European Hive Management Differences

[Anonimo22]

So...I thought I'd bring this up as a talking point and question for this area.

I look at a lot of videos of how other beekeepers manage their hives. Its fun and you learn a lot. One of the things I keep noticing is that in the European beehives they seem to be keeping them much smaller than in North America. This seems to be true especially for eastern Europe. (And some places like Slovenia seem to really like beekeeping, and so does Romania.)

I wondered why they are doing it this way?

They also are doing something funny with the lids too that it looks like they have more insulation. (Wondering how this is setup and how it works. I only saw brief glances, sorry I don't have an example.)

Also Slovenia they are doing this interesting thing that looks like some kind of beehive wagon thing where its almost like the hives are put into a big chest of drawers on wheels with the hives acting like drawers that go into and out of pull out slots. Its really kind of neat to see. (Youtube it.)

And does it mean they are taking out the honey more often than the western example, of leaving in the honey as long as possible? It would be interesting to try to figure out what they are doing differently. I don't mind the big hives in North America, and I think they are great.

[Acebird]

Also Slovenia they are doing this interesting thing that looks like some kind of beehive wagon thing where its almost like the hives are put into a big chest of drawers on wheels with the hives acting like drawers that go into and out of pull out slots.

I can't imaging a drawer system where the bees are inclined to propolise everything.  If you left the hive alone for a week you would be in trouble.  You would also take a risk of rolling the queen.

[van from Arkansas]

Ace, I think I have seen one of these drawer systems on YouTube although it was not on wheels but fixed location.

The entire hive is placed in a slot in a fixed building.  The hive can be pulled out for typical inspections.  The hives were probably stacked 4 high, each hive encompassing a slot just built for holding a hive body.  I believe the purpose was winterization, conservative of heat with so many hives in close proximity under one roof.

Now understand I am guessing this is similar to what the author describes, but consider what do I know about European Bee keeping??  Never even been to Europe.
Van

[Anonimo22]

Ace, I think I have seen one of these drawer systems on YouTube although it was not on wheels but fixed location.

The entire hive is placed in a slot in a fixed building.  The hive can be pulled out for typical inspections.  The hives were probably stacked 4 high, each hive encompassing a slot just built for holding a hive body.  I believe the purpose was winterization, conservative of heat with so many hives in close proximity under one roof.

Now understand I am guessing this is similar to what the author describes, but consider what do I know about European Bee keeping??  Never even been to Europe.
Van

Yes, you are right. Sorry I haven't seen that many of them, and only on Youtube so I may have described it a bit off. And there probably are more in the small tiny building thing than on the wagons. (I don't know too much about it, but that's why it was so intriguing.)

I"m just curious are they getting something out of it that we aren't? Are they doing better than us? Or ...the questions just pile up when you see other systems in play. I'm not jealous or anything, but just curious.

[Acebird]

The entire hive is placed in a slot in a fixed building.
Van

I doubt that is a common practice in Europe.

[jimineycricket]

check out : https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/the-slovenian-beehive-arrives-in-the-us/
and : https://www.mybeeline.co/en/p/whats-the-buzz-about-slovenian-az-beehive

The problem I have with them is that they cannot be expanded to a larger size.