This is my take on a Beehive structure. Over the years, I have admired the structures built by Bees in nature.
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. Perhaps 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.
• This is not a complete design, meant to express the design.
• Only space open to bees is the travel air flow space, queen area, brood area, and the frames; bees have no access to “dead” areas in the draft design.
• Frames can be blocked from use until the hive needs to expand.
• Modular design can be stacked to expand. Images are just a proof draft.
• Hard to see, but bees can travel vertically or horizontally from/frame to another or the center area.
• Center core is not designed yet, but vertical and horizontal access from bottom to top for all bees.
• The center core is meant as a safe space for Queen and Brood; they choose.
• The “space” between the cartridges (frames) is not available to the bees in any way or airflow, solid mass between cartridges. Insulation.
• This design means more “human” time to check and process, giving the bees much more time for their own needs. Without destroying the internal structure.
• Removing the frames and Hive check up does not affect the internal structure of the hive; all the bees’ pathways stay intact. With layered hives, the paths are broken and the bees have to recreate them, fix them, but never as they it was before the paths were broken.
• Processing the honey only affects the frame location you are taking, and no internal structure damage is caused.
• The spiral is meant as a workaround to give the bees the impression they are in a large, tall vertical tree hive. While making room for the Frames.
• The farther away from the center, the more insulated the areas become. Keeping the center stable year-round.
• May not look at it, but the design is made with the plans of future cleaning, unblocking made easy. And repair.
• The images are a basic draft; many parts are not shown, and what you see are more place markers, so you can get an idea.
• 1st Prototypes will be 3D printed. Once the design is finalized, a Modular 3D printed version, a Modular injection molded version, and a wood version will be made. All plans and files needed will be shared freely.
• The only entrance for the bees is a single big entrance. The oval hole next to it is for drainage and cleaning (bees have no access to this hole). The larger bottom green and top red areas are for human access and forced air if needed, when closed it air tight.
• The frames in the picture are not what they will be. An internal release and lock, a clearing room, and frame blockers are not shown.
• The frames on the images are 260mm x 450mm x 45mm. This will change, also my bee space in the images is 25mm, I’m changing it to 9.5mm.
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.
