Content
The Boa hive was invented by Vladimir Davydov. The design is popular among novice beekeepers and avid beekeepers. Assembling a hive on your own is difficult. Carpenter skills and woodworking tools will be required. In addition to the hives themselves, you will also have to make frames, since the standard ones will not fit.
Features of hives Boa constrictor
A special feature of the Boa constrictor is its small size. The hive uses frames measuring 280x110 mm. Compared to the Dadanov model (345x300 mm), they are almost a quarter smaller. Due to the small size of the foundation, Boa constrictor frames are made without tensioned wire. The honeycomb is held in place by a cut in the top bar. Many beekeepers like this device due to the speed of stringing, since traditional stretching of wire onto frames requires additional time. In addition, the wire tends to stretch during operation, which is accompanied by sagging.
The hive consists of body sections. Each compartment of the house holds 9 small frames. When all the 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. Due to it and the entrances, all sections are effectively ventilated.
The big advantage of the house is the presence of a basement compartment. The retractable tray allows you to conveniently install an anti-mite net into the hive.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of Boa hives, the following points are highlighted:
- 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 the small hive;
- the availability of breeding queens in the hive eliminates the need for cores;
- The lower tray makes it easier to clean the hive of dead bees and mites destroyed during processing.
Convenient Boa constrictor to use. The sections are easy to move while pumping out honey. Each standard honey extractor cassette fits 2 frames. Due to the lack of wire, the 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 and frames.
The boa constrictor is practically devoid of disadvantages. 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 honey section is difficult to remove from a height.
Sometimes beekeepers consider the presence of a large number of bodies and other elements to be a disadvantage of the Boa hive. It takes extra time to fold them.However, the assembled hive is compact and easy to maintain.
How to make a Boa hive with your own hands
The hive is assembled 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 your own hives.
Hives
In each Boa section, the front and side shelves have dimensions of 375x135x30 mm. Sidewall parameters – 340x135x30 mm. The front and rear bottom trim elements are cut to dimensions of 375x90x30 mm. The side element of the bottom trim has dimensions of 340x90x30 mm. The size of the Boa cover is 375x360x70 mm, and its sides are 342x65x20 mm.
The difficulty of assembling a hive is the need to cut a large number of grooves. There are 4 cuts required on the front and rear body elements: bottom, top and sides. Inside the case, in the upper part, a groove is made for fixing the frame. At the ends of the sections, internal and external folds are cut out to connect the housings.
Framework
The size of the finished frame for the Boa constrictor is 280x110 mm. It is made from polished strips. A through cut is made on the upper element to attach the foundation. The dimensions and thickness of the slats are indicated in the diagram. The elements are fastened with nails or self-tapping screws.
Required tools and materials
To make your own Boa hive, you will need woodworking tools. First of all, you need a compact circular saw to cut the board. It is convenient to process workpieces using a planer-thicknesser machine. A jigsaw will help make precise adjustments. The tapholes are cut using a manual milling cutter. A screwdriver will speed up the assembly of sections. Another tool you will need is a stapler designed for 14 mm staples.
Collection
To make hives, only dry boards are used. The optimal thickness is 35-40 mm. The elements are collected in quarters. The screed is carried out using self-tapping screws. Visual instructions for making walls are presented in the video:
The front element of each section of the hive is equipped with a slot for a hole with a diameter of 13 mm. On the outside of the side shelves, blind cuts are made that act as handles. Boa constrictor bottom combined. The retractable tray is cut out of plywood, and it slides out along with the back wall. They talk about making the bottom in more detail in the video:
The hive cover 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 the insulation is sheet foam. A ventilation hole is cut in the center of the lid. Additionally, to close the entrances, plugs are cut out of wood.
Keeping bees in hives Boa constrictor
For hives Boa constrictor beekeeping no different from classical technology. It is only necessary to take into account the peculiarity of a multi-hull house. A feature of the Boa constrictor is to retain 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, the retractable trays are cleared of debris and 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, and the available food. Most often, the two lower buildings are empty. They are removed from the hive and returned 10 days after flying around. The new section is equipped with wax and placed against the nest. A separating grid is placed under the body. They are waiting for the first bribe.
Further actions are aimed at expanding the hives. Sections are added in advance of the increase in bee colonies. There should always be some extra space in the hive to prevent swarming. When collecting honey, the lower casings are removed first. They will be empty or filled with beebread. Ripe honey will always be on top. In preparation for wintering, about 8 kg of honey is left in the lower building to feed the bees.
Reproduction of queens in the hive Boa constrictor
In reviews, the Boa hive is characterized by a convenient design that simplifies the removal of queens. For these purposes, a special bottom is made. Its dimensions correspond to the section, but differ in smaller height. The structure consists of a sheet of plywood with side trim made of slats. In the front shelf there is a hole cut with a fixed bar for the arrival of bees.
To remove the queens from the hive, the Boa constrictor performs a number of actions:
- The Boa section is divided into two equal parts. Each compartment is equipped with two frames: one with closed brood, the other unsealed or with a fistula queen cell. Be sure to place a frame with honeycombs filled with honey for food.
- The hive section is covered with a lid-bottom. The next tier of the body is built up from above. The arrangement procedure is repeated.
- Two queens are formed in each hive body. Usually they are bred 8 pieces in one Boa constrictor. The tapholes of each body are rotated 90O, directing them to different directions of the world.
- When the queens are hatched, the colonies are united or placed in other hives.
The convenience of the Boa is that there is no need to use cores.For the Dadans, this method of queen rearing is not available due to the limited number of bees.
Conclusion
The Boa hive is convenient for amateur apiaries. The house is compact, neat, and light weight of each section. However, productivity is average. One bee colony produces up to 60 kg of honey.
