Clear Beehive Covers! (Bee Barn Build Series - Part Three)

[@vinofarm]

About the PLEXIGLASS: I found a plastic supplier in Massachusetts that sold acrylic sheets. (Piedmont Plastics) (Google "Acrylic Plexiglass sheet supplier" in your area). I bought a full 4x8 sheet of 3/8" acrylic and they made as many cuts as I needed for a $25 flat fee. I got 15 pieces out of that sheet measuring: 19 1/8" x 13 5/8". The total cost was about $325. Roughly $22 per piece.

[@ItsSimpleMR]

Thanks!

[@BugFarmerBees]

That is exactly what I needed. Thanks.

[@strive4impact]

In Denver we have Plasticare. They're great!

[@steverichab]

Thanks again

[@steverichab]

@@strive4impact Thanks Strive4 I'm in Evergreen and I will use Plasticare for my plexi

[@DayFightBee]

the stationery knife on the table scares me😅

[@vinofarm]

Yeah, it's only there while I'm doing a specific build and immediately removed. There's probably a better way.

[@DayFightBee]

@@vinofarm 👍I understand, but still be careful

[@unclereefer37]

I too love and yet fear danger knife. So useful , so dangerous

[@RyanMcDonnough]

One thing that I don’t like about the design is that the metal wheel (in closed position) has gaps & cracks that allow warm air to escape the top of the hive. Considering the infrequency of feeding, I think that a better solution might be just a simple piece of vapor tape (like red Tuck Tape) over the hole. This would also allow for a piece of XPS foam of nearly any thickness to fit flush against the plexi and insulate it directly…which would negate the need for the insulated shell. Just my $0.02 Keep up the good work, Jim.

[@vinofarm]

They have that hole filled with beeswax and propolis as soon as I remove the feeder pails. They got this!

[@RyanMcDonnough]

@@vinofarm That’s good! Just trying to think of simpler & more possibly more effective solutions

[@mikealthomas1]

Still one of the best tutorials on KZbin.

[@Legoman585]

Dude your channel used to be so cool. BEE'S.

[@vinofarm]

You ever heard of winter?

[@khbeefarm478]

My question is how you do your OA treatment. I have a provap and the tube is not long enough to go though the whole hive wall and the hot tube is going to melt the foam wall. Do you have any sugestions?

[@vinofarm]

Front entrance. Just shoot it in there.

[@cvwhr]

I want my bees to have the best chance to thrive. This hive looks amazing! It is hard to tell by the video, is this one super and 2 medium, or 2 super and the top a medium? I am new to bee keeping and planning on following, pretty much, your videos. It would be nice to know the exact pieces to purchase.

[@vinofarm]

One deep, one medium combined into one continuous cavity.

[@OffRoadBees]

Any updates on how they are working? Anything you would do differently (before i build 3+ of them) I have 3 of the V1 Barns, they work ok winter season, looking forward to seeing how these handle the Minnesota winter.

[@vinofarm]

Getting away from wood was a game changer. I only wish I could make the brood box larger. You’ll be happy with the switch to foam.

[@prizonfrost123]

​@@vinofarmdo you mean more frames or double deeps?

[@vinofarm]

@@prizonfrost123 I mean just a little wider. Same deep/medium size frames. My boxes max out with 8 of my frames. Having a 10 frame box would give that little extra space during the heavy brood months (May/June) but the rest of the year my bees are fine with 7-8 frames. If I did have 10 frame boxes I’d still over winter with 7-8 frames and fill the empty space with foam spacers.

[@brookchilvers4177]

I know nothing about bees nor building things, but watching you work is so mesmerising. Your attention to detail is incredible and your inventive mind is nothing less than genius! Thank you for sharing, even though I’m never likely to need to build a bee barn, I enjoyed the process of learning how to do it 😊

[@neiltalbot4586]

Do you use queen excluders?

[@vinofarm]

Yes. Then regular supers on top.

[@jonjensen1118]

Excellent job Jim. You're making the process of following your design very easy!!

[@BrianCooper901]

Absolutely impressive! You are quite the craftsman! Thanks for sharing!

[@clothespindolls]

you have the most lovely work room

[@vinofarm]

Thanks, It'll never be done, but it's coming along...

[@timjones1583]

To drill holes in plexiglass i use a hole saw in reverse....... slowly!!!

[@Ikantspell4]

Super slick design. I love the idea of the viewing window. The stress of hopefully having a warm day when you also have time to do work on the hive and be super quick is crazy hard. Being able to see in and add food safely is a HUGE upgrade. I love this idea. Having a super tight box the bees dont have to seal with propelis is probably not my goal, but boy, that window is sweeeeet.

[@graydonturner]

Part 4 - 5 year review of the bee barn 😉 great series. Love the innovation!

[@vinofarm]

Part 4 is the XL frames. Next week!

[@sirwinstonhoneybees1376]

It just dawned on me that I won't be able to get the 1gal. feeder bucket over the hole with that screw. How do you solve this?

[@vinofarm]

A one gallon plastic bucket sits over the screw. (At least mine do.) The problem with this design is that the medium box is about 1” too short to enclose the bucket. A deep would have been better. Or, finding shorter feeder pails.

[@Sandybar15]

These new boxes look awesome. I hope this year proves to be successful and productive. God speed ❤️☺️good luck and glad your back

[@kathleenboynton8245]

Jim, Thanks for sharing these video tutorials. I love that you are channeling Thomas Seeley in a creative way - the bee barns align with his research, replicate conditions found in natural beehives in trees, AND are more supportive for beekeepers! I am a fellow (still new) beekeeper in central MA and will hopefully be able to create a version of the bee barn to try out in my bee yard. Thanks again for your creativity and sharing!

[@drrota]

Super job!!!

[@KaizenEnergyUS]

Bro, I dig ur stuff. Aloha.

[@christopherzehnder]

Another great video. Thanks, Jim

[@jphomebrew]

Thank you for posting! I’ve been waiting for this episode to hit

[@kfffisher]

Wonderful build. Thank you! Your BeeBarn design will probably qualify for LEED Platinum rating.

[@honeybeesinjapan]

Amazing craftsmanship Jim. I really like this build series. You are going to have bees coming out your ears this spring!

[@robertling9872]

Thanks Jim, for sharing your Bee Barn video's.

[@barryguthrie8061]

Hi Jim, Thank you for all your design and building steps. Does the Glue, Adhesive, and Zip tape contain any formaldehyde?

[@vinofarm]

I have not checked. All of that is way outside of the brood cavity, though.

[@Kandyman54]

How do I find your Amazon Store? What USDA zone are you located. We’re in Zone 4 so I’m thinking that our seasons would be comparable.

[@vinofarm]

All links are in the description. Zone 5A

[@stationplaza4631]

Doing some really great work on this hive project Jim. Fascinating watching these hives being built, even more so how the bees respond to them. Best wishes as always.

[@Jack-es9xq]

I see the brood minder in the hive. What temperature do the bees maintain in the fully insulated hive?

[@krazzzz2000]

You've got us on the edge of our seat waiting on part 4! I've been checking back daily.

[@briandodds]

I made clear top covers like a few years ago. LOVE IT!

[@VOKTAA]

Another 10/10 video that will help someone in the future ggs.

[@honeyhoarderbees513]

Jim, great work! Thank you for all of your ever-evolving great-ideas & free inspiration over the years! ❤ I’m really happy that these are doing so well for you & wish all the best continues! 🎉 -R3

[@clarkkent7973]

Thanks for including what doesn't work well in this great video (like the foam) so we don't make the same mistakes! I am looking forward to your next video!

[@kentforman8836]

Love the plexiglass idea!!! I will be changing my tops and I think I will add some RGB LEDs to the corners and a camera. Thanks for the great idea generator ... my wife is going love this one.

[@AmandaTroutman]

The viewing window is probably the feature that most excites me.

[@JoeMcMahonRemax]

Great job Jim, we are fairly new beekeepers and you are an inspiration! I'm really looking forward to building this myself.

[@krazzzz2000]

For the pour foam, I found a kit that is 1 qt., do you think that would be enough to do two hives?

[@vinofarm]

I got the gallon kit and did 8 medium super boxes (all 4 sides) with about 1/2 of the product left over.

[@krazzzz2000]

@@vinofarm Oh wow, it really goes a long way. I think the quart kit will be more than enough then. Thank you.

[@oshnissan]

Sika Post Fix is a 3lb 2-part foam available in the box store fence section for $15. ALternately, we've used a product from a company called Secure-Set which has a 5lb foam at ~$47 for 1gal shipped from OK. Just pour each bag into a separate quart container. Then mix 1:1 in a 3rd container for each pour. When we do small projects, we get plastic containers from the dollar store for each pour, because once it foams up you'd want to pitch the container the mixed product is in.

[@bigmattydaddysymz7993]

Yes! Part three

[@weneedhopethankyou1513]

Love the build series.

[@kenbagwell1148]

When you place your supers on once the colony is established do you make an outer cover like you place over the feeding area in the winter? Thanks!

[@vinofarm]

No. Supers are uninsulated.

[@oshnissan]

Jim, Thank you so much for doing the work and being willing to share it. I'm a long time home rehabber, so I completely got the build part. I'm not yet a beekeeper though (license just arrived). I'm pulling together my materials list and would like some advice on supers please. Wood Mediums I assume for weight. How about frames (wood or plastic, foundation material, color, wax?, pins?, rods??), queen excluder material metal or plastic?. Should I dip the boxes in a parafin wax prior to assembly for weather resistance? Also would be happy to have the whys of the recommendations if you're wiling. Thanks again! Cheers, Osh

[@hugabee2580]

Hi and thanks for your efforts and time explaining all the details. My question, what about rodents? Isn't foam to soft to keep them out? Thanks.

[@vinofarm]

I'll just need to see. This is only version 2.0. Wait for version 3.0.

[@JustBees]

I love your videos man. I'm all about doing things differently

[@paulluna45]

Is there a gap between the top bars and acrylic and if so what is the measurement?

[@vinofarm]

About 3/8" -1/2" or so. Same as a regular wooden inner cover.

[@paulluna45]

@@vinofarm Thanks for the info and I love your videos. Great job brother.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Jim, that is an amazing boxes and yet not to complicated. Good job. My only concern is moisture. Bees need moisture in the winter to drink and typically use the condensation off of the hive. Will this box allow for condensation for the bee to use to eat honey?

[@vinofarm]

Yes. They will have plenty of moisture. It just won't soak into the wooden boxes and destroy everything. I'm sure there's plenty of water condensing in cooler areas. Humidity levels are exactly like last year if not a touch higher.

[@krazzzz2000]

Thank you for this series. Do you find that the plexiglass stays nice? What are your thoughts on not gluing one side to allow the plexi to be replaced now and then?

[@vinofarm]

It's only been in since October. I'll let you know how clear it stays over some time.

[@jodyfield1722]

Awesome, looking forward to seeing more videos and trying something similar with my hives.

[@davidsachs4883]

You monitor temperatures within your hives. Perhaps it would be a good idea to put a thermometer within the feeder box to find out what the difference is in temperatures between the boxes

[@steverichab]

Great video thank you. Where did you source your plexi and what were the dimensions of the plexi needed for the Lyson you used and the depth of the dados?

[@vinofarm]

Call plastic sheet suppliers in your area. I found one that sold 4x8 sheets and they cut it into my exact size pieces I requested for $25 flat fee. Each piece came out to about $22 in the end.

[@timblaney3]

@@vinofarm what were the dimension you have them cut the sheet into?

[@vinofarm]

@@timblaney3 13 5/8" x 19 1/8" but that was specifically for the Lyson 8/9 medium box. The Dados are about 3/8" deep.

[@bradbrown2168]

Frames vid up or next? Thx

[@daverowden-RowdyBeeFarms]

I’m going to use a lot of your techniques to winterize some Nucs to help two Nucs at a time make it through the winters. Might be a total failure but if I don’t try I just won’t know. Thanks for all the videos. Wish you would come to hivelife next year. I would love to meet you.

[@MisterBech]

Jim, I love this hive and the videos. When you did the acrylic window did you make the groove accounting for bee space above the frames. I.e., not to much or too little, Your groove looks a bit higher than what would prevent the bees from building comb or propolising the space between the frame tops and the clear window. Thoughts?

[@MisterBech]

After reading most of the comments, it looks like you answered my bee space question.

[@vinofarm]

@@MisterBech I made it as low as I could without cutting into the plastic trim at the base of the Lyson box. It is a bit over 3/8". Lower would be better, but nothing is ever PERFECT. It's as close to bee space as I could get.

[@dcaballero9048]

Hey Jim, do you have any concerns for the weight of the supers when you start stacking them for honey? I think you had a picture where you had like 5+ supers on top of your Bee Barn 1.0. Now that Bee Barn 2.0 is made of foam, is there any concerns for the foam base handling that much weight?

[@vinofarm]

The weight will fall on the Lyson hive inside the outer foam. Those boxes are as dense as wood. No worries at all.

[@jasoncooper5265]

Awesome series!! What is the total cost of this bee hive 2.0? I can't remember if you did a cost post or not.

[@vinofarm]

I estimate about $220 in materials per hive. That does not include the frames. Lyson Boxes: 1 Deep, 2 mediums, 1 bottom board - $124 Plexiglass: $22 Foam Board: $47 Zip tape, Spray foam, misc fasteners: Less than $20 per hive. You could do the same conceptual build on an existing wooden hive for under $100 per hive.

[@DayFightBee]

@@vinofarm if you translate it into Russian currency, then it's a lot

[@reddivrbob]

Hello Jim, I'm in the process of assembling 2 of these Lyson Bee Barns. Thinking forward, I was wondering if you are using your old wooden (less expensive) Supers or converting to Lyson boxes (very expensive with shipping to Wash. State)? I only ask because I don't have any 8-frame equipment, as I built 10 frame Bee Barns last year, so starting fresh with the Lyson 8-9 equipment.

[@vinofarm]

I’m using my old 8 frame wooden supers. Queen excluder will sit on the lip of the Lyson box and then supers will stack. They will be strapped together like I’ve been doing before.

[@davejoly4690]

@@vinofarm I don’t have any of the lyson boxes yet, so no idea of the foam strength, but I’m wondering if the weight of a couple full medium supers could crush or compress the raised lip of the lyson box, making a funky fit next time the winter top box goes on the brood box. They must be like solid plastic to take that kind of weight?

[@vinofarm]

@@davejoly4690 They feel like 2x6s or 2x8s. Super dense. I would be comfortable standing on the top of a Lyson hive,

[@davejoly4690]

@@vinofarm Sold!

[@khbeefarm478]

I have a question. You are using a medium Lyson box. If you put the plexiglass in the box a 1 gallon feeding bucket is 7.5 inches high, but the box is Internal: 18-3/4" x 15-3/4" x 6-5/8" (to inner lip 5-7/8). I don't see the bucket fitting unless you make the cover greater than the 6-5/8 so the bucket will fit. I am trying to figure out what I am going to need to build the bee barn for me. I am liking what I am seeing. Thank you for your research and I like what I am seeing. Ray

[@vinofarm]

I feed in 1 gallon buckets. They are 1" too tall for the Lyson mediums. I noted this in the very beginning of the video. If I was going to do this again, I would consider using deeps, but then I would have need giant outer foam lids. What I plan on is just putting the gallon buckets in the mediums and setting my foam lids over the top. They won't sit flush, but I only feed in relatively warm weather, so it shouldn't matter much. The other option is to find or make a pail that is under 6" tall. There IS a liquid feeder product that would fit, but I don't feel like buying all new feeders. (The BeeSmart Ultimate feeder would JUST fit.)

[@khbeefarm478]

@@vinofarm Thank you for you response. I was thinking of using a deep for the box and that would work great. I believe you have one more video. Is that going to be how you do the honey suppers on the hive and what kind of top you use on that? Looking forward to the last one.

[@vinofarm]

@@khbeefarm478 Next week will be the video about the frames.

[@DougMcHone]

Next week's video on the frame building has me jazzed. I learned the hard way that the unassembled frames are different from one supplier to another. My hives this year had frames that I made start to finish, frames that started as deep frames, but I added medium extensions to them, and frames where I used top and bottom bars from a supplier and built my own side bars. That is my eventual plan, and I have located an inexpensive website that will sell just the top and bottom bars and I can (hopefully) use consistent measurements to batch out future sidebars. I never expected to be waiting with baited breath over a video about bee frames.

[@vinofarm]

I only make the sidebars. Top and bottom bars are just ordered.

[@601salsa]

Urm question.... instead of having box lids to store for winter why not have the outer box insulation on all year round and attach it to the chloroplast lid..... no need for storing bulky even if light winter lids

[@tonychaples4769]

in video one you showed putting expansion foam in the hand cut outs --would you recommend putting the two part foam instead

[@michaelwest5596]

I would like to know too.

[@sirwinstonhoneybees1376]

Same question-or why didn't you just use it when you made the boxes? Maybe you discovered the 2-part foam after?

[@vinofarm]

@@sirwinstonhoneybees1376 THe inner boxes had spray foam because it was more convenient to shoot it in vertically and put the outer boxes over it. Those spray foam areas will never see weather. These boxes are going to sit out exposed to the elements so I wanted something super dense. The 2 part foam is a lot more expensive, so I only wanted to use it where necessary.

[@ronaldwilliams2253]

Jim - terrific design. What container do you use for feeding syrup, given the relatively shallow medium box height? Also, I’m aware Lyson makes hive-top feeders for their 10-frame equipment, but I have not been able to locate one that works with the Lyson 8/9 boxes. Do you know of one?

[@vinofarm]

I feed in 1 gallon buckets. They are 1" too tall for the Lyson mediums. I noted this in the very beginning of the video. If I was going to do this again, I would consider using deeps, but then I would have need giant outer foam lids. What I plan on is just putting the gallon buckets in the mediums and setting my foam lids over the top. They won't sit flush, but I only feed in relatively warm weather, so it shouldn't matter much. The other option is to find or make a pail that is under 6" tall. There IS a liquid feeder product that would fit, but I don't feel like buying all new feeders. (The BeeSmart Ultimate feeder would JUST fit.)

[@point305]

Hi 👋 I'm building a beehive, what screw do you recommend, I know they have to be galvanized but I do not know what size! can you help me with this?

[@vinofarm]

Gonna need more info to answer this question....

[@point305]

@@vinofarm it's a ten frame medium box, I know you can put galvanized nail 25mm nails *6 but if you wanted to put screws instead, which ones would you recommend?

[@vinofarm]

@@point305 Probably just some 2 inch screws? I prefer 2 inch staples if you have a power or pneumatic stapler. And probably some wood glue in the joints.

[@point305]

@@vinofarm Thank You for that information! keep up the Great work 👍

[@reddivrbob]

Hey Jim, I now have the necessary boxes and materials to start constructing 2 of these hives, but I have 2 questions regarding the inspection/feeder box. 1. With using a Medium box and dado-ing a 3/8" grove for the acrylic safely above the bottom of the box, I figure there's only about 6" from the glass to the top of this box. What size bucket feeder are you using? I have several different 1gal buckets and the shortest is 7" tall, would not fit very well under a cover. Unless the cover rests on the feeder. (???) 2. The 2-part foam for filling the voids in the box sides, how much product was mixed (ounces each part) for each side? Or for the 4 sides, if mixed all at once? My apologies for nit-picking the details. Looking forward to the Frame construction video.

[@vinofarm]

1. I feed in 1 gallon buckets. They are 1" too tall for the Lyson mediums. I noted this in the very beginning of the video. If I was going to do this again, I would consider using deeps, but then I would have need giant outer foam lids. What I plan on is just putting the gallon buckets in the mediums and setting my foam lids over the top. They won't sit flush, but I only feed in relatively warm weather, so it shouldn't matter much. The other option is to find or make a pail that is under 6" tall. There IS a liquid feeder product that would fit, but I don't feel like buying all new feeders. (The BeeSmart Ultimate feeder would JUST fit.) 2. I mixed about 16oz at a time and very quickly poured it into about 6-8 super sides. After it cured, I would mix another round and fill in any spots that needed more and then went on to the next set of panels. You can always pour more in low spots and shave off excess.

[@reddivrbob]

@@vinofarm Thanks for the response, I must have missed the comment regarding height differences for the feeder. Could possibly build a shim to sit on top of medium box during warm weather feeding. But then that's another item to store during the winter. Good to know regarding the pour foam. Again, thanks for sharing all your experience and experimentations.

[@janazelenak6879]

Spectacular 🎉🎉🎉🎉design 🎉🎉🎉🎉 I was trying to find some insulation because heat is as bad as very cold so hopefully this will do the trick to keep them clean. Where did you buy plexiglass?? You should of patented!!!! You invented!!! Do it to day!! Do you sale the whole PCs unite ?

[@JustBees]

Food for thought.. you know that material used to make Croc shoes? Super lightweight foam stuff? Well it would be perfect for bee hivestoo

[@clarkw.4134]

I love the design. I'm building one now. Do you use the foam cover over the top box in the summer as well?

[@johnlinstra7058]

Did you consider using Clauss hive domes instead of the plexiglass?

[@davidlaing7684]

What is the average cost for the materials? Suggestion for the top cover. Even with the thermal break and sitting flush would a small notch where they meet for condensation drainage or does the connection able to weep out condensation?

[@vinofarm]

Everything is sealed at the inner cover level. There will not be condensation under the outer lid.

[@DDus333]

I think you should run your design by the Passive House Institute. You may have the first passive bee house here. Also someone in the back of my head is yelling “roll the tape”. Well done on the design Sir.

[@wendygrant2735]

Curious to see what moisture will do eventually in your design.

[@vinofarm]

You will get the full report.

[@timothyodonnell8591]

It was nice to see Mrs. Vino Farm (or more specifically, her hands) make an appearance.

[@vinofarm]

The foam pour was a full family event. That stuff sets up in a couple minutes.

[@sythguy]

Are you going to change up your super boxes as well? Curious how the switch from this observation box to "needs a super" process will go. Great series overall though!

[@vinofarm]

Supers just go on top of the hive body above a queen excluder. Just like before. These boxes may or may not stay on top of the supers over summer. (Probably not.)

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

Jim, loving the new videos! Just would love to hear your perspective on why you are keeping the extra insulation on the top box/inner cover only in the winter and not year round? I am finding that all around insulation is a huge help for the bees to maintain thermal stability in the hive. Its not just about keeping the cold out..its about stable temps which the extra cover would help with in the summer just as well. Would love your thoughts on why you see it only useful in the winter

[@vinofarm]

There is also insulation on the top in summer. Just not those big outer lids.

[@hyfy-tr2jy]

@@vinofarm Oh i know that...just stating why not leave the extra insulation on all year instead of just the winter?

[@vinofarm]

@@hyfy-tr2jy Those big outer lids are designed to meet up with the main hive body. They would just be flopping around on top of the supers in the summer. You'll see what I'm doing once the season begins. Stay tuned.

[@reddivrbob]

Hi Jim, In the intro video, I noticed that you were still using the CoroPlast covers and noticed what appeared to be insulation attached as you removed one to display the clear view box bottom of the hive. Are you still using these in summer or switching to the large insulation cover for year round?

[@vinofarm]

Those will be summer covers. The big foam covers are just for winter.

[@reddivrbob]

@@vinofarm Will you be detailing assembly of these summer covers?

[@vinofarm]

@@reddivrbob I might make a short video about them but we’re talking about gluing some foam onto coroplast. Once the season starts I’ll talk about them on a video.

[@danholtbk7008]

I like at about 4:15 where you say, "Ok, this is the fun part". Pretty sure I would have glued and screwed the whole box together and then realized I didn't put the plexiglass in!

[@tammyhoffman9942]

You may have a problem at the interface between the top cover and the bottom box. You now have 2 inches of insulation on the outside of the hive except at the interface between the cover and the top box. Because of the air gap (Thermal break), making the covers outside dimension larger than the top box, there is only 1 inch of insulation overlap at the seam. Not sure how that will affect the temp of the plexiglass viewing window. Something to check with your temperature monitoring.

[@vinofarm]

Remember that this is version 2.0. Version 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, etc will be better. I'm monitoring everything and will be modifying designs as I come across problems. Thanks.

[@apveening]

Make that 1.5 inch overlap (same foam, 0.5 inch airgap).

[@JustBees]

Styrofoam pellets in the dead air space is great too

[@kentforman8836]

I was thinking of just cutting packaging foam (or a few layers of foil-back double bubble) to fill the space. If you run a bead of caulk around that space and put that next foam wall on, it should make a great dead air insulated area for a lot less cost than that awesome 2 part foam.

[@lynxacresb5331]

You know. I find the comments really interesting here. A couple themes I’m seeing from those who don’t like the bee barns, essentially boils down to “but survival of the fittest!!” Which. They have a point. But also, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (which by the way was appropriated from the Blackfoot nation). But lets look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and apply it to bees. The very bottom of the triangle is food, water, warmth, rest (aka shelter). When we provide bees with shelter beyond the bare minimum to survive, and instead provide shelter that allows thriving…Jim at Vino Farm is already seeing the domino effects on feed usage, warmth and humidity, not sure if he’s mentioned water usage. That’s just affects in the very bottom of the pyramid. He’s also seeing domino effects on spring readiness, reproduction, hive size, swarming (aka increasing # of hives), etc. What kind of domino effects could we continue to see with bees, just by providing a shelter that meets thriving requirements, and not just survival requirements?

[@vinofarm]

Great points. The "domino effect" is a great way to put it. These things started out as a way to make MY life easier. Then I thought, while I was at it, I might as well see if I can help the bees out, too. Turns out everything that was good for me, was also good for them. The domino effect follows all the way back to the beekeeper. Yes, these hives are harder to build and take more resources up front... but the benefits I have seen over two years now make them worth every penny and every late night in the workshop. Who would have guessed that just giving the bees a decent home would increase their survival and productivity? What a crazy thought!

[@apveening]

Lovely video (as usual), there is one minor detail I would have done differently and it wouldn't matter for the end result. I would have drilled the smaller hole in the acrylic immediately after the big one as it is already in place on the wood as described by you.

[@vinofarm]

Ha ha... OK. That is a very specific criticism. I love it.

[@londonwerewolves]

This Old Bee House

[@chrisskaar6563]

I may have missed it, but are you going to talk about Supers and what the hive looks like during the Summer? Thanks for sharing; going to try to build one for testing this Spring!

[@vinofarm]

Watch the last two years of videos on the channel. Supers go on top same as a regular Langstroth hive.

[@hildebrandtrius]

Jim, this is fantastic. The one thing that is bugging me and only a little is that a solid wooden hive has more mass and can act not just as isolation but also as a heat sink or source depending on the ambient temperature. I am keen to see how things work out and I am sure it will be for the better.

[@vinofarm]

I'm not sure I agree that 3/4" pine board is going to act as any kind of heat source in a prolonged New England winter. The R-value of a regular box is less than 1, meaning the heat generated by the bees inside is just passing right through the wood. The point of the insulation (R-15 or so) is to hold that heat inside the cavity. There's an old belief that the sun warms the hives and that's what gets the bees going, but after watching thermometers in the hives for 2 years, I don't think that way anymore. The BEES generate the heat. They are a perfect heat source with built in thermostats. The heat stays in the cavity and takes several hours to pass through the foam. So they don't have to generate crazy amounts of heat, just a constant steady stream of it. Then on hot days, the heat from the sun takes several hours to get INSIDE, so the bees can take their time cooling. Again, they still have to cool, but that heat is not blasting through the pine box out of nowhere. The bee barn concept is not about the BOX. It's about creating a thermally stable CAVITY for the bees to hang their comb. It could be built out of concrete or mud or wood or foam... As long as the inner cavity is isolated from the outside temperature swings, the bees will be happy and productive.

[@WalnutGroveApiary]

Polyurethane (gorilla glue) works excellent for glueing foamboard insulation. It also expands into gaps. I also use Deck Over paint to protect foamboard. Very tough paint.

[@DougMcHone]

I know talking about frames is getting ahead of the current topic, so I apologize but I'm doing it again. The box is a deep+medium. If you have the medium box on the bottom, you would have the option of placing a permanent medium frame in one of the positions. The rest of the rack would all be extra deep frames, but that one space would be there for you to use your own regular deep frame in the top. The disadvantage is that you would have one frame in the brood chamber that you really can no longer get to. The advantage is that you could have a standard deep frame that you can pull when queen grafting. Likewise, you would have the option of using the green drone frames for mite mitigation. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this idea before my shop thaws out enough for me to make one.

[@vinofarm]

If that single deep is important to you, fill the space below the single deep with a dummy frame/spacer. I would not permanently leave a frame down below that you couldn't access. After you convert the bee yard to all XL deep brood boxes, you can move frames around easily and make nucs and splits just like normal. It only takes about 1/2 of a season to convert over and you're not losing anything in the process.

[@juantulyivkovich6444]

you should sell those extra deep frames

[@mikesmith6838]

This may be a really stupid question, but are you at least a little worried the bees won't get enough oxygen with this build?

[@cbbees1468]

Bees don't need as much oxygen as humans do. This hive box simulates a tree with a small opening that often (referring to the tree) provides homes for bees in the wild.

[@vinofarm]

No. If that was the case, they would have been dead back in October when I sealed them up. They move air very efficiently. Imagine a huge colony of bees inside a hollow tree. That single opening would be even smaller than what I offer them.

[@biggandon1479]

First?

[@karenmacleod6587]

I hate to say it, but you talk like most of us know what you’re talking about when it comes to products and tools. It’s rather boring if one doesn’t know what you’re talking about

[@vinofarm]

This is a very niche video for a very specific audience. (People who understand exactly what I’m building and want to know how I do it.) So you must not be part of that target audience. I will be returning to more general beekeeping entertainment as the season begins in March or so. If you have a question I am happy to try to answer.

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Could you imagine making a wall in your house with clear plastic on the inside and let bees build a huge hive in your wall and you could watch them work anytime you wanted lol

[@vinofarm]

Sounds like a neat idea. Like a giant ant farm.

[@planbeeapiaries]

Just be ready for when they propolize the plexyglass. They did on my observation mediums.

[@vinofarm]

Yeah, I'll see what happens.

[@ThePorrustyFox]

You're not fooling me, that's a minecraft block.

[@roxannaweaver2155]

😀😀😀😀Made me laugh, now I'm coughing!

[@mytube7473]

Really value your ingenuity. Nice series.

[@katepetit13]

I can't wait to see how these hives perform.

[@ddeboy002]

yippy!

[@dougstucki8253]

You've outdone yourself! See if you can get your hands on some raw wool from a local sheep farmer to put in that top feeder box. Way better than burlap for insulation, also reusable, and relatively cheap. I just gave mine a double rinse with no soap so there is still enough lanolin to repel other insects from nesting in it.

[@thehydrosource]

Hey How do you stop the bees from protolyzing the polycarbonate?

[@vinofarm]

Lots of training! Some colonies learn faster than others.

[@jarethgroves8194]

Hey Jim...all of your Amazon links appear to be dead!

[@vinofarm]

Hmmm… I just clicked each one and they all worked for me. What country are you in!

[@jarethgroves8194]

@@vinofarm hmmm I'm in the US. They all took me to the Amazon home page. I'll try again.

[@jarethgroves8194]

@@vinofarm Follow-up, I was specifically talking about the camera equipment links!

[@vinofarm]

@@jarethgroves8194 You know what? I clicked all of the links on mobile and they each worked. But now I'm on my desktop and they are doing what you describe. Ugh. If you click the main "Shop Link" It takes you to my shop page and then you click on the "VinoFarm Favorites" link. AMazon is frustrating. Let me know whatever questions you have about gear. www.amazon.com/shop/vinofarm?ref=cm_sw_em_r_inf_own_vinofarm_dp_dq5ck8grfljjv

[@schultheismatthius]

would this work with a very hot climate? would the insulation protect the bees from the heat as well? Awesome project dude!

[@vinofarm]

Insulation slows the transfer of heat. That's it. It does not generate heat. I believe insulation would help any beehive on earth.

[@dougstucki8253]

Absolutely! Insulation works both ways.

[@michaelbohlsen2760]

Again thank you for taking the time to instruct us.