"Neonicotinoids Latest"
"Neonicotinoids Latest" updates.
Please feedback any thoughts/comments enquiries@zest-hive.com
Bills (B)log coming soon ... meanwhile see the page on this site.
The objective of this blog will be to keep the followers of the ZEST project abreast of developments and to receive their ideas, comments and suggestions.
Mainly new, but some existing beekeepers are taking up the ZEST way of doing things for the usual ZEST reasons of good bee health and economy.
The ZEST project remains a work in progress, but 140 years of an unchanging bee hive design,that has served us badly, is over.
There are no barriers or boundaries within the restraints of good ZEST design practice.
We want to hear ZEST users experience and ideas to improve results.
A ZEST convert has suggested that a half sized ZEST be deployed which has the equivalent face area of 28 B.S. brood frames.
Why not? It could be used as a honey larder.
Another suggested that a nursery ZEST be deployed that can house 4 ZEST plywood nuke boxes.
Yet another suggested an injection moulded external envelope formed from insulation made from fungi.
These will be explored,built and tested
If it does MORE with LESS then it is ZEST.
Tell us,so we can tell everyone.
Bringing Beekeeping into the 21st Century
History shows
that it is difficult to persuade the established order to accept revolutionary
design change. It is greeted with humour, followed by anger until finally
it is seen to be self-evidently correct
Beekeepers will appreciate readily the following corrections in perceptions relating to honeybees and neonicotinoids on the "neonicotinoid tag". Those who are beekeepers have the power to influence their use by farmers and the licences to kill issued by politicians. They need to be told the whole story.
Let those who can, do so.
The Link below from "beyond pesticides" USA provides an excellent overview
A Forward
by Roy Pink responsible for the VIBEZ (Ventilated Intermediate Bee Entry Zone) concept for wood hives.
At first sight the Zest appears cumbersome and, contrary to the designer’s background, an architectural eye sore. However, once passed all the coffin jokes, we found the Zest hive surprisingly easy to work with. Initial assumptions using heavy frames were allayed when it was discovered the frames (being double brood depth) could be pivoted on one corner for inspection, the working height is perfect for manipulations, especially if you suffer with a bad back or are just a habitual leaner! Bill’s determination and drive can be very addictive when working through a problem. His ability to ‘stick with it’ enabled him to finally arrive at the very impressive triple cross bar frame, even the bees toe the line and use the cells in each section appropriately! With an eye on economics, I believe a plastic frame is now being developed for cheaper production/recycling. But the main attraction for me has always been the top entrance and ventilation system. Preventing the flue effect and so reducing the need for extra heat via honey consumption in one fell swoop, is a master stroke that beekeepers can implement extremely easily within their own hives. Once beekeepers accept and become familiar with top ventilation (perhaps gained using a B.S. National VIBEZ conversion) the question of hive material arises. Bill makes a convincing argument against wood preferring a porous cement block that retains daytime heat, carrying this through the night within the hive. I think the question of what material (damp wood vs. insulating cement) has been answered. The question now is how it is best implemented. Bill has taken huge strides forward in developing the use of new materials within beekeeping. The improvement in the bee’s confidence within their environment is displayed through faster expansion, no nosema (so far / so good-author), less varroa, good temperament and general good health throughout the colony. Bill has pushed the ZEST project along at such a pace. I’m definitely one beekeeper keen to see what this next edition will bring to the table for discussion.
Roy Pink
fish.r.pink@btinternet.com
Watch Bill Constructing a Zest Hive (click here)
This second book by Bill Summers
in PDF format is now available Special Offer now FREE please email enquiries@Zest-hive.com
enquiries@Zest-hive.com“Doing More with Less” is the ZEST ambition for technical design improvements that will prevail and sustain. Design/Science is the method to achieve the ambition.
The ZEST hive and the associated range of ZEST equipment ruthlessly adopt these principles to enable bees to be healthy and productive with less energy.
enquiries@Zest-hive.com
REVOLUTIONARY!
Promoting Healthier, Happier, more Productive Bees
The Zest plastic 3 void Frame(Pat.Pending) available from zest@kpplastics.co.uk
visit KPPlastics web site (click here)
The revolutionary ZEST plastic gravity frame for the Zest hive are 28 in number and equivalent in area to 56 B.S National Brood frames.
The cost per unit area of Zest frame is less than half of the traditional wood frames with foundation.
They are loose jointed so that they all interlock and hang perfectly straight under gravity. No D.I.Y skills are needed.
The stems of the three top T-Bars are used by the bees to draw down their honeycomb without wax foundation.
The wild comb with honey is cut out and harvested on site.
The plastic frames can be taken apart easily, bleached if disease is found and are even dishwasher proof.
The B.S. range of beehive frames are also available from zest@kpplastics.co.uk for use in traditional wood hives.
