Whats a bait hive? basically a box that you put some where out of the way in the hope of catching a swarm of bees in Spring and Summer or Autumn.
This bait hive box will hold 6 national frames ... just
The bait hive, note the hanger on the back with a whole in it to hang on a nail in a tree if required.
This is one end of the box with an entrance whole drilled in approx 28mm wide
inside shot of the box showing the inside hole. In hindsight I should have made the box deeper and had the entrance hole beneath the frame bottoms, in hindsight I have read in a couple of places bees prefer this.
Inside shot again. The length is just slightly longer than a national frame, then I nailed 2 pieces of wood on the inside for the frames to hang on. If a swarm does colonise this box with the frames inside then the will put brace comb between the frames and underneath the wood that the frames hang on but there is worse things in life. this box was made up on the cheap with salvaged wood.
Box with 6 national frames inside, note the end one. it doesnt fit correctly. Bad measurements?. I am annoyed as I measured 6 frames and then added the depth of the side wood on and cut, I think where I went wrong was that the frames I have added inside are not the same one's I measured for and frames from different suppliers/manufacturers can be slightly wider/narrower.
1 frame removed to show old comb that I am using as a lure.
the entrance whole is the right size for birds to get in so I have pinned some wire horizontal and vertically to deter them
The design for this bait box was inspired by Taylor McCartneys website, Cheers Taylor.
Wakefield today is damp and cold.
