The Sun Hive - Natural Beekeeping

Sun hive is a popular type of beehive design and it makes your bees feel like they are in a natural hive. This beehive design was founded by German sculptor Guenther Muncke. This bee nest has an egg-like shape and it is suspended above the ground versus the standard beehives that rest on the earth. He designed this hive after carefully observing the wild bees nest. This reason for designing this natural-looking beehive is to promote natural beekeeping. Natural beekeeping means treating your bees as an important part of the ecosystem and seeing them first as pollinators and then as honey producers.

Where Sun Hive is Placed

Sun hives are not placed on the ground like other artificial hives. It is placed or hanged above the ground because bees in the wild never make their hives on the ground. This arrangement is optimal for the bees and they feel really comfortable. This hive is made up of three main things wooden frames, cow dung and rye straws. No paints or other artificial materials are used in this hive. Its upper part is made up of wooden frames. These wooden frames are removable and this makes the honey collection process easier.

The lower part of this hive is designed in a way to store the surplus nectar. There are no frames in the lower part, but it is made up of raw straw only. The top of this hive covered with a wax cloth. This is to protect the bees from attaching the comb to the upper skep.

Benefits of Using Sun Hive

Well, there are many benefits of using sun hives when compared to the other artificial hive. Though most of the benefits are for the bees.

·        Bees raised in these types of hives are much healthier and happier when compared to others. They also do not require artificial methods of swarm suspension.

·        But this hive has no outer protection from wind, predators and heat. Thus you need to build a shelter to protect it from heat and other elements. People also use to cover the hive with cow dung, which replaces the cover cloth and makes it more natural.

·        Sun hive looks beautiful and is very close to natural hives. Natural hives in the wild without shelter are unable to withstand strong winds and heat. This is why bees use to create their hives in hollow trees. Some experienced beekeeper does not provide shelter to sun hive, but they use other methods of protection.

·        Sun hives are not primarily meant for honey production, but it is rather used as a conservation method. These hives make great homes for these tiny pollinators. The bees live happily and there are very rare chances of colony collapse.

Conclusion

Overall, Sun hives have bee-therapeutic design and it is beautiful and natural. This makes are really comfortable home for your bees and keeps them healthy and happy. Plus it provides great protection against predators as it is hanged and not placed on the earth.