# Beehive in a Jar?



## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

http://removeandreplace.com/2013/05/07/how-to-easily-make-a-beehive-in-a-jar-backyard-project-diy/

Has anyone tried this? It's a beehive built so that the bees build the comb inside half gallon mason jars. Seems like harvest would be a breeze. I know nothing about beekeeping so bear with me, would the bees have enough honey stored in the lower portion to survive the winter?


----------



## Terri (May 10, 2002)

OK, I see what they did.

The hive is in the hive and the bees store honey in the jar. When you want to harvest the honey, just remove the jar and shake the bees out. I bet it would be very pretty if you topped it off with liquid honey.

In a hive, the living quarters are mostly in the middle and the outer couple of combs are mostly honey storage. I suppose they might use the glass jars for honey storage if you crowded them, but crowded bees often swarm. Also, perhaps the hive had better be in the shade, because if a car heats up in the winter then I bet those jars will heat up also.

It is cute and it might actually work.

In the Southern states most hives are single story with supers, at least I have heard Southerners say this. Here in Kansas a hive is preferably 2 boxes deep, with supers.


----------



## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

my uncles kept many bees . and one of the hives had a area built onto the back for a row of jars as I was a pre teen this was in the 60s . I think it had 4 jars boxed in with wood so they were in the dark but it could be removed to get the jars they called it a batcholers hive because a batchaler only needed to harvest a little honey at a time for his needs . I think they also assumed a batchler to be lazy not wanting to do the work of removeing a super full of honey then have to can it. this method does limit the honey production though supers could be put on there hive. I really don't remmberif this acutally worked I usally would spend a week or two every summer with these old uncles who had a horse powered self sustaining farm hunting dogs and creek with swimming - fishing hole and never thought much of how fast the modern world was moveing .


----------



## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I would think as the jars fill you can replace them to insure that they have a good winter supply. Just make sure to leave them all full for the winter.


----------



## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

This is interesting and might give it a try on one hive. Most of my customers like the extracted and rough filtered honey though.


----------



## Speckledpup (Dec 3, 2004)

I've never tried it but have heard that it helps to rub a little wax in the bottom of the jars to get them started. 

Don't know if its been mentioned that you set a hive body around the jars and put you cover on. The bees like it dark.


----------



## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

Wouldn't the bees get too hot in the jars? Or it there some type of a lid that goes over the jars to shade them?


----------



## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

This has got to be one of the coolest ideas I've seen in a long time. I suppose you could cover it with a cloth to shade it...Or build a wood cover? 

I would so love this...


----------



## SVWfarmer (Dec 5, 2013)

This is a really neat idea. Going to try it this year with one of mine.


----------



## Guest (Dec 29, 2013)

You use an empty hive body sitting on top of the hive . The jars are inside this hive body with a hive cover on it . The jars are completely enclosed . The set-up as pictured would severely limit air flow through the hive .


----------

