John's review of the Long Hive (with standard Langstroth frames) | Advice from a Beekeeper 

Have you had experience with the long hive? Let us know your thoughts. Leave a review in the comments!

I love the GENTAL way you handle your Bees,,,you really respect their home!!!

Love the one we got from you. It has really done great. Very well made. Will be buying more.

I really enjoyed listening to you explain the new bee hive sir. You explain things so clear and at the same time you make it interesting. I appreciate your work you do putting these videos together and the time you spend educating other bee keepers. May God bless you and keep you always , Matt from Battletown ky

What A good looking hive . I guess with your add on extra’s to this hive you can now call it the “long John” hive . Lol . Thanks again for all your video’s and information

Looks like a good answer for a bad back or a person with a physical disability. At 65 with scoliosis I struggle with a full medium. Good video always an education.

Nice video, and I like the way you are working smoothly, I have 5 bee hives, only horizontal hives survived the harsh winter here in Canada.

Hi. I have a Horizontal Hive using Jumbo Deep Langstroth Frames, here in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Tip : Your top boards dont need ventilation holes ! The space between the Frames themselves and those Boards is enough internal Ventilation. Think you will find those bees will just gum up those unnecessary holes with Propolis and Wax ! Advise you to view USA Beekeeper RU-vidr Fred Dunn : he doesnt like top Hive Ventilation at all. He has several long Langstroth Horizontal Hive Videos, worth watching for sure. (Bees dont do any top ventilation in Nature !) So why would Beeks add this??? They have their own in house" A/C ": its called Fanning with their 'Wings' ! Done for 100s x1000s of Years. They know best. 😉 Just my thoughts on the matter, if new Beeks watch this and need the reasoing behind it. 👀 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2023 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 My Horizontal Hive was made using the same as yours. A lifted Lid, on a Hinge, with Chains to stop it Tipping over. . . Mine was an " Ex Log Storage Box" Outdoor use pp Wood Burner Stove. That has had an extra inner Cavity Wall built using added Insulation. Decided x4 Inches of Scottish Wool would do the trick ! (Plenty of Sheep Farms about these parts. Wool is dirt cheap if you ask nicely.) 🙃 This Box within a Box gives the Girls a Great x22 Jumbo Deep Frame Capacity Hive Body, with the Brood Nest / Frames at the Sunnier end. Uses x1 Entrance only, on this South Facing Hive. About x1 Third along, is an intergrated Vertical Queen Excluder, and the last Third of the Box being the Honey Super 'Area'. Each top Board has a Kitchen Cabinet Handle for easy lifting. Super easy to lift off wiith Bee Gloves on (!) And added some Plexiglass Drink Coasters in situ. : Covering a x2" pre-cut Hole as Viewing Ports to each Board (!) Really handy to peek through to see if the Bees are OK, without lifting any Inner Board, especially in low season or mid Winter. No heat gets out ! No draughts or condensation occur, as the internal Mesh [VM] Floor deals with airflow. Nice and simple. And its worked brilliantly for x4 years now. 👍 Regular Box Hives have resulted in some form of 'Deadouts' in this time. Interesting to compare... This 'Log Box' was really Deep, so it had an Inner Mid Floor (Wire Mesh) added : to do regular Varroa Mite drop [Treatments] : Checks. And the lower area (externally)with its own (hinged lengthwise) Draw Front : is my Bee Tool Equipment Stash under Store ! Takes my Bee Smoker, Sawdust Fuel, Queen Cages, Pollen Patty Tub, even a Varroa Mite Board (using an ex : Kitchen Teacup Carry Tray, Baking Oil Sprayed : to take the Critter Count.) Done just like that. . . Simples. 😎 You can make a great Hive out of anything really ! : Just measure your Frames 'Style of choice' (:US Langstroth, UK National, French Warre, Scottish Smith, etc, etc.) And add some Bee Space 'x2' and you have a working Hive. Sorted ! 👍

Feeder in the follower board is brilliant gunna get on that tomorrow.. thanks

Here in Michigan with our winters, and the Varroa mite situation, we don't even pretend that our bees will survive beyond late fall. GREAT tutorial!

Built my first long lang hive and love it! Put my first swarm in in May and they are working on 18 frames. Working the bees is the huge difference all I need is a Vail so gental

Looking very good 👍!!! Love your videos.

that was a great video , i love that long box, looks easy to work if you have a bad back, thanks for sharing

That's another reason to use those gorgeous glass covers I've seen under the roof, though. If somebody does get in there and lift a lid, they're going to see a whole lot of bees under the glass.

This is great information. I think I will be using the long box format when I finally get started. I really appreciate you knowing people 'hey what do you keep in this box?' 🤓

Nice!!

Nice setup John, I think I might try one.

Just found your channel. Hoping to be moved to the Ozarks in the next few months and will be keeping you in mind when we get there.

I have to switch over to long hives because my shoulders just can't handle lifting the deeps anymore. I'm figuring I can run long hives and do mediums on top. I'm looking at management techniques and will be checking your channel for any work you've done on the long hive

I’m building a long hive now , but I love rapid round feeders so much I’m gonna figure a feeder shim system out for the top to give me space to be able to feed all winter if I have to without opening the heated interior of the hive your feed system looks like it works ok but the rapid round feeders can hold a gallon of syrup at a time and they never leak , i guess that’s the main reason I like em so much , very good video by the way I hit the thumb and the subscribe!! 😄good luck this year !

Recently found your channel and love it! So informative and helpful.Thank You!!! I also have a Jack so I enjoy watching Pistol also.

Enjoy your videos. First year beek. Built my own long hive this summer but my colony has struggled due to heat, varroa mites and their new bee keeper bothering them too much. Hope they survive. Lots of dead bees. About 3 frames full left. I am in North Florida.

We haven’t tried that style yet but it looks to have a few benefits. My concern would be colder climates and Moisture but I have no doubt insulation and ventilation would help. Looking forward to seeing how it works out for ya. Thanks got sharing and stay safe.

Love the background music!

😩 if someone goes to opening things around our house while visiting its survival of the fitest up in here😂. Im not going through your sock drawer if i come to visit you. All im saying is , if you come to a homestead just dont open anything😂

I have been using this type of horizontal hive for about 7 years. I like it better than the langstroth hives.

I recommend keeping your bees in a locked yard. It's not just unsuspecting visitors you don't want getting into them.

I'd really like to build my own long lang, can I ask what kind of hinges you used for the lid? They look like they work great.

Help pistol get the lizard 🦎 out . I was trying to keep an eye on him and you at the same time. Great video and hope they fill the box before long. ❤🐝🐝🐝

Would like to have a long hive

I can’t find where you sell these. I am very interested. As a novice this looks perfect for me. Are there plans? You don’t seem to have any at you supply.

Pistol sounds like the smoker going flatout

Good idea of using the feeder in the follower board. I'm just curious...if you wanted to feed winter patties in the winter how would you do it in this hive? Take the hinges off and put in a shim?

Hi, enjoyed this video so much. With a bad back and an interest in getting into bee keeping I have watched many videos. How does one tell if the bees are honey bees or wasps if approaching for the first time and don't see the nest?? Thank you!

Hey John, great instruction. Where do you buy these or more importantly where did you get the plans to build one? Thank you!

1 comment & 1 question: Comment - I tried a Long Langstroth about 4 years ago and it had horrible moisture problems. It rotted after just 1 year. I don't know if it was the design I used, the over size, or the materials (pine 3/4" plywood cut into planks) - it was not just the environment because it was sitting next to my traditional langstroth hives and they typically last 4 years or more. I was kind of hoping to see some advice on how to prevent humidity from causing these kinds of problems in my next attempt. Question - on the feeder: why not just use a normal frame feeder? I use them (from MotherLode Products) and keep them in all 60+ of my Langstroth hives all year long (even when not feeding). Seems to be much easier than cutting into the follower board...

PLEASE MAKE MORE UPDATES ON YOU LONG LANG STROTH HIVE PLEASE

What a wonderful idea. I love the long box, what are the dimensions of the box

What do you use for smoker fuel? I’m new and the bees seem to react quickly to your smoker…plus I can’t see any smoke

I have a question about follower boards. I've built my own Long lang hive. Does the follower board need to take up the entire space where bees can't get to the other side or should it bee made with bee space in mind

Couldn't find the long hive in your store, is it for sale

Hi John, Does the whole hive survive with 1 Queen. Do you use 2 queen excluders. How many brood frames and food frames do you have.

Will the heat from the a/c unit cause any problems with the heat it will generate?

I have a question I’ve been watching to be videos multiple sites I’m just curious how come no beekeepers try to winter the bees on the inside with the right temperature also with plants that they can feed on all winter and then went to The weather breaks take them outside so they can do their duty with pollinating everything and then when the winter comes again bring them back inside. Now curious the mites do they get them from being outside so if you had them inside all year long even during the summer with that eliminate them from getting mites thank you

How you do a good mite controle and treatment in these hives?

could you put in a solid divider and put 2 small hives in? Each having their own opening none shared?

A frame feeder would work also; correct?

JOHN, IF YOU SELL THE QUEEN-EXCLUDER . PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO I CAN BUY THEM FROM YOU I BUILD MY OWEN LONG LANG STROTHS.THANKS

Where can I buy one of these, or the plans for it?

Won't they crawl through those vent holes?

wont the bees get out the vent holes?

Lovin Pistol as a Brit I have had Jack Russels most of my life little dogs who just don,t know how small they are balls of steel, currently I have an 11 year old JRT and a 6 month old Staffy Mastiff cross oh and 10 hives

john i would like follow you as you go from start to fisnish i need buy me that one maybe up 4 i'll start with one . i just found out from my doc lower back has degenerated disc i maybe force raise bees by that hive long langstroth hive im looking place good price i live in texas, city of palestine. thank glad i catch this . god bless

How do I get to your Etsy store?

What's the price tag on a long hive

Why don't you have the whole top covered with tin like any other hive.

Long johns hive ?

This is a kenyan top bar hive

That flat roof, not a great idea in snow areas.

How many frame in the hive?

I'M A GRUNT, DIDNT YOU MOVE THOSE FRAMES AROUND WHEN MOVED THOSES BEES

Are you selling these hives?

It's surprising to me to see how many people let their smokers go out and then instead of smoking them with nice cool smoke they blast them with hot air and ash...please bee better-what an example you would be if you just stopped and relit your smoker.

Talk normally.