It might surprise you to read that our post on different types of beehives is the most popular blog entry of all time. About once a month I get a call or email asking to ship a long Langstroth hive out to folks in California, New York, or other far-flung locations. Unfortunately, the shipping is too high and it is more cost effective to find a local carpenter to build one. I always send the inquirer a link to our plans and ask for photos if they build one.
This last week, Tony Calcara and Fred Gerberding at Twin Bees Apiaries near Springfield, IL, took me up on the request. They built a long Langstroth hive with some great modifications from ours. The biggest change is a bottom that drops out to empty out a dead-out hive in a second. Below the screened bottom board, they have a space for oil traps. The inner covers are more like those from traditional Langstroth hives and can be filled with candy boards for the winter. They modified the front entrances with a commercially bought hive beetle trap. When opened, the lid is supported by three triangle struts, which I’m interested to see how they perform, as I’ve broken one lid on these front hinges because of the weight and torque of the lid.
Enjoy the video tour he sent in:
If you’ve made anything from our plans, please do share them with us on Instagram, Facebook, or by email.