Main features

During the cold period, Ukrainian Beehive Bjilnyk (UBB) provides unique protection of bees to a majority of threats and impacts.

In winter and early spring, UBB gives for the bees nest a very good thermal conditions as above and on all sides are protected by two separate walls and a layer of air between them.

Internal bodies additionally wrapped by insulated cloth, which keeps warm air around bees as well as in the hollow of a tree with very thick walls.

As seen in infrared images, unlike conventional hives, in UBB virtually no heat loss is happening through the notch, vertical ventilation, as well as through thin walls. The bees consume significantly less food and are not worn out. And in early spring with a significant reduction of temperature, there is no danger of hypothermia and brood disease.

As insulated cloth, it is best to use the material with a reflective surface of a thin layer of aluminum foil. This cover reduces heat losses not only by convection (air flow) but also by thermal emission (infrared waves). Also, such continuous cover of aluminum foil protects bee nest from fluctuations of the magnetic field. Some beekeepers offer to ground this protective shell by the thin copper wire.

Bee nest in UBB is protected from the noise and stress much better than in other hives because the winter cluster is located behind two separate walls, between which there is no binding element. Therefore, wind, rain, hail, anthropogenic noise or birds (woodpeckers, titmice, etc.) do not violate the peace of bees. They eat much less food and are less worn out during the winter because each disturbance leads to the loss of additional energy and vitality. Vibration from transport or domestic machinery or even walking nearby the hive can disturb the bee cluster. But in UBB inner chambers in winter are set on two thin laths, which rest on the bottom only by their ends. Due to this, much of the vibration is absorbed. Also, it improves ventilation and moisture removal from the bottom of the nest.

The bottom panel of UBB is composed of individual boards, some of them are not fixed. These, nonfixed segments of the bottom are very easy to pull out or insert from the sides of UBB regulating the size of the opening. This opening from the top or the bottom could be covered with shallow ventilation mesh or queen excluder. This allows adjustable ventilation in the winter or in summer migrations, protection from mice and birds, separation from fallen Varroa mites and waste or limitation of the bees from flying when pesticides are used in surrounding areas.

In the winter to protect from excessive moisture, Ukrainian beehive Bjilnyk is equipped with a unique ventilation system with heat recovery. This system removes the moisture produced by the consumption of honey by bees, and the heat of vent gasses and heat that generated by steam condensation is kept under insulation cloth around bee nest. The intensity of such ventilation in winter depends on the outside temperature and increases by warming and decreases when the temperature drops. For example, in warm days it is more intensive than in cold nights. Such feature helps saving energy and heat (food stored) accordingly. Instead, in the traditional system of ventilation through the opening in the inner cover by falling outdoor temperature the ventilation flow increases and bees have to spend way more food and energy for heating of the nest and the atmosphere.

For optimum setting and adjustment of such ventilation system with heat recovery beekeeper should take into account the climatic conditions and the size of the bees colony. By proper selection of the diameter of vent tube and height of its outer end, and by regulating the working section of ventilation ducts depending on the weather it is possible to maintain optimal conditions in the bees nest. Such ventilation system can be controlled by the intensity of steam condensation or by setting up sensors measuring humidity, temperature and mass, and connecting them to the recorder physically or remotely, as offered by Brood Minder (www.broodminder.com),  Buzztech (www.buzztech.nz) or BuuzBox (www.osbeehives.com).

All these technical features of Ukrainian beehive Bjilnyk enable the bee's cluster to be in deep tranquility all winter long and depending on climatic conditions and size of the colony to spend 2-2.5 times less honey than traditionally. Reduced load on the intestine minimizes the threat of Nozema and other infectious diseases.

Wintering and intensity of spring development are very dependent on the size of the colony and the state of its individuals. In autumn you can increase the size of the colony by feeding sugar syrup, but this usually impairs the "quality" of bees. Therefore, the best way to get a large colony is combining several smaller ones. With the first autumn frosts the bottom of UBB is overturned, and one chamber is installed on the top of the other of two chambers of adjacent bee colonies. Thus forming well prepared for wintering a large bee colony. In this case the bees do not conflict, form a common cluster and, usually in the spring, bees remove the weaker queen.

With this merger you can accommodate food stocks so that bee cluster and brood in spring were in the warmest area under the cover of the upper body.

The honey and beebread frames are placed in the lower chamber for spring development.

Thanks to the comfortable conditions, the bee colony in UBB during the winter is in a state of deep tranquility and the queen starts laying eggs later, usually after first flight. This reduces consumption of honey and preserves "vitality" of the winter bees. Also, this will significantly reduce the likelihood of hypothermia of brood and its infection (foulbrood, fungal diseases).

Very often in the traditional hive during winter warming the spring sun warms the thin front wall and provokes the emergence of the early brood. Heating of the brood requires a lot of energy, and if cold returns, the family may die from the lack of food or diarrhea.

In UBB, the insulated cloth creates the thermal cover around the nest, so the bee colony is developing very quickly and in the presence of food within six weeks after the first flight occupies both chambers. Good thermal conditions of UBB also contribute to better collection of spring nectar and pollen as more bees can switch from heating to the field work.

Maintaining the high intensity of growth and preventing swarming, the nest could be expanded, used for packages or splits. If you need to split the colony, the bottom is overturned and two new small boxes with wax foundations are set next to each other. Above each of them are placed chambers with bees. In queenless colonies new queen or queen cells are added. After the lower boxes with foundations are build up, they are placed on the top. To collect nectar above them, queen excluders are placed on them and large expanded super is installed above.

With the gradual development and occupation of this box, one colony with two queens is peacefully formed and adjusted of different sizes of colonies. The productivity of such united colony far exceeds the overall performance of two separate colonies!        

Honey supers are placed one top as bee colony develops further.

UBB allows an easy access to the brood chambers without removing the heavy honey supers. A beekeeper can easily lift common honey suppers with no help and set the thin bar or plank under. After fixing one of the sides of the honey supers by stretching or extra weight, the brood chambers on the opposite side can be easily removed and returned to the place. Thus beekeeper can check brood chambers, change their location, cut the drone brood or medicate brood area without the full dismantling of the hive.

As one of the methods of removal of the bees for honey harvesting, the thin film is placed under honey super and their entrance openings are prolonged by tubes. The film can also be used to split the hive and for creating temporary antiswarming  nuc or future colonies. Beekeeper doesn't have to lift or carry heavy boxes. Also, this allows to avoid creation of defective nuc colonies without flying bees. By combining temporary anti-swarm nucs or a pair of big colonies, bees select the best queen themselves, i.e. the replacement of the queens taking place every year without significant problems.

Like many other beehives in Ukraine, UBB has the bee entrances in two levels – at the bottom and in the supers. So during the harvesting periods bees can quickly put the nectar in the supers and it can be transformed into the honey much more easily. In summer evenings and nights the cold and dry air goes exactly into the supers, where it becomes warm and takes away water vapor, and then it is ejected  by wings of bees through the bottom entrance.

Without bee entrance in the supers bee colony spends much more time and energy drying nectar, because fresh air must be warm and wetted by bees before contact with brood zone.

In UBB the adjustable opening in big boxes can help to organize the additional ventilation in cold periods.

The outer walls of big boxes and the bottom board are painted with durable paint to protect the beehive from damage. By request, they can be painted in traditional Ukrainian flower ornament or in any other desirable way.

Overall UBB makes it possible to use almost all modern beekeeping techniques and virtually all available type of standard equipment. Smaller boxes can be made either on 8 or 10 standard frames and big honey supers accordingly 17 or 21 the same or lower height frames. Bjilnyk is more stable both in backyard beekeeping and for migrations, and in its production requires less wood than for typical hives.

Ukrainian Beehive Bjilnyk is a very convenient for beekeepers and is an ideal shelter for bees throughout the annual cycle. It promotes and supports the sustainable immunity of the bee colonies and increases their survival in today's difficult conditions.

Dimensions

About us

We are a team of two beekeepers of Ukrainian origin.

Iurii Dron, the scientist from Ukraine, Ph.D. in Biology, who started beekeeping 20 years ago. Although his grandfather was a beekeeper and had many hives, he had to start from scratch. Working in Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine, he’d researched soils. Beekeeping was only his hobby and pleasure of the weekends.

Gradually, step by step, he increasingly immersed in the wonderful world of beekeeping, revealing more and more of its aspects. In 2009, based on 5-year experiments with bees and their housing, he decided to patent invented by him beehive. Work on improving its research really captured him and the results embodied today in a very practical and useful Ukrainian beehive Bjilnyk (UBB).

Overall in beekeeping today, he possesses 5 patents in Ukraine and abroad, several scientific articles, the textbook. He is a member of COLOSS association and NGO "Bukovynian beekeeper." 

Vadim Manzhos is a seasoned beekeeper with 30 years of experience in two countries - Ukraine and USA (Southern California and Montana) specializing in record high honey production from single hive working with many different types of hives and beekeeping technics including multiple queens in single hives.

Why we are here

Ukrainian beekeeping has several thousand years of history and lots of impressive achievements. Today these achievements can and should be used by apiarists around the world and help humanity in maintaining honeybee. In particular UBB, which is very convenient and useful for beekeepers and bees. It creates optimal conditions for bees throughout the annual cycle. This provides bees of sustainable natural immunity and high resistance against all threats. Thus, UBB significantly increases the vitality of bees and allows them to survive even in conditions where traditional methods do not work.

Timeline

2004 - The first experiments with wintering bees by type "body in the body";

2009 - application for 1st invention in Ukraine;

2011 – 1st patent in Ukraine and 1st Article;

2012 – 2nd patent in Ukraine and 2nd article;

2013 – 3-rd patent in Ukraine and take part in 43 Congress Apimondia 2013, Kyiv;

2015 – patent in Russia and report (thesis) on the 11th COLOSS Conference;

2016 – applications for 4-rth patent in Ukraine;

2017 –

        January  –  international patent application;      

        July  - August –  crowdfunding campaign;

         November    – sending UBB to backers.

Risk and challenges

1. UBB creates comfortable conditions for bee colonies and allowing it to better withstand threats. However, it can not completely eliminate their negative impact. And no hive will help, if the bees have poor nutrition or their food gets lethal dose of pesticides. Also beekeeper should conduct an effective fight against pests of bees.

2. Standard sizes of Langstroth hive are different in some countries. UBB will be produce in two standards - inch and meter. With each order becker has to clearly specify the desired standard and sizes he or she wants.

FAQ

            Why UBB promotes the survival of bees?

UBB eliminates or minimizes the negative impact of factors that deplete the immune system of bees and cause of death, especially in the most difficult winter period. Excellent protection against cold, noise, vibrations, oscillations of the magnetic field, excessive moisture, pests, birds, extreme outdoor temperature, sunlight and wind provide bees opportunity to be in deep dormancy (hibernation, calm) throughout the winter, while consuming a minimum amount of food. UBB also creates optimal conditions for spring development of bee colonies and prevents the brood from hypothermia and helps  defeating infectious diseases. Thus UBB contributes to survival bee colony even in those circumstances, where traditional methods do not work.

               What (who) UBB fits best?

Most of all UBB suitable for honey bees:). If we consider the categories of beekeepers, the UBB is suitable for both amateur beekeeping and bee professional regardless of the direction of specialization. Indeed, the strong healthy bee colony is needed in any type of beekeeping.

Regarding climatic features, the UBB is indispensable in areas of high latitudes with prolonged cold period, and in the mountains and higher elevations of the continental climate. Good resistance and excellent protection against wind, noise are very much needed in the plain areas, as well as keeping bees in urban areas, including on rooftops or balconies.

Opportunities of the ventilation systems with heat recovery to protect the colonies during the winter of excess moisture will be very useful in areas with humid climate, sea coastal zones and in local valleys near rivers and reservoirs.

Reducing consumption of honey for heating and healthy bee colony with high immunity, as well as excellent service make UBB popular virtually anywhere you keep bees.

                What are the disadvantages of UBB?

UBB is designed for maximum satisfaction of the needs of bees. But at the same time it is very convenient and technological for the beekeeper. In UBB used standard Langstroth frame and maintenance do not need any special equipment.

The main disadvantage of UBB is that large honey supers are twice as  heavy as conventional hives. Such supers could be removed and carried by two people. With a small number of hives honey harvesting could be done by taking frames separately.

Also, UBB can not guarantee the safety against bee poisoning, poor diet or infectious diseases and parasites.

                How to deal with varroa mites in UBB?

By keeping bees in UBB, virtually all known methods could be used to combat the varroa mite. Through improved access to the brood chambers, the procedure of cutting out drone brood from the frame and installation of medications directly into the bee nest is greatly simplified.

Availability of bottom with mesh opening, what easily can be opened (closed), makes it possible to significantly increase the effectiveness of anti-mite medications, especially when using substances that evaporate easily.

                Could wintering bees in UBB be achieved without installing

                  a ventilation systems with heat recovery?

The main ventilation in UBB is achieved through the opening in the bottom, the size of which is regulated by removing or installing separate segments in the bottom board. The opening is covered with metal grid and could be easily removed for cleaning, if necessary. Such ventilation in the presence of good insulation top of the hive (thermal cover) is usually sufficient and natural for bees, because they always cover with the propolis all the holes in the ceiling and side walls.

The ventilation system with heat recovery can be used for enhanced removal of excess moisture from the top of the nest without significant loss of thermal energy in areas with very damp climate.

                Can components of UBB could be ordered  and used with available components?

Yes, of course. Because UBB used standard size Langstroth frames and standard thickness of wall board (20 mm), the majority of existing equipment can be used to combine UBB. Special attention should be paid to the size of the existing boxes (meter or inch standard and 8 or 10 frames).

                 Does UBB have to be painted or protected any other way?

For protection from weathering it could be painted only the external walls of larger boxes and the bottom. All other surfaces, including exterior wall of brood chamber boxes which sit inside of the large boxes in the winter is impractical and not recommended to paint since  bees treat them with propolis. This provides protection from fungus and strengthens their impact on the nest microclimate (through the breath, steam and water permeability).

                 What equipment of UBB is the best?

Choice of components of UBB and their number depends on the preferences of the beekeeper, applied beekeeping technology and conditions of nectar flow.

If the beekeeper is limited or in small amateur apiaries it is better using UBB with 8-frames brood chambers which have less weight. The system with 10-frames brood chambers better suited for  industrial beekeeping and high nectar flow.

Traditionally, deeper frames are used in brood chambers than in supers. However, if the honey is planed to harvest by individual frames, you can take supers with deep frames too. In this case all frames in the apiary will be the same size. Similarly only shallow frames can be in the apiary. Good insulation of brood chambers in cold period provides the ability for bees easily move between the chambers in winter and quickly evolve in spring.