Vladimirsky beehive: the history of the creation of the Yakimov sunbed, the pros and cons

Beginning beekeepers are often interested in what is the best way to start doing this business. One of the most important and significant issues is the choice of the design of bee houses. Today, Vladimir's hives are considered a very popular and convenient option. It is they who are often used in the initial stages of the construction of their apiary. Such structures are characterized by certain pluses and minuses.

History of occurrence

The history of this sun lounger hive dates back to the nineteenth century. It was during this period that beekeepers began to actively move from decks to frames. Vladimir's hive was finalized only in 2014.Andrey Yakimov did it. The beekeeper improved the classic bed and increased the number of frames from 24 to 32.

Instead of slotted notches, he suggested making round ones and placing them in one row. As a result, 5-9 years old were used along the entire length. This approach makes it possible to interfere in the life of bees with minimal losses.

Vladimir beehives are made from soft woods. This helps keep the heat inside. Most often, such structures are made of poplar, alder, willow, linden. The roof is single-pitched, double-pitched or flat.

Pros and cons of the Vladimir hive

This type of hive does not require much attention. Therefore, it is acceptable to use it for beginners or people who do not have much time to care for bees and apiaries. The main advantages of the hive-lounger include the following:

1. Easy to use. This is due to the design features of the hive.
2. Getting lots of honey.
3. Great heating system.
4. Safety of the honey harvesting process.
5. Ability to use large frames.
6. No need to feed the bees. In addition, there is no need to build an omshanik - a special insulated structure for wintering insects.

Despite the large number of advantages, the design also has a number of disadvantages. Therefore, many beekeepers refuse to use such hives and prefer other methods of keeping insects.

The main drawback of the design is considered to be a violation of the ventilation of the houses. This disadvantage is associated with the presence of a relatively small sub-frame space. Therefore, the hives need to be equipped with ventilation devices in the lid. This will ensure a full flow of air into the bee colony.

Other disadvantages include the following:

1. Design dimensions. Because of this, it is required to allocate more space for wintering indoors.
2. Unable to expand the hive. If the hive is made on 32 frames, it will not be possible to use more such elements.
3. The need for more frequent extraction of honey. This is also due to the limited space. The design of Vladimir's hives does not allow building additional tiers.

Features of use

The use of Vladimir hives is great for growing families. It comes down to the timely division of the hive into several parts by installing partitions. So, to strengthen the bee colony, a partition is placed in the hive. This helps to force the bees that were left without a queen to grow one for themselves. Thanks to the use of two queens, it is possible to quickly increase the strength of the family.

Before the main honey collection, the partition must be removed. However, it is important to first make sure that the old uterus is still quite young. It is also required to catch a young queen in order to find a new family for her. If this is not done, one queen will be destroyed or both will die.

When removing the partition, it is recommended to fill the hive with foundation. This helps to create a vast field for the activities of a strong family. The best option for keeping bees in winter is the use of sun loungers. In such hives, the beekeeper can easily organize wintering by simply shifting the frames.

Self assembly

For the construction of the Vladimir beehive, soft wood species are used - willow, pine, spruce, fir, poplar. These types of materials perfectly retain heat and are characterized by resistance to moisture and the sun.

From the tools you should take the following:

• frame stapler;
• saw;
• woodworking machine;
• planer, router, jigsaw;
• drill;
• screwdrivers and hammers;
• screwdriver;
• screws and self-tapping screws;
• glue marked D-4.

Vladimir beehive is harvested using frame technology. First you need to make 6 shields for the walls, lid and bottom. They need to be stuffed onto the finished frame. To assemble the walls, you need to use 4 bars measuring 450 millimeters.

When finished, each shield should be 10 centimeters thick. If necessary, it is permissible to increase it, however, in this case, the mass of the hive will increase significantly.

It is recommended to connect the cover to the body with hinges. It should lean back so as not to interfere with the beekeeper's work. On the front wall, it is worth making tapholes with a diameter of 50 millimeters.

Advice from experienced beekeepers

To make beekeeping successful, you should follow these rules:

1. First you need to purchase insects. They can be ordered by mail or purchased from a beekeeper. When choosing a breed, it is worth giving preference to non-hybrid options. They can be bred on their own.
2. Be sure to buy the required equipment. This will require a protective net or a full suit. It is also worth using a smoker. In addition, you need to take a clip for trapping the queen and a brush for bees.
3. Purchase a honey extractor. It is needed for large-scale production. If the farm consists of 1-3 hives, there is no need for such a device.

Vladimir hives are considered quite convenient devices that have many advantages. They are easy to use and allow you to collect a lot of honey. However, when constructing such a structure, it is important to take into account a number of recommendations.

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