Types of beehives

The pavilion apiary dates back to the 19^th century; its design was intended for storing baskets and hives with rear access. The apiary was meant to protect bees from wind, rain, and theft. The “Swiss” rear-access hive remains the most common management system in German-speaking Switzerland. Outside Switzerland, beekeeping is practiced mainly using multi-super hives.

Pavilion apiary or open-air apiary?

Pavilion apiary		Open-air apiary

Pavilion apiary

The pavilion apiary dates back to the 19^th century and was designed for storing baskets and hives with rear access. The apiary was intended to protect bees from wind, rain, and theft. The “Swiss” rear-access hive remains the most common management system in German-speaking Switzerland. Outside Switzerland, beekeeping is practiced mainly using multi-super hives.

Advantages:

• Colonies, hives, and tools are protected from wind, moisture, and theft
• Painting the hives is unnecessary, and they last for decades
• Beekeeping can be practiced in rainy and cold weather
• Stings are less frequent, as flight activity occurs at the front of the apiary
• Tools and material storage are within easy reach
• The apiary avoids the need for another storage location and car transport
• A regional tradition is preserved

Disadvantages:

• High acquisition costs
• A building permit is required
• Relocating to a better site is laborious and costly
• The number of colonies is determined by the size of the apiary
• The beekeeper is tied to the location
• Limited storage capacity
• Honey extraction often requires a separate location, as many apiaries are small and have only one room

Open-air apiary

Open-air beekeeping, in its simplest form, is practiced with two to ten hives. For this scale of operation, tools and equipment are stored in a cellar or workshop. Honey extraction is carried out in a clean, odor-free room. Open-air beekeeping is mainly practiced using multi-super hives.

Advantages:

• No building permit required
• Minimal costs (possibly land rental)
• Adaptable to the environment
• Due to the lack of protective walls of a fixed apiary, bees respond more quickly to temperature changes
• Favorable for efficient work with colonies (good availability of space and light)

Disadvantages:

• Hives are exposed to weather conditions and theft
• A place is required for tools and equipment storage (frames, bottoms, etc.)
• Tools and frames must be transported for all tasks, which generally requires a car
• Work is difficult in bad weather
• Usually, a veil must be worn while working