Hive Defender

3 or 4 years ago I was working on these for feeding Honey Bees. I felt that they are a complete failure. So I just stored them, until now. The Hive Defenders are great way to bring the frogs around the hives to better help in keep the beetles, moths and others. Its a great way to not use pesticides or other toxic products. Nature is an amazing thing!

Step 1: The Waiting Game....

I set up the little fountains back behind 2 of my hives. At this time all I could do is play the waiting game. I know the frogs are out there. I just needed to wait. I took light bulb covers that I could get that the thrift store for 99 cents. Mixed some concrete and poured into them. Waited for the full cure. Then cracked them out. Giving the little fountains a nice base to put then on.

Step 2: If You Build It They Will Come

A few days had gone by and they started to show up.

Step 3: Master Plan in the Full Swing

After more started to show up. I decided to add a little water plant to help the look. At night the frogs get a lot of use out of it and eat what is not wanted in the hive.

Step 4: Durning the Day

I started to notice that the bees have been using it during the day as well .

Comments

[betterways]

Perhaps you should link to https://www.instructables.com/id/Hydro-Hive-1/ I was puzzled by this instructible trying to figure out what kind of light cover you used to cast the fountains.

[Dylan Larsen]

light cover?

[moureeng]

love this project. It helps the bees and is good looking.

[Dylan Larsen]

Thank you. I really appreciate that.

[Mr_Wolf_Is_Innocent]

many people planting flowers to help keep the bee populations going forget bees like a drink, so something shallow with sloping sides and bumps etc is a great help. looking at your bee's and the frogs "Scale" they are probably not large enough to eat a bee (and I'd think would avoid because of the stings).. so should IMHO work well, in the summers (not that great here in the UK) I often have bees (and other insects) landing on the lily pads of my pond to take a drink, and I put a little sugared water in a shallow bowl full of marbles so they can safely drink with reduced risk of drowning.. not quite as aesthetic as your designs, but works well enough for now! :-)

[PS118]

I really like the idea of using natural predators (frogs) to control pests. My big question, though, is will they eat bees?

[Dylan Larsen]

Not from anything I have seen. The frogs come out at night. when the bees are in the hives. If I was concerned though I could always put a entrance reducer on the hives.