OZ ARMOUR 3-Level Flat Pack Hive - Mesh Bottom Board

A Flat Pack Beehive for the Beekeeper Happy to Build and Paint

There are two kinds of beekeepers when a new hive arrives. One wants it on the stand with bees in it by the weekend. The other wants the boxes on the bench, a drill in hand and a tin of paint open, partly to save money and partly because a hive you built is a hive you understand. Flat pack is for the second kind, and for anyone setting up more than one hive at a time.

This is the OZ ARMOUR three-level flat pack. Three full-depth boxes in 22mm New Zealand pine arrive as panels with the screws supplied. The mesh bottom board with beetle trap tray and the ventilated lid come already assembled, so the fiddly parts are done. Choose 8 frame or 10 frame. Nothing is painted, so you choose the colour.

22mm Pine for Tight Corners

The panels are the same 22mm pine as the assembled OZ ARMOUR hives, 3mm thicker than the 19mm timber in most imported flat packs. Thicker walls insulate the colony better, give the screws plenty of timber to bite into and make a box less likely to twist while you clamp it square. Painted and kept off the ground, these boxes last 15 to 20 years or more.

Mesh Bottom Board With Beetle Trap, Already Assembled

Stainless mesh sits over a removable tray. Beetles chased by the bees drop through and cannot get back up, and a layer of diatomaceous earth in the tray finishes them off with no chemicals near the comb. The same tray works as a varroa monitoring board: oil it, slide it in for 24 to 48 hours and count the mite drop. This is the standard timber mesh board, so it gets a coat of paint with the boxes. The wax-dipped mesh bottom board is sold separately and swaps straight in.

Assembled Ventilated Lid

The lid arrives built. Its ventilation lets hot air out of the top on a 40 degree day, keeping bees foraging instead of fanning at the entrance.

What Assembly Involves

Each box is four panels and a handful of screws. Dry-fit the corners, run a bead of exterior wood glue along the joints, drive the screws and check the box is square by measuring corner to corner. Three boxes take an hour or two. Then paint two coats of exterior acrylic on the outside only, leaving the inside bare, and let it cure for a few days before the colony goes in. Order at least a fortnight before your bees are due.

Frames: Assembled and Wired, Unassembled or None

Choose assembled and wired frames, unassembled frames, or none. Either frame option gives you 24 frames for the 8-frame hive or 30 for the 10-frame, enough for all three boxes. Foundation is not included.

8 Frame or 10 Frame, and Running Three Boxes

Ten-frame is the Australian standard and holds more honey per box. Eight-frame boxes are lighter when full. In spring, run two brood boxes under one super, then go to one brood box with two supers once the flow is on. A queen excluder is needed above the brood box and is not included.

Flat Pack or Assembled and Painted

The assembled and painted 3-level hive with the wax-dipped mesh bottom board is the same timber, built, painted white and ready for bees, with a metal queen excluder in the box. The flat pack asks for that weekend back, plus paint, glue and an excluder. If you are setting up two or three hives, enjoy the work or want a colour other than white, the flat pack is the better value.

Specifications

• Brand: OZ ARMOUR
• Timber: 22mm New Zealand pine, unpainted
• Includes: 3 full-depth boxes (flat pack, screws supplied), 1 assembled mesh bottom board with beetle trap tray, 1 assembled ventilated lid
• Bottom board: standard timber mesh board, paint with the boxes (wax-dipped version sold separately)
• Sizes: 8 frame or 10 frame Langstroth
• Frames: assembled and wired, unassembled, or without; 24 frames (8 frame) or 30 frames (10 frame)
• Not included: paint, wood glue, foundation, queen excluder
• Compatibility: all standard Langstroth components

What is included in the flat pack hive?

Three full-depth boxes as panels with screws, an assembled mesh bottom board with beetle trap tray and an assembled ventilated lid.

What is not included?

Paint, wood glue, foundation and a queen excluder. Frames are optional at checkout.

Is the timber painted?

No. The 22mm New Zealand pine is unpainted, so you choose the colour. Use two coats of exterior acrylic on the outside only.

How long does assembly take?

Three boxes take an hour or two with a cordless drill and a square. Allow a few days for the paint to cure before the colony goes in.

Is the bottom board wax dipped?

No. It is the standard timber mesh board, which you paint with the boxes. The wax-dipped version is sold separately.

How does the beetle trap work?

Beetles drop through the stainless mesh into the removable tray and cannot climb back. Diatomaceous earth in the tray finishes the job.

Can I use the tray for varroa monitoring?

Yes. Oil the tray, slide it in for 24 to 48 hours and count the mite drop.

How many frames do I get?

24 frames for the 8-frame hive or 30 for the 10-frame hive, assembled and wired or unassembled. Foundation is not included.

Do I need a queen excluder?

Yes, to keep the queen out of the supers. It is not included in this kit, so add one to your order.

Is the lid ventilated?

Yes. The lid arrives assembled and ventilated, letting hot air out of the top of the hive.