By Joshua Kato
There are several hives. Kenya Top Bar Hive goes for between sh100,000 to sh120,000, the Modern Hive or Langstroth hive goes for around sh150,000 to sh200,000 not colonized or over sh250,000 when colonized.
There are also larger modern hives that are more expensive. However, you can make your hive using materials that are readily available on your farm.
These may include old tree trunks for example, many of which you do not even consider to be valuable. You can also use banana fibres or papyrus to create basket hives.
In apiary, a hive made using tree logs is called a Log hive. All you need to do is cut the log to a length of say four feet and scoop out the inside to create a hollow inside. Both sides of the log are sealed to leave small openings through which the bees access them.
When it comes to harvest time, the log is simply split open and the honeycombs are removed. If you want to use the same logs again, all that you need to do is to combine two hollow logs and at the time of harvest you separate them, remove the honeycombs and stitch them together again in preparation for the next harvest. There are also modernised local hives where a queen extruder is included. These cost sh70,000 including the stand.
You can also use banana fibres to make cheap hives. This is when flexible sticks are woven together in a conical shape. The outside is then smeared with wet soil mixed with animal dung. Both ends of the cone are then sealed with leads made out of banana fibre and grass.
Other bee hives that can be made using readily available materials include the grass hive and the gourd hive. Although these improvised hives do not harvest as much as the top bars, they can sufficiently meet your family’s honey needs and even save some for sale. Why not try it out today?
