We had this "flower display table" that we'd bought from home depot when they went out of business. Plus, we had all this "excess" lumber in the back of our shop from previous decking projects....so - it's being TRANSFORMED.Transformed into a BEEHOUSE. I looked around on-line and found nothing regarding beehouse plans - so we're "winging it".
Essentially it's a DECK (about a foot off the ground) - with the framework above to attach ROLLED CANVAS COVERS (to drop the sides down in winter/bad weather). It will have a steel roof.
It will have LOTS of ventilation. Though you'd like to "protect" the bees from the severest of wind/snow....the hives must still have adequate ventilation (the cluster is breathing and releasing carbon dioxide). AND - you don't want it to be like Florida in there either. You'll still want the bees to enter a hibernation state - otherwise they'll be burning through their food stores early and they'd "think" it's nice out and try flying around mid-winter.
I'm figuring it will house 6 to 8 hives across - with lots of room for me to still work around them. There's plenty of height for me to stack hive bodies and supers. Now - I'll have to "expand my color palette" - and start painting the hive bodies other colors besides yellow - to help them identify their hives and prevent drifting.
You'll have to ask us at the next club meeting - "how we got this thing home!?!" Isn't there some saying about "painting yourself in a corner"? ha ha.
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