Beehive-lounger: dimensions and drawings, the number of frames and DIY

A beginner beekeeper needs to study a lot of different information - the characteristics of breeds, the principles of breeding and caring for insects, the arrangement of various bee houses. A sunbed hive is used in most regions, has significant advantages - often this option is recommended for beginners. It is important to study in advance the features of its structure, positive and negative sides.

Beehive lounger features

The appearance of such a bee house resembles an old chest - it is a horizontally lined rectangular box, the lid of which opens from above. Thanks to this arrangement, the beehives are called sunbeds - unlike others, they seem to "lie".

There are several variations of the same design. House Structure:

lower block - performed without additional holes;
top - hinged lid;
two entrances for bees - top and bottom;
several internal divided blocks;

Attention! One of the main advantages of such bee houses is that two families can be placed in one building. In this case, the insects will not interfere with each other, and the beekeeper will have the opportunity to observe two queens at the same time.

Detailed review of the 24-frame sunbed in the next video.

Varieties

Beekeepers often modify the usual designs of hives, and therefore, on the basis of one, several additional options may appear.

There are the following types of horizontal bee dwellings:

standard, another name is reverse Dadan (a different number of frames can be set, from 16 or more);
Kenyan - a lightweight version, the appearance is shaped like a trapezoid (often used in countries with a hot climate);
Belarusian - an insulated house, which is considered suitable for beginner beekeepers.

Attention! Few beekeepers know that insects do not sleep. At night, the bees are in a stationary state, which allows them to accumulate and store energy for the next day's summer.

Advantages and disadvantages

Beekeepers prefer sunbed hives for the following reasons:

It is easier for a beekeeper to work with such a design due to the fact that the buildings are easy to move around the apiary.Attention! One of the main advantages of horizontal type bee houses is the ability to inspect the dwelling from the inside. At the same time, the family in the hive is practically not worried;

such buildings are easy to maintain - clean from debris, rearrange frames, perform other necessary actions;
the size of the dwelling allows you to simultaneously place two families in one block, but the queens do not overlap;
larger house size allows bees to hatch brood faster;
the owner of the apiary can independently increase the size of the dwelling if it turns out to be necessary for the family;
experience in breeding insects in such structures confirms that you can get more honey in such houses;
structures can be stacked on top of each other, which greatly facilitates transportation, which is necessary at the end of the honey season or when changing the territory of the apiary due to flowering plants.

The wintering of two families takes place in comfortable conditions - insects will warm each other. Frames are easy to install even for a beginner beekeeper. The disadvantages include the following items:

hives take up more space than other options;
with an increased bribe, it will be necessary to start collecting honey and other products earlier;
in such designs, bees are prone to swarming.

To prevent the last process from starting, there are several proven options that are worth exploring if you decide to start working with sunbeds.

Dimensions and drawings

Buildings can be assembled independently, having previously studied the features and dimensions. The parameters differ due to the number of frames. Standard hive sizes:

case width - 56.5 cm;
home height - 63.5 cm;
cover - dimensions are calculated independently, the top block should cover the building, you need to leave a few allowances on the sides;
bottom notch - 1.2 cm by 14 cm;
the top is made round, suitable diameter is 2.5 cm.

Attention! In order to correctly calculate the size of the finished structure, it is necessary to take into account the number of frames. The distance between them should be 1.25 cm. You can do the calculations yourself, and then use the appropriate drawings.

Production

If it is not possible to purchase a finished product, you can assemble the hive yourself. A beginner beekeeper will need some carpentry skills, attentiveness and a preliminary study of information on assembling buildings. You will need to prepare some materials and tools:

boards with a thickness of at least 4 cm (the number is calculated from the number of hives and the dimensions of bee dwellings);
hammer;
nails or self-tapping screws (to secure parts);
planer, sandpaper (to make the wood smooth enough). Attention! It is not allowed to leave notches, chips, protrusions, marks, etc. on the surface of the boards. Small irregularities can damage the legs and wings of insects (including the outside);

wooden tongues;
selector, electric drill, shuntgebel, drying oil, varnish, paint;
handles and other accessories that will be needed for the cover of the product;
auxiliary tools - ruler, pencil, saw, square, level.

Experienced beekeepers may not use or replace some elements - but for a beginner it is better to prepare each of the presented elements in advance.

Assembly is as follows:

in accordance with the selected drawings, make markings on the boards;
cut and finish the surface with a planer and sandpaper to smooth out possible roughness;
assemble the box according to the scheme, make sure that there are no gaps and discrepancies (if you leave a gap, the bee family may freeze in winter);
mark the inside of the box;
fix the folds for the frames;
install the arrival board near the lower notch;
to the folds fixed at the top, attach a board 1 cm thick;
take measurements, calculate the dimensions of the cover, taking into account the protrusions;
install air vents.

On the sides it is necessary to install separate handles, thanks to which it will be possible to carry buildings. An additional base is fixed from below, on which the body of the bee dwelling will stand. Detailed description of the assembly in the next video.

You also need to take into account the characteristics of the hives, depending on the number of frames.

For 16 frames

In such a house only one family can be accommodated - there is not enough space for a second queen and a working swarm. Dimensions are chosen small (often they are repelled "when calculating for large houses).

For 20 frames

Middle option - suitable for beginner beekeepers. This is easy to make with your own hands. It is used in beekeeping more often than others because it is already possible to accommodate two families, but the parameters remain small (suitable for transportation).

For 24 frames

This option can be made independently, based on the characteristics of a standard lounger hive. Dimensions according to GOST:

height - 63.5 cm;
length - 87 cm;
lid on the enlarged part - 93.5 cm;
depth of dwelling - 56 cm.

Dimensions are drawn on each board separately, based on the selected drawings.

For 32 frames

This sunbed is often called Vladimirsky. Inside the house, 32 frames of an unusual format are installed - 43.5 cm by 45 cm. Often the hives are divided into four sections of eight frames. In some cases, the design allows you to place 4 bee colonies at the same time.

Maintenance and development of bees in beehive beds

A beekeeper should take into account some features of the development of bee colonies in sunbeds:

the house must be insulated for the winter (if the nests remain outside);
for wintering it is worth leaving more perga, honey or other food (at least 20 kg);
need to explore possible and appropriate ways to prevent swarming;
In the process of laying eggs, you will need to install individual light-colored combs.

For the winter, families should be separated by a dense partition. If colonies are not separated, one bee colony per queen will form by spring.

Small bed hives are suitable for beginner beekeepers and experienced beekeepers. In one dwelling, you can keep two bee colonies. In addition, it will be possible to collect more honey and other products. But you need to study the shortcomings in the content in advance in order to prevent possible negative consequences.