Completed DIY Hive  with added zinc sheet roof

The Dartington Long Deep Hive is 930mm long, 475mm wide and 455mm deep - equivalent to two BS National 14" x 12" brood boxes placed side by side. The colony is held on nine British Standard 14" x 12" frames during the winter. The beekeeper allows the colony to expand onto 21 frames in the spring and summer by adding 12 additional frames which are stored in two special carrying boxes during the winter.

The long hive body has an entrance at both ends - which allows the colony to be divided horizontally for swarm control and queen rearing, by using a simple division board. Normally only one entrance is open - until it is time to rear a new queen.  The beekeeper needs to lift only individual 14x 12  frames that weigh 3.5 kgs (8lbs) when full of honey and brood. The top of the frames are at waist height - so there is much less stooping and lifting involved than with conventional hives.

Open-mesh-floor gives good ventilation  & serves as a permanent varroa screen

Day after bees were installed - two new frames of foundation added with insulated dummy frame at front

The hive body is topped by a single row of four 'honey-boxes', each of which holds 5 BS shallow frames weighing just 16 lbs/ 7 kgs.  This is less than half the weight of a normal BS honey super. This makes the hive much easier and safer to operate and since all operations happen at waist height - there is much less stooping and bending involved. This hive provides the same volume as two National brood boxes + four National supers -sufficient for a full-sized colony in summer, even when divided for swarm control.

The open-mesh-floor serves as a varroa screen - plastic trays are fitted beneath the floor battens to monitor the drop of mites.  It also provides good ventilation and enables bees to control temperature and humidity easier in summer. The side walls project 127mm below floor level screening draughts - but a solid panel can easily be fitted beneath the floor for additional protection in winter.  In practice I leave floors open in winter with no harm to bees.

Mesh floor with  full width 8mm entrance slot

PARTS OF EACH COMPLETE LONG DEEP HIVE
The 'built-in' features are included in every hive: legs; Varroa screen and collection trays; division board; spare honey box and cover board; 2 clearer boards; 2 carrying boxes I nucleus hives. It forms a complete 'beekeeping unit' sufficient to meet all situations throughout the season.

Note that this hive costs less than a set of National equipment providing the same volume and beekeeping features. The parts include:

• One Body, complete with permanent mesh floor, to hold up to 21 BS 14" x 12" deep frames  (frames not included)
•  Two landing boards (removable); 2 loose entrance blocks,
• Two insulated dummy frames - to be positioned in front of and behind the brood frames
• One division board - enables the colony to be split in half: a 'swarm' half and a 'parent colony' for swarm control
• Four legs - each leg is attached from the outside with coach screws and can be removed from an occupied hive if needed. 
• Five honey-boxes (1 spare), each will hold 5 BS shallow frames - Manley or SN2 
      (frames I foundation are sold separately)
• Five cover boards (including 1 spare)
• One standard flat roof  or optional pent roof, sloping to the rear end of the hive. Roof includes an integral sheet of 19mm polystyrene insulation.
• Two clearer boards - each will cover one honey box
• Two Porter bee escapes
• Two carrying boxes /nucleus hives - each will hold 6 British Standard 14"x12" deep frames
• One plastic Shallow Feeder, will hold 5 pints
• One plastic Deep Feeder
• Two plastic Varroa trays
• Four Instruction Manuals