The log hive

In the wild the honeybees usual abode would be cavities in trees caused by naturally broken off limbs or heart rot. The preferred cavity would be 4 to 6 meters above ground, away from any natural predators. The log hives produced by us mimic these natural abodes. We produce 5 types of log hives. Logs used for the production of the hives are sustainably sourced and come from wind felled trees or those that were felled due to safety concerns.  All 5 types of log hive have an average volume of 35 to 40 liters. Research shows us that this is the ideal volume for a honeybee colony. The thick walls of the log hive provides lots of insulation to the colony. It keeps the honeybees warm in the winter when it's really needed and it stops the nest from overheating in the summer. The more stable the temperature inside the nest is the less stress on the bees. 

This log hive most closely mimics a natural nesting site as it can be placed 4 to 6 meters up in a tree. The conservation log hive has a cavity with a diameter of 8" - 10" wide and a volume of 35 to 40 liters. It has a removable floor for inspection. An insulated felt roof protects the top of the hive. It comes with heavy duty adjustable straps for securing it to the tree.

The elevated conservation log hive is designed for areas where there are no suitable trees to place a log hive in. This conservation log beehive comes with a reed thatch hackle. It is elevated 2 meters above the ground by three legs. This hive also has a removable floor for inspections.

The standing log hive is designed for people that would like to harvest honey but still want to provide a more natural living environment for the honeybees. On average the logs are 1.5 meter long. The volume of the chamber is around 60 - 70 liters. It has a side entrance which can be used for inspection and to harvest honey. This log hive comes with a hazel and reed hackle which is secured to the log. 

This is a horizontal log beehive, designed especially for educational purposes. A clear window on one side of the log hive allows you to see inside without disturbing the colony. It comes with a stand which can be made to size to suit personal preferences.

We have created this log beehive for people that have bees already but are looking for a more bee friendly hive. This type of log hive can receive up to 10 frames. With this you can transfer a full brood box into the log hive. We can adjust the cavity width to suit most frames. 

Once the bees have been transferred from a conventional hive in to this log beehive the bees will extend comb on to the bottom of the frames and it will allow them to move up and down uninterrupted throughout the seasons as you would see in tree cavities.