has fallen. It is nice but seems many buts.

[@حسامحربي-ظ2ك]

كيف يتم فرز العسل لهذه الإطارات

[@bodiemiller6266]

I would like to talk to you about making a cathedral hive

[@drpk6514]

Over and over proves there is no reason to use top bar hives.

[@nosadonions3231]

Top bar hives seem to be big pains in the butt with no upside. Having to always harvest the wax with the honey just slows down production. Traditional hives have been around so long for a good reason.

[@Off-Grid]

Have had bees for many years now and am wanting to get away from the Langstroth. This style seems like an option.

[@super-z8943]

I started just a month ago with langstroth and already wish I rather tried Kenyan top bar hive. This seems cooler though somewhat more complicated.

[@Off-Grid]

@@super-z8943 every fall I say I'm going to build a horizontal hive but never do. We're building an Off-Grid house still so spare time something I don't have much of but sooner or later will make the switch.

[@drumcdoo9050]

I wanted something different for ease of use, minimal disturbance of hive and even temperature of hive whatever the weather so chose an A~Z Slovinian hive. Instead of storing it in a hut/shed made framework up. Have made modifications simmilar to claw hammer style handles to easily withdraw and inspect frames. Frames withdraw from side so there's no hassle of having to lift boxes. There is a book on management of A~Z hives translated into English which is essential and although small full of usefull information...

[@jemmastorm2307]

Do you find the cathedral better than a traditional top bar as far as comb being straighter and less likely to fall off the frame?

[@freeboarder212]

Well I have never used a top bar hive so I can't compare. That being said I have never had a comb break or detach from the wood. I try and keep the handling vertical as I rotate but I undoubtedly rotated it the wrong direction many times and it was not an issue. As for the comb direction/spacing: the comb was drawn separate from eachother with the exception of two frames. The bees did routinely attach parts of the comb to the walls on a few frames but once scraped clean once or twice they stopped.

[@jemmastorm2307]

Dillon Martin good to know. I've never owned bees so I'm still in the researching phase. So far a cathedral hive has been the most bee centric design I've come across. Warré hives seem good forthe bees but look like way too much effort to harvest and inspect. Do you have experience with any other types of hives?

[@freeboarder212]

Each hive style has benefits and drawbacks. If you want more than 4 hives I would suggest langstroth because they are cheaper, more standardized and have proven their effectiveness since their birth. I have 8 langstroths, a hexonal shape glass observation hive and a cathedral. The OH and cathedral are by far my favorites and I love the features the cathedral hives have. I believe the features give the bees a better environment to live but they are young and need years and years to truly prove their worth. You need to consider what you want out of a hive too. Every style can be made to become a suitable environment.

[@jemmastorm2307]

I have decided against langstroths as I don't like the idea of the queen excluder. I would rather let the frames follow the natural progression of brood and honey. I also prefer a style where the bees can make their own comb as premade frames have comb size that is too big and can lead to chalk brood and increase varroa mite. Most wax is tainted with pesticides now too so better they make new stuff. I think I am going to go with the cathedral hive and make a few adjustments. Yours has a lot of cool features. I like the periscope opening idea. I've also see ones with a build in flower garden cap to regulate temperature and reduce emf interference

[@terry2346]

@@freeboarder212 Have you ever looked in to Layens hives? Purported to be better in the more northern climates with less winter die off. Thicker and made from 2X8 lumber for more insulation.

[@youssafamar8247]

الله البارك

[@elbakriabdeljabbar8747]

عمل متقن

[@muleskinner485]

This design of hive would not be for me, every time you open it you cool down the whole hive......

[@Tar-liRu]

С таким ульем очень не удобно работать( и пчёлы, семья, растет вверх, а не в бок.

[@beeman1246]

HI. What have you done in your life, to deserve this?

[@revengeofsuperman]

Why torture yourself by trying to go fancy? Just use a long langstroth with regular frames.

[@dlfppa]

could you imagine the world without people who tried different things ???...If you use this philosophy in everything you do , I feel sorry for your wife.

[@revengeofsuperman]

@@dlfppa He improves nothing by having that design. Yet it is impractical. If you wanna have some hives on your backyard to show off, so be it. You will not see that one in commercial beekeeping. I am luckily single btw.

[@bren106]

​@@revengeofsuperman Is "luckily" your opinion or that of the local female population?

[@nosadonions3231]

@@dlfppastupid different isn't better.