Question 1

How does HiveGate work?

Accepted Answer

HiveGate works with the bees by supporting their natural defence ability against intruding wasps. By creating an extended hive opening length and positioning the internal entrance at the point where bee numbers are naturally the strongest at defending, they have the best chance of overcoming wasps. In addition HiveGate makes it very difficult for wasps to exit a hive, they mostly die inside the hive, this is beneficial as this means there are fewer wasps communicating back to their nest about another weak beehive.

Question 2

Will HiveGate fit my hive?

Accepted Answer

Good question. We cannot be sure that it will, we have however designed it that it will suit a variety of hives made in the world. We have also chosen to manufacture HiveGate from HDPE so that they can be easily cut to suit unique hives. The periscope attachment also allows for the fitment of the tunnel to hives that have entrance ways above the base level of the hive.

Question 3

Can I still install HiveGate if my hive is already being robbed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Even if wasps or bees are already robbing your hive it is still adisable to fit a HiveGate. The bees will adjust to the HiveGate quickly. Robbing attempts by bees or wasps may not immediately stop but, but will do over the next day or so. Attempts by robbers to enter the hive will become unsuccessful as the bee colony now has the ability to take control of their entrance. Additionally, robbing bees and wasps that do manage to enter the hive through the inside entry of the HiveGate are unlikely to get out and will die inside the hive. You may find it will take the bees a couple of days to dispose of the dead robber bees or wasps. Your bees will however be able to clean the hive through the HiveGate.

Question 4

Does HiveGate work with a slatted rack?

Accepted Answer

For the bees to properly engage with HiveGate, the HiveGate needs to be positioned just under the bottom of the frames. This way the colony can control the internal entrance of the HiveGate by sculpting their bodies over the internal entrance and by always being ‘on the door’. However, if you use a slatted rack, and place the HiveGate on the bottom board under the slatted rack, this will create a space of several inches between the HiveGate’s internal entrance and the bottom of the frames. The colony is now further removed from the internal entrance of the HiveGate and has less control than it could have. Click here for a suggestion on how to install HiveGate whilst still using a slatted rack. The suggestion is to place the HiveGates on top of the slatted rack, which positions the internal HiveGate entrance close to the bottom of the frames.

Question 5

Does HiveGate fit in a British National Hive?

Accepted Answer

HiveGate can be fitted in a British National hive. Even though the National hive is less long than the Langtsroth, the bees will still engage with the HiveGate the way it is intended.
The main thing is to position HiveGate close to the bottom of the frames. This way the bees can properly engage with the internal entrance of HiveGate. The colony will control the internal entrance by sculpting their bodies over the entrance and always being ‘at the door’. The bees will open, close, and manage the internal entrance as they see fit. This control of the entrance enables the bees to effectively control the airflow and climate inside the hive, using fewer resources and less energy, plus it enables the colony to effectively defend against robbing by intruders.
Mesh floor?

Question 6

Will a HiveGate slow honey production?

Accepted Answer

We have not undertaken statistical research to establish if a fitted HiveGate will reduce honey production. We have fitted up to two tunnels in peak nectar flow periods on strong hives and from our observations bee activity was normal. If however your beehive is strong and there is little threat of wasp activity then there is little benefit in leaving a HiveGate attached. During peak nectar flow, wasps usually have enough alternate food sources to not have to raid beehives.

Question 7

How quickly will bees adapt to HiveGate?

Accepted Answer

From our observation hives, during different seasons we found that bees start using the tunnel immediately, however it takes 15minutes to an hour for the hive to fully adapt.

Question 8

Will my hive overheat due to the HiveGate being attached?

Accepted Answer

Interestingly, we have observed the opposite. When correctly fitted the internal entrance of the hive is positioned at the cluster point and the tunnel construction appears to create a vortex effect allowing to cool at the point where it is needed most.

Question 9

Are any chemicals used to control wasps with a HiveGate?

Accepted Answer

This is what is so good about using a HiveGate, absolutely no chemicals are required. No lures, no baits, no poisons. HiveGate works by tapping into the natural defence mechanisms of the bees.

Question 10

Can my bees still keep the inside of their hive clean when a HiveGate is fitted?

Accepted Answer

This was a major concern of ours when we first developed the concept, however after testing various prototypes, throughout the season we have not experienced any circumstances where the bees were unable to keep the inside of their hive clean

Question 11

How important is the position of the internal entrance of the tunnel?

Accepted Answer

This is very important. Especially when the temperature is low, but warm enough for wasps, we have found that bees are ineffective in guarding their hive entrance. So especially in these situations it is important to have the internal hive entrance as close as possible to the bee cluster.

Question 12

Will my bees clog up the tunnel when they are busy?

Accepted Answer

The tunnel and periscope is designed to restrict the opening entrance size so that the bees are better able to defend themselves. We have found that even in strong hives, HiveGate did not appear to clog. However if your beehive is strong and there is no threat of wasps we recommend removing HiveGate for these periods.

Question 13

How many seasons will my HiveGate last?

Accepted Answer

This largely depends on how roughly you handle the product. If undamaged during handling the HiveGate will last many seasons. The plastic we use for HiveGate is durable and UV stabilized.

Question 14

When do I use Periscope?

Accepted Answer

The periscope is only required when fitting the tunnel to hives where the hive entrance is sitting above the level of the hive base. These situations often exist in nucleus hives.

Question 15

Will HiveGate be damaged by formic acid?

Accepted Answer

No, it will not be.
 
However being made of plastic material we do not recommend exposing the product to sustained temperatures above 75oC.

Question 16

How often should I clean my HiveGate?

Accepted Answer

We recommend cleaning your HiveGate as you would normally clean your hive componentry. HiveGate does not have any special cleaning requirements.

Question 17

Can the tunnel or periscope be permanently fixed to my hive?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we have designed fixing holes and tabs to allow for this. The advantage of a permanent fix is that the products cannot be accidently dislodge.

Question 18

How to use HiveGate when my hive is strong?

Accepted Answer

When your hive is strong, and the bees are active you could fit more than one HiveGate to your hive. However, this is only recommended if wasp activity is high. Typically, during these periods, wasps only pose a small threat to bees as they have easier, alternate food sources available.

Question 19

Will HiveGate effect drone or queen movement?

Accepted Answer

No, HiveGate has been designed to allow for free movement of drones and queens through the tunnel and periscope.

Frequently asked questions