{"product_id":"oz-armour-3-level-painted-hive-wax-dipped-mesh-bottom-board","title":"OZ ARMOUR 3-Level Assembled \u0026 Painted Hive - Wax-Dipped Mesh Board","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA 3 Level Beehive With a Mesh Bottom Board Built for Small Hive Beetle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpen a hive in most of eastern Australia in late summer and you will find small hive beetle somewhere in it. A strong colony keeps them cornered, but they wait for a weak patch, a wet week or a super left on too long. Solid floors give them nowhere to go but the corners. The beekeepers who stop worrying about beetle are usually the ones who changed the floor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis OZ ARMOUR hive is built around that floor. \u003cstrong\u003eThree full-depth boxes\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003e22mm New Zealand pine\u003c\/strong\u003e, assembled with screws and nails and \u003cstrong\u003epainted white\u003c\/strong\u003e, sit on a \u003cstrong\u003ewax-dipped mesh bottom board with a beetle trap\u003c\/strong\u003e. A \u003cstrong\u003eventilated telescopic lid\u003c\/strong\u003e goes on top and a \u003cstrong\u003emetal queen excluder\u003c\/strong\u003e is in the box. Choose \u003cstrong\u003e8 frame or 10 frame\u003c\/strong\u003e and it is ready for bees the day it arrives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeetle Control and Varroa Monitoring in One Floor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe floor is \u003cstrong\u003estainless mesh over a removable tray\u003c\/strong\u003e. A beetle chased by the bees drops through the mesh and cannot climb back, and a layer of \u003cstrong\u003ediatomaceous earth\u003c\/strong\u003e in the tray finishes the job with no chemicals near the comb. The mesh also lets air move up through the hive and debris fall out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe same tray is your \u003cstrong\u003evarroa monitoring board\u003c\/strong\u003e. Smear it with petroleum jelly or a little oil, slide it in for \u003cstrong\u003e24 to 48 hours\u003c\/strong\u003e and count what drops. The board is dipped in \u003cstrong\u003ehot natural beeswax\u003c\/strong\u003e rather than painted, which soaks into the timber, keeps water out far longer than a surface coat and leaves nothing to flake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e22mm Pine, Telescopic Lid and Metal Excluder\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery box is 22mm pine, \u003cstrong\u003e3mm thicker\u003c\/strong\u003e than the 19mm timber in most imported hives. It holds steadier through hot days and cold nights and stays square under a full honey super. Kept painted and off the ground, a box lasts \u003cstrong\u003e15 to 20 years or more\u003c\/strong\u003e. The exterior is UV and weather-resistant white paint, with the inside left as bare timber. The telescopic lid sheds rain and its ventilation lets hot air out the top, and the metal excluder keeps the queen below so the honey frames come out clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRunning Three Boxes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn spring, run two brood boxes and one super, with the excluder above the second brood box. Once the flow is on, drop to one brood box and run two supers above. Starting from a nuc, one box is enough for the first month or two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e8 Frame or 10 Frame, With or Without Frames\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTen-frame\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Australian standard and holds more honey per box. \u003cstrong\u003eEight-frame\u003c\/strong\u003e boxes are lighter when full and suit a small yard. Add frames at checkout for \u003cstrong\u003e24 wax-embedded frames\u003c\/strong\u003e (8 frame) or \u003cstrong\u003e30\u003c\/strong\u003e (10 frame), enough for all three boxes, or take the hive without them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere It Sits in the Range\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2-level version has one less super. The 3-level assembled painted hive without the mesh board is the same hive on a solid painted floor, for areas where beetle is not a problem. The gabled hives add a pitched roof.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne Honest Note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mesh board does not remove beetle on its own. It gives the bees a way to win and gives you a tray to check. A weak colony with too much space can still be overrun, so keep to the boxes the bees can cover and empty the tray regularly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrand:\u003c\/strong\u003e OZ ARMOUR, trusted since 2018\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConfiguration:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 full-depth boxes, assembled with screws and nails, painted white\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTimber:\u003c\/strong\u003e 22mm New Zealand pine, 3mm thicker than standard 19mm imported hives\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExterior:\u003c\/strong\u003e UV and weather-resistant white paint, interior unpainted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBottom board:\u003c\/strong\u003e wax-dipped mesh bottom board with beetle trap and removable tray (not included on all hive models)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBeetle control:\u003c\/strong\u003e diatomaceous earth in tray, varroa monitoring via oiled tray with a 24 to 48 hour count\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLid:\u003c\/strong\u003e ventilated telescopic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQueen excluder:\u003c\/strong\u003e metal, included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSizes:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8 frame or 10 frame Langstroth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrames:\u003c\/strong\u003e optional at checkout, wax-embedded, 24 (8 frame) or 30 (10 frame)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExpected life:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15 to 20+ years with basic care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"OZ ARMOUR","offers":[{"title":"8 Frames \/ Without Frames","offer_id":40055699931221,"sku":null,"price":259.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"8 Frames \/ Wax Embedded Frames","offer_id":40055699898453,"sku":null,"price":439.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Frames \/ Without Frames","offer_id":40055699865685,"sku":null,"price":259.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Frames \/ Wax Embedded Frames","offer_id":40055699832917,"sku":null,"price":479.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0062\/5029\/9477\/files\/kudl12n2i6rqnjyjxswi.webp?v=1780081798","url":"https:\/\/www.beekeepinggear.com.au\/products\/oz-armour-3-level-painted-hive-wax-dipped-mesh-bottom-board","provider":"Beekeeping Gear","version":"1.0","type":"link"}