This is my take on a Beehive structure. You see, I have admired the structures built by Bees in nature over my lifetime.
We have forced these great architects to work in our Square socialites. True, they appear to love these boxes we build for them. But what if they hate these square boxes? Maybe they can not control the internal environment as they would like. Maybe they have been doing their best to conform to our needs.
My design allows them to control airflow more naturally. The Queen has the ability the travel the whole height of the structure while contained in a central pillar. This allows the queen to relocate to parts of the structure that would have an ideal temperature at that moment.
The frames are more of a cartridge than what is used now. These cartridges would have surfaces ready for the bees within the core of the cartridge. Verse on the “outside” of the frames, like currently used. These trays are accessed and removed from the sides of the structure, not the top.
Access to any part of the structure for a check-up can be done without taking bee structure apart like current designs. Panels, air access panels, to view and clean out the structure from side openings. Take the roof off to access various parts from the top and the Queen pillar.
Solar-powered IOT device to monitor temperature. On hot days, air vents “not known by the bees can be opened. Additional outer layers can be added during extreme heat or cold. Central core could also have some sort of warmer, using electricity or captured heat/cold in a large water barrel (in winter, a solar heater will heat the barrel below the hive, in summer, the water will be cooled during the night).
The queen and brood are all contained the the center pillar that can be removed from the top when needed.
Structure can be of any height, for a single Bee colony or 4 separate hives in a single structure.
The images attached are not complete and are missing items not shown. The images at this time are to give you guys an idea. More up-to-date info will be on my website once I’m able.
So that’s the basic idea. Now, if you are still reading, this is what I need to continue.
1st, I need knowledge:
• Min-Max Round hole sizes for all bees, Inside structure
• Min-Max entrance Qty, only 1 per hive, or can they use more than one?
• Min entrance distance from another hive.
• Do entrances have to face a certain direction?
• If 4 separate hives in a single structure, with an entrance for each hive, are on 4 different sides of the structure work? Weather/wind protection not shown in the current designs would be built.
• Max hole size to keep the Queen in the central area.
• Idea Queen living space size.
• The ideal brood the living space size.
• Will Bees “Eat” plastic that makes up the structures?
• What materials or surfaces will the bees not build on?
• Depth of fame, how thick would the honey area be?
• Max size of transportation areas.
• Minimum size of transportation areas.
• Idea wood type for queen and brood areas.
• Ideal temperature for the queen to lay eggs (Inside, not outside air).
• ideal temperature for honey production (Inside, not outside air).
• Ideal “open” space just within the main door.
• IOT IRC2 Arduino programmers needed for questions.
• Would a sheet of metal separating different queens and hives in the same structure work? Each hive would have its air flow.
• Seasonal exterior walls for extra protection and installation. Would the “View” of the exterior confuse the bees even if the entrance stays the same?
2nd Stage, Build Prototype:
• Find resources and materials to build prototypes (XX Large 3D printers 2m)
• Find suppliers and builders.
• Figure out the cost to build.
• Find beekeepers, hopefully local to me, to give prototypes a try and test.
• IOT IRC2 Arduino programmers needed for programming.
3rd Redesigns and future designs:
• Create a system to help gather Honey from new designs of frames.
• Find a production location to build and then sell structures,
4th Small Test Market:
5th final version with any changes released to the public
Any help would be appreciated. I have the time to design, and that’s about it. My current residency may not be an ideal test location. And at this time, I do not have any funds to support this in any material way.
Any comments, good, bad, corrections, and more will help me continue this.
Thanks!
`mike
*** Some notes on the images:
• The only “access” the bees have is to the center Queen pillar, the frames, and then the tunnels that connect these parts.
• Bees have no access to areas between frames.
• Human-only drain/cleaning plug by the Bees’ entrance.
