Eco Tree Hive
One of the many problems facing honey bees today is the loss of their natural habitat. One of their often favoured places is in the naturally formed cavity of a mature tree, several metres up from the ground.These cavities are formed from where the limb of the tree has fallen away from the main trunk or even the damage caused by a busy woodpecker. Many of these mature trees have long since disappeared as humans continue to exploit their surroundings.
Many modern beekeeping methods don't help bees in this department either. The homes provided for them are usually found near to the ground in thin walled square boxes which offer little of the benefits of a natural tree cavity.
Inspired by other bee guardians, I came up with my own version of a tree hive which aims to help redress this problem. Whilst providing a much improved habitat to that of a common beehive, it also allows the bees to live a relatively undisturbed existence and enables them to follow their natural instincts.
The carcass of the hive is made from 12mm hardwood ply. Cedar is used for the framework and both the interior & exterior are clad with 20mm Facade Cork ®,often used on the exterior of buildings, for its superior insulation properties
The interior is lined with sawn cedar, providing a rough surface for the bees to line with Propolis ® This is very important for the health of the colony. A spale is also inserted across the cavity to help support the comb
Roof bars are attached to the inner lid to give the bees a starting point to build their comb. a piece of old comb is inserted on installation to help attract a swarm
The roof is constructed from cedar that has been coated with a mixture of beeswax and linseed oil to further enhance its waterproof properties