Hive stands

[Vance G]

Why does it help the bees to have hives on stands?  I have top entrances so the bee eating varmits or ants are not a concern.  I live in a high wind area and I can't see the extra ventilation being of any possible benefit to me.   I am not migratory and a pallet just strikes me as a place for a rattlesnake to live and get me some fine morning.  What are the benefits please?

[tefer2]

Around here they are raised to keep the skunks away. I would rather have skunks than rattlesnakes. :-D

[Intheswamp]

I would think it would depend on which part of the country that you're in whether you *can* place the hives on the ground.  Vance, I don't know if you've ever dealt with Argentine fire ants or not, but them and their cousins will quickly build a bed right beneath or beside something sitting on the ground and create tons of misery for all involved.  In our warm humid environment hive boxes and bottom boards wouldn't last too long sitting on the ground unless they were made of something rot resistant.   Also, if they're not on a stand then if you're using a screened bottom board it negates it's usefulness.

Ed

[BlueBee]

I can’t think of any benefits to a hive stand unless you have ant problems like Swamp says.  My hives set on the ground on a slab of foam.

Tefer, we do have rattlesnakes in Michigan!  They are rare:  http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12145_12201-32995--,00.html

[Vance G]

I am fasr north of fire ants and the ones that build nest under my hives, don't bother anything.  I used to worry aobut them, but they do no harm.   

[Intheswamp]

I am fasr north of fire ants and the ones that build nest under my hives, don't bother anything.  I used to worry aobut them, but they do no harm.   

You can put your hand down on something that a fire ant bed is built against...inside of 5-10 seconds your hand and part of your forearm can be covered by them...and they sting like a miniature yellow jacket but in large numbers.  If you're in a highly infested area you have to be very careful where you walk and stand or you can really get hurt.  The fire ants wipe out native ants.  Pray you never get them up your way.

Ed

[Old Blue]

I don't know if my stands help my bees at all, but they help me.  Mine are about 18" off the ground and I made them big enough for 2 hives but I only put one on each.  That leaves me enough room to put lids, boxes, frames, smokers, hive tools etc on while I am working with them or doing inspections.  It's more of a convenience for my back and keeping any frames I pull out from sitting in the dirt.  On the other hand, all of the boxes I pull off are 18" higher up than they would be if they weren't on the stand.  It also keeps the guard bees away from my ankles and pant legs :shock:  The 4 legs help make it easier with the ant control which is more of a problem with weak colonies and during the beginning of winter / dearth.

Old Blue
Taxed, fee'd and taxed some more in...
Kali-bone-ya

[beeghost]

I like my hive stands because I can look up underneath and see the activity going on in the hive without opening it. I am also 6'3 so it makes inspections easier on my back, although I do set the cover on the ground and then stack the upper deep on it when im going to the bottom deep.

I also like my hive stands because they are very portable yet strong and I can fit two hives on them. Around here we dont have fire ants (thank God!) but we have Argentina ants and they are a pain in the butt and will consume a hive. I put PVC pipe caps under each leg and fill them with water during the winter and then fill them with oil when the rains go away. This creates an ant moat and the hives are protected!

I also run SBB so the mites that do get knocked off the bees end up 16" below the hives, no chance of getting back in!!

[Michael Bush]

My purpose for stands is to keep the bottom boards from rotting and to make it easy to level 14 hives at once instead of one at a time...

[Vance G]

Thanks all.  I was wondering if it was some health or environmental benefit for the bees.   I guess your ants and wet and rot are a good trade off for it being 20 degrees now with snow on the ground.   I was really hoping Finski would come on and tell me I was crazier than a laplander raising reindeer in Florida or some such homely wisdom.

[derekm]

Thanks all.  I was wondering if it was some health or environmental benefit for the bees.   I guess your ants and wet and rot are a good trade off for it being 20 degrees now with snow on the ground.   I was really hoping Finski would come on and tell me I was crazier than a laplander raising reindeer in Florida or some such homely wisdom.

I'll tell you instead of finski... you are crazier than a half naked Geordie on a saturday night in january! :)

The bees would prefer 15ft...  18" is a modest compromise
@18" you can make it mouse proof ...
18" puts the brood box at a good working height.
@18" means anything falling out cant get back in unless it flys.... thats good!
18" means its out of the snow unless its really deep...
18" is 18" less of melting snow drenching the bottom of the hive an getting it cold in spring
@18" spores and bacteria  from rain splashed mud dont get on the hive

[tefer2]

derekm, is that your hive stands in the picture? How do they perform in high winds?

[Vance G]

Thanks all.  I was wondering if it was some health or environmental benefit for the bees.   I guess your ants and wet and rot are a good trade off for it being 20 degrees now with snow on the ground.   I was really hoping Finski would come on and tell me I was crazier than a laplander raising reindeer in Florida or some such homely wisdom.

I'll tell you instead of finski... you are crazier than a half naked Geordie on a saturday night in january! :)

The bees would prefer 15ft...  18" is a modest compromise
@18" you can make it mouse proof ...
18" puts the brood box at a good working height.
@18" means anything falling out cant get back in unless it flys.... thats good!
18" means its out of the snow unless its really deep...
18" is 18" less of melting snow drenching the bottom of the hive an getting it cold in spring
@18" spores and bacteria  from rain splashed mud dont get on the hive

I hope that is a sense of humor I detect
 15 feet is not practical.
At 18" I couldn't work on my knees and nee walk between hives.
I love it and the bees benefit when they are snowed under, wonderful climate control
We get winds that blow semi's over and trains off tracks, down out of the wind is better.
My bottom boards cost me under $2 to make and last for many years in my high desert area  We do not all live in the swamp.
Spores and bacteria live where my bees work and come home with them every day.
I plan on growing a crop and putting that fifth and sixth deep on and off full gets hard for an old man without intentionally making it worse!

[Intheswamp]

I hope that is a sense of humor I detect
 15 feet is not practical.
At 18" I couldn't work on my knees and nee walk between hives.
I love it and the bees benefit when they are snowed under, wonderful climate control
We get winds that blow semi's over and trains off tracks, down out of the wind is better.
My bottom boards cost me under $2 to make and last for many years in my high desert area  We do not all live in the swamp.
Spores and bacteria live where my bees work and come home with them every day.
I plan on growing a crop and putting that fifth and sixth deep on and off full gets hard for an old man without intentionally making it worse!

Er, go back and read Derekm's post....he said the *bees* prefer 15 feet...if the bees are given the opportunity I'm sure that height would be very practical for them.  Vance, you asked why people use stands and they're telling you, no one is trying to convince you to use them nor do you have to defend why you don't use them.  As for the "We do not all live in the swamp" comment, I picked up on that and to be honest with you I'm glad we don't all live in the swamp, too,....I'm really not very fond of close neighbors.  See ya 'round.

Intheswamp

[derekm]

derekm, is that your hive stands in the picture? How do they perform in high winds?

yep made them my self
they came through this winter fine... and we have plenty of gales... I strap the hive to the stand. A std cheapo luggage webbing with a turn round the central leg.
what you dont see is that I put two 4" length of all thread into nuts welded in tothe bottom of two of the legs and a set of scales under the third.

[tefer2]

Ok, I understand now.

[derekm]

...
I hope that is a sense of humor I detect
 ...

definitely !

[Lone]

I don't think this is relevant to you, Vance, but here is some evidence from tonight of why we use tall hive stands in Queensland and cane toad countries.  I have heard they will tap on the hive till the bees come out, and gobble them all up in a week or so.  And I haven't seen this, but I've been told they can climb on each other to reach further.  I lost count at 50 beneath the hives.



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The little coloured lights are cane toad eyes.



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Lone

[beyondthesidewalks]

And I thought we had it bad with fire ants.  Someone I've known in the desert south west of the US, maybe Tucson, AZ had a problem with bee eating toads.  We just have skunks, a few birds and a few bugs/arachnids.  Thanks for sharing that pic of the toads.  I've never seen anything like them before.  They look intent on eating your bees.

[KD4MOJ]

never seen that many toads in one place before.

...DOUG
KD4MOJ