HiveGate
HiveGate is an innovative beehive entrance designed to provide your bee colonies with round-the-clock control over their hive entrance.
By strategically positioning the entrance near the cluster, the colony can fully open, close, or partially close the entrance as needed.
This flexibility allows the colony to effectively shield itself from external threats such as cold temperatures and predatory attacks from wasps and hornets. By managing the hive entrance, the colony can optimise internal conditions, conserve energy and resources, reduce stress, and promote the development of stronger, healthier hives.
Bees always in contol of their entrance
The current beehive design creates a disconnect between the colony and the hive entrance. Bees can’t always be at the hive entrance, controlling what comes in and out of the hive.
For example:
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When it’s cold and the bees are stuck in their cluster, intruders can sneak into the hive undetected, especially early in the morning
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If a colony is small, under stress or not strong enough to effectively defend itself, intruders can get past this weak defence.
Our observations when HiveGate™ is installed
Bees behave naturally around the HiveGateTM and adopt it straight away.
Bees are ‘on the door’ 24/7, resulting in:
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Enhanced defence against robbing.
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Active temperature and relative (%) humidity control vs hives with uncontrolled open entrances.
How HiveGate™ works to prevent robbing
The internal entrance of the HiveGate™ should be positioned directly under the winter cluster i.e., beneath the largest concentration of bees in the hive. If an intruder enters the HiveGate™ and proceeds towards the second (internal) HiveGate™ entrance it will encounter a barricade of bees.
SCENARIO A
takes place inside the HiveGate™
The intruder enters the HiveGate™ but decides not to engage with the cluster. It heads back to the front entrance of the hive and leaves. This is an unsuccessful entry, and the intruder won’t communicate a successful robbing back to its nest.
SCENARIO B
takes place inside the hive
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The intruder manages to enter the hive at the internal HiveGate™ entrance. This stressful entry sets off the intruder’s alarm pheromones and drives every bee that is near the intruder to behave like a guard bee.
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Bees at the internal entrance react to the intruder’s alarm pheromones and attack the intruder inside the hive.
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The HiveGate™ prevents the intruder from seeing a way out of the hive.
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The bees continue their attack until the intruder is dead.
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The bees dispose of the intruder’s body through the HiveGate™.
HiveGate™ is an investment in the health of your hive
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Less robbing means stronger, more productive colonies.
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Bees spend less energy on defending the hive.
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Bees spend less energy on controlling the environment inside the hive.
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Fewer colony losses.
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Fewer pathogens from intruders.
HiveGate™
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Is easy to install.
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Enables natural bee defence.
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Fits a range of hive bases.
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Fits in nucleus hives.
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Doesn’t require continuous monitoring.
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Is designed to ‘set and forget.'
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Is made for a long service life, constructed from high quality, exceptionally durable, UV-protected plastic.
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Is chemical-free.
When to use HiveGate™
The internal entrance of the HiveGate™ should be positioned directly under the winter cluster i.e., beneath the largest concentration of bees in the hive. If an intruder enters the HiveGate™ and proceeds towards the second (internal) HiveGate™ entrance it will encounter a barricade of bees.
Installing HiveGate™
Find out more about the different ways of installing HiveGate™