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The boa hive was invented by Vladimir Davydov. The design is popular among beginner beekeepers and avid beekeepers. It is difficult to assemble a hive on your own. You will need the skills of a carpenter, the presence of a woodworking tool. In addition to the hives themselves, you will still have to make frames, since the standard ones will not fit in size.
Features of hives Boa constrictor
A feature of the Boa constrictor is its small size. The hive uses frames measuring 280×110 mm. Compared to the Dadan model (345×300 mm), they are almost a quarter smaller. Due to the small size of the foundation, the frames of the Udava do without a stretched wire. Honeycombs are held by a cut in the upper bar. Many beekeepers like this device due to the speed of stuffing, since the traditional pulling of the wire on the frames requires additional time. In addition, the wire tends to stretch during operation, which is accompanied by its sagging.
The hive consists of body sections. 9 small frames are placed in each compartment of the house. When all honeycombs are filled with honey, the mass of the section reaches 13 kg. There is a ventilation hole in the center of the ceiling in the Boa constrictor. Due to it and tap holes, effective ventilation of all sections occurs.
A big plus of the house is the presence of a basement compartment. The retractable tray allows you to conveniently install a mesh against ticks in the hive.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of Boa hives, the following points are distinguished:
- low weight of each section of the hive;
- a small honeycomb frame is well mastered by bees even with small bribes;
- there is no need to use insulating mats, since a favorable microclimate is maintained inside a small hive;
- the availability of the withdrawal of queens in the hive eliminates the need for nuclei;
- the lower tray simplifies the cleaning of the hive from dead bees and mites destroyed during processing.
Convenient Boa constrictor to use. During pumping out of honey, the sections are easy to carry. Each standard honey extractor cassette fits 2 frames. Due to the lack of wire, honeycombs can be carefully cut with a knife for sale. All elements of the boa hive are interchangeable. The beekeeper can single-handedly swap sections, frames.
The boa constrictor is practically devoid of flaws. The beekeeper himself can create inconvenience for himself if the hive is used incorrectly. To save space, the beekeeper builds up a large number of sections. Consisting of 10 or more bodies, the Boa constrictor turns out to be tall. The upper tiers are difficult to maintain. The section with honey is difficult to remove from a height.
Sometimes beekeepers consider the presence of a large number of cases and other elements to be a disadvantage of the Boa hive. It takes extra time to put them together. However, the assembled hive is compact and easy to maintain.
How to make a beehive Boa constrictor with your own hands
The assembly of the hive is carried out according to the drawings. To make a Boa constrictor yourself, you will need high-quality dry wood and woodworking tools.
Drawings and dimensions
A selection of drawings with dimensions will help you make hives yourself.
Hives
In each section of the Boa constrictor, the front and side shelves have a size of 375x135x30 mm. Sidewall parameters – 340x135x30 mm. The front and rear strapping element of the bottom is cut out with a size of 375x90x30 mm. The side element of the bottom strapping has dimensions of 340x90x30 mm. The size of the lid of the Boa constrictor is 375x360x70 mm, and its sidewalls are 342x65x20 mm.
The complexity of assembling the hive is the need to cut a large number of grooves. On the front and rear element of the body, 4 selections are required to be cut: from below, above and on the sides. Inside the case in the upper part, a groove is made for fixing the frame. At the ends of the sections, an inner and outer fold is cut out to connect the cases.
Framework
The size of the finished frame for the Boa constrictor is 280×110 mm. It is made from polished lath. On the upper element, a through cut is made to attach the honeycomb. The dimensions and thickness of the rails are indicated in the diagram. The elements are fastened with cloves or self-tapping screws.
Necessary tools and materials
To make your own Boa hive, you will need a woodworking tool. First of all, you need a compact circular saw for cutting boards. It is convenient to process blanks with a planer-thickness machine. A jigsaw will help you make an accurate fit. The notches are cut with a manual cutter. A screwdriver will speed up the assembly of sections. Another tool you will need is a stapler designed for 14 mm staples.
Collection
For the manufacture of hives, only a dry board is used. The optimal thickness is 35-40 mm. Elements are collected in a quarter. The screed is carried out with self-tapping screws. A visual instruction for the manufacture of walls is presented in the video:
The front element of each section of the hive is equipped with a slot for a notch with a diameter of 13 mm. On the side shelves outside, non-through cuts are made, which act as handles. The bottom of the Boa constrictor is combined. The pull-out tray is cut out of plywood, and it extends along with the back wall. About the manufacture of the bottom is described in more detail in the video:
The lid of the hive resembles puff panels. The structure is made of two wooden panels, between which heat-insulating material is laid. The inner panel is usually cut out of plywood, and sheet foam acts as a heater. A ventilation hole is cut through the center of the lid. Additionally, plugs are cut out of wood to close the notches.
Keeping bees in hives Boa constrictor
For hives Boa constrictor, beekeeping does not differ from classical technology. It is necessary to take into account only the peculiarity of a multi-hull house. A feature of the Boa constrictor is the preservation of heat in the nest when rearranging sections in cool weather.
Wintering of bees is carried out in 4 or 5 sections. With the onset of spring, retractable trays are cleaned of debris, dead bees. Experienced beekeepers stock up on spare bottoms. In the spring, a clean tray is inserted into the hive, and the dirty one is sent for disinfection.
After cleaning the bottom of the hive, they begin to inspect the nests. They look at the brood, the condition of the bees, the available food. Most often, the two lower cases are empty. They are removed from the hive, and returned 10 days after the flight. The new section is completed with foundation, put against the nest. Under the body put a dividing grid. Waiting for the first bribe.
Further actions are aimed at expanding the hives. Sections are added ahead of the increase in bee colonies. The hive should always have a margin of space to avoid swarming. During the collection of honey, the lower hulls are first removed. They will be empty or filled with bee bread. Ripened honey will always be on top. In preparation for wintering, about 8 kg of honey is left in the lower case to feed the bees.
Conclusion of queens in the hive Boa constrictor
In the reviews, the Boa constrictor hive is characterized by a convenient design that simplifies the withdrawal of queens. For these purposes, a special bottom is made. Its dimensions correspond to the section, but differ in a smaller height. The structure consists of a sheet of plywood with batten side rails. In the front shelf there is a notch with a fixed bar for the arrival of bees.
To breed queens in the hive Boa constrictor perform a number of actions:
- The Boa constrictor section is divided into two equal parts. Each compartment is equipped with two frames: one with closed brood, the other unsealed or with a fistulous queen cell. Be sure to put a frame with honeycombs filled with honey for food.
- The hive section is covered with a lid-bottom. The next tier of the hull is built up from above. The arrangement procedure is repeated.
- In each body of the hive, two queens are formed. Usually they are brought out 8 pieces in one Boa constrictor. Tapholes of each hull are rotated 90о, directing them in different directions of the world.
- When the queens are hatched, families are united or seated in other hives.
The convenience of the Boa constrictor lies in the absence of the need to use cores. For Dadans, this method of queen breeding is not available due to the limited number of bees.
Conclusion
Hive Boa constrictor is convenient for amateur apiaries. The lodge differs in compactness, accuracy, light weight of each section. However, productivity is average. Up to 60 kg of honey is obtained from one bee colony.