| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| NorthernMonkeyGirl |
"Urban beehive" - interestignStumbled across a blog piece about this http://www.design.philips.com/philips/sites/philipsdesign/about/design/designportfolio/design_futures/design_probes/projects/microbial_home/urban_beehive.pageNow to me it looks pretty cool, but how realistic do you think it is in terms of real beekeeping? 
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| Tavascarow |
From the little information I can gather from that site highly impractical.
The inside will soon get gummed up with wax & resin. It doesn't look like there is any ventilation which IMHO in a non breathing hive is critical. I'm convinced moisture build up would soon become a problem. The size is way to small for an actual colony so swarming & becoming honey & brood bound inevitable. From the pictures it looks like the main part of the hive is indoors & only the entrance outside. Fine in a shed but as a piece of living furniture only practical if you don't mind your house being filled with bees every time you need to open the hive!! So doesn't get my vote. If you want a more natural hive built on similar lines, & from a material that can breathe hang a Haengekorb somewhere dry outside. Far more beautiful IMHO. |
| NorthernMonkeyGirl |
I thought it looked too....neat!
Like the bee equivalent of an Eglu - appealing to the certain crowd, but probably missing some really obvious things. The one you linked to is beautiful though. I'm afraid my own beekeeping extends to throwing out seeds of lots of native flowers (including white clover when it arrives - I gather that's especially good? I bought it for soil improvement, but bees are a bonus )
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| 12Bore |
Some of the other stuff on that site looks interesting, early days and concepts notwithstanding. Trouble with Philips is they have great ideas and great marketing, they just can't build reliably. |
| mochasidamo |
I'm afraid my own beekeeping extends to throwing out seeds of lots of native flowers (including white clover when it arrives - I gather that's especially good? I bought it for soil improvement, but bees are a bonus ) |
White clover's good for bees on an alkaline soil...it gives good nectar then on a warm day as long as the soil's not parched (shallow rooted).