OpenHive has reached its target for conservation box hosts this year. Please fill in the form to go on our waiting list.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

From April to July every year, bee colonies will naturally split. Half of the bees will leave their nest to find a new home. This can often be problematic in urban environments as the bees can move into man made structures - chimneys, roofs, walls etc. The bees can be difficult to remove and are often exterminated.

We are seeking people, who are interested in helping our native bees, to host our Bee Conservation Boxes. These boxes will attract colonies of bees and stop them from building their nests in man made structures.

How it works?

1) Fill out the form below and we will get in touch to discuss it further with you.

2) A member of OpenHive will deliver a box to your home and help you identify a good location for it.

3) If bees move into your box, a member of our team will arrive and take the bees away and replace the box.

If you have a space and would like to be involved in this conservation project please reach out to us. We are looking for 100+ locations around South County Dublin.

See the FAQs below for more details or fill out the form below.

If you are interested in signing up to host a bee box or would like more information about it, please fill out the form below:

FAQs

1) What does hosting a box entail?

Hosting a box is as simple as it sounds. We will deliver a box to be placed in your garden from April - July. If bees move into the box during that time, we will come and collect the box and replace it with another empty one.

2) What is in the box?

The box is mostly empty except for a few frames of beeswax and some lemongrass oil (a similar pheromone to the ones bees are familiar with).

3) What happens the bees if they move into the box?

If bees have moved in, we will come and collect the box and replace it with another empty one. The bees are then moved to a special apiary to be assessed for their health. If the bees are from a non-native species or have hybridised with foreign bees, we will re-queen them with native Irish queen bees. Once we are happy that the bees are disease free, we move them to one of our apiaries to be cared for by our beekeepers.

4) Where do I put the box?

The ideal location for the box is about 12-15 feet off the ground (out of the reach of people and pets) and east or south facing. We will provide a strap to attach it to a tree, which is often an ideal location. However, each site is different and we can work with you to find a suitable location. It is important that it is not close to people traffic.

5) Is it dangerous?

Before leaving their nest to find a new home, the bees will gorge themselves on honey. They do this so that they have enough resources to start a new nest and build lots of wax. This renders the bees very lethargic and docile (think of yourself after a big Christmas dinner!). However, bees can of course sting so it is important not to approach the bees or go too close to the box if the bees move in. You can simply call us and we will come and collect them.

6) Will it cost anything?

It won’t cost anything to host a bee conservation box. We will even give you some native Irish wildflower seed bombs for your garden!

7) What happens in July?

The OpenHive Team will be in touch and collect the boxes to put into storage until next season!

8) What if I want to be involved but don’t have a suitable place to host a bee box?

If you can’t host a box, but would love to be involved you can still do a number of things:

a) You can put us in touch with someone else who you think has the space and would be interested.

b) You can donate the cost of a bee conservation box (or contribute a smaller amount). They cost roughly €70 per box including the box, frames, straps and wax.