Beehive methods and evolution by Eco Bee Box
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Beekeeping by Eco Bee Box the producer of the Mini Urban Beehive
Publication can be found on EBay, Amazon, or EcoBeeBox.com
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It has been over 9 years since Eco Bee Box began. Imagine that! During that time the corner hardware was developed, then locking clips, entrance reducers and finally the metal replacement rabbets. Pretty cool so far huh?
During this same time, the Mini Urban Beehive (MUB) was developed to teach new beekeepers, and how to raise local queens. This mini hive showed promise for taking tiny colonies through winter, and since proved they could withstand even a Saskatchewan winter of -50 Celcius by an inexperienced beekeeper. An additional benefit was the MUB was less intimidating for a child or senior and easier to use.
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Eco Bee Box awarded Most Innovative company in Utah 2014
and the P. F. ThurberAward for Inventiveness by the Western Apicultural Society 2017
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The mini began as a plain hive but evolved into a work of art for both the beekeeper and the bee-yard the hive was in. The typical mini has 4 boxes which are quarter the size of a standard medium Langstroth hive. Quartering a hive adds to producing faster splits, not done anywhere prior. These quarter boxes could be placed on a standard hive to populate, then later separate for splits. This was only the beginning! The mini now multiple carvings, an observation window, a landing board, locking clips, entrance reducer, corner support brackets, top and bottom entrance, 6 frames per box, is made of 100% western red cedar, can come equipped with a vertical separation board, queen separator, candy-board, is designed with 3/8″ bee space throughout, and can be hung or mounted on a pole or as a stand alone. Versatility of the MUB surpasses all other hives as the mini frame can be attached onto any other style of frame/system in beekeeping. This sharing of frames allows for saving other colonies that are at risk of failure otherwise.
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The Mini Urban Beehive for new beekeepers or advanced. This system allows the backyard beekeeper to generate locally mated queens off of newly developed genetics.
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After the mini hive was developed the 26 frame comb box was designed, but even this evolved to hold 30 frames now. This naturally formed comb frame hive was initially meant for comb honey but later utilized for brooding prior to producing splits. Imagine using 30 frames for splits rather than the usual 10? As a comb box this equipment is as simple as it gets, passing Randy Oliver’s test for simple honeycomb production. Produce comb honey, remove the mini frame, then cut out the honey and place it into a baggy and completely squish it, pop holes with a tooth-pick and let drain into a jar. 100% natural honey with no processing. Or simply follow the photos:
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| Remove capped frames of honey from a beehive, then cut out the comb. Completely squish and place in a strainer, then cover and set in the sun. |
Later the multi-frame comb box was used as a stand alone hive, and was found to be amazing at producing seasonal varieties of honey and open brood for splits. Once it is filled with open cells of brood, remove the queen and in 3-5 days it is packed with removable queen cells. These frames can be removed and wired into a standard deep frame/top-bar slat/ as well as a Warré hive. The frame size is identical as the mini hive, so using the mini for a mating nuc is a natural step.
  
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| 30 Frame Comb Box by Eco Bee Box |
The next to be developed is the “Bee Sanctuary” or horizontal hive. Initially, it was equivalent to a 3 box horizontal medium but later was changed to a double medium with access to super it with a double medium with the lid fully closed. This hive has multiple carvings, support brackets, top, and bottom entrances, separation boards, and the ability to use a mini frames, standard medium frames, and standard deep frames. It also can be divided into as many as 8 mating nucs but is usually set up for 4. This hive was designed off of the top-bar hive and utilizes all of it’s benefits and those of the Langstroth system. This hive evolved since 2012. Shipping was a challenge initially with its size but now is set in a single tight mostly assembled box.
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Horizontal Hive called the Bee Sanctuary by Eco Bee Box.
The open hive is in the UC Davis apiary
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| Horizontal Beehive by Eco Bee box |
The amazing part of the above system is children to seniors can work them and repairs are not needed. Learning how to care for bees, when to harvest, how to harvest, rearing local queens, performing splits, mating virgin queens, seeing brood patterns with eggs and larvae and knowing what is happening and why is all a part of the above system.
This is an American built beehive and is designed for education. This system also inhibits mite expansion.
Next on the list of development is the ability to produce “Observational” hives. With the corner support system, any Eco Bee Box hive can be an observational hive from partly to 100%. Any size, any panel, it is that versatile.
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| Eco Bee Box Observational Hive Systems |
Last on the list of development is the Modern Vintage look hive. These hives were made to re-use and reclaim old lumber. Well…not only is it possible to reclaim lumber, 150-year-old lumber has been reused with little issues. Aging the copper to match the look added to the attractive feature of the hives. In our day people specialize their purchases in cars, homes, clothing, food to the nth-degree. So now also the hive can be made as the homeowner or beekeeper wants and needs.
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| Modern Vintage Backyard Beehives by Eco Bee Box |
These hives can be an attractive part of any landscape or location. Thus the label of Apiary Artisan was given to describe Eco Bee Box’s equipment.
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| Apiary Artisan beehives by Eco Bee Box, beehives made in Salt Lake City, Utah = American Made! |
