Doing More With Less: Treatment-Free Beekeeping With The ZEST Hive (and introducing the James Hive)

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[@ximono]

Looks a bit like the standard hives we have in Norway, made of thick insulated XPS. Except we use a mesh floor and a low entrance, but it could easily be adapted to the James system. Interesting design!

[@peterbustin3662]

NIce one Phil, you haven't aged. Keep them coming.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

You should see the portrait of me in the attic...

[@williamsummers6438]

I suggest that the blocks where exposed be painted with bitumen paint and the angles set down on mastic. I still prefer the full ZEST, version as simpler to work, but James had a load of wood hives to use up and it does that very well.

[@iowalayensbeekeeping]

I tried to fine the light block here in the US but only found what I thought was a commercial producer in Florida but didn't find a supply channel. I'm sticking with Layens for now.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

How I built a ZEST hive video - th-cam.com/video/8KbnXpRkEfU/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-fMsPHwxOysHkQ17

[@honeybeesforsale]

Great video!

[@PaulCoughlin]

Good vudeo of something different.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

Glad you liked it!

[@Majorme2]

Thanks…

[@T.S.Beez01]

vino farm in Canada, has a very similar set up to the "James hive" though he uses "Langstroth" hives, brood box is extra deep, made of wood & insulation, rather than "lego blocks" with standard Langstroth supers added for spring & summer.

[@Majorme2]

Wish we could get the supplies for a zest hive here in the US

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

I'm thinking that there must be alternative materials that could be used. I have just built a long frame hives using urethane foam insulation board - video coming up soon.

[@Majorme2]

No mite treatment..how are you achieving this.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

Listen carefully to James: it's all about the humidity.

[@ximono]

​​​@@BarefootBeekeeperAnd selection for varroa resistance I suppose? James mentioned measuring mite load and mating queens with whatever drones are in the area, so it sounds a bit like what Reinertsen has been doing here in Norway to achieve a highly resistant bee without any treatment. A large/wide gene pool is the key. He calls his bees mongrels too, and while they're not as docile as Buckfasts, they're definitely very nice and manageable (though more variable).