My eco solution to rat problems

[Stevedore]

Many of you know that the BeeHaus was designed with the help of engineer and beekeeper Robin Dartington, inventor of the "Long Deep Hive", also known as the Dartington Hive. Since the introduction of the BeeHaus, Robin's own web site where he sold plans for his hive is no longer active. It is now very difficult to build a wooden version of the Dartington hive. Did Robin sell the copyright to Omlet? We all love a mystery.

 

Robin is also the author of New Beekeeping in a Long Deep Hive, originally published in 1986. Used copies of that original book are now selling for over 195 pounds on amazon.co.uk:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0905652118/ref=sr_1_olp_3?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1252340706&sr=8-3

 

But you can get a spiral-bound edition of New Beekeeping in a Long Deep Hive: Equipment published in 2000 for £10.00.

 

Do either of these books contain these hard to find hive plans? How does one now legally obtain a copy?

 

One way may be to visit your local BBKA chapter and see if the plans are available in their library. A Google search revealed that the Wharfedale Beekeepers Association library has a copy of Manual of New Beekeeping AND Construction Information for Dartington Hives. See:

 

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:iIWH-Bdhx5gJ:www.wharfedalebka.org.uk/members.html+robin+dartington&cd=23&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

Of course, you'll probably have to be a member to borrow a copy. And how long will they keep lending out the manual after they find out it's worth £200?

 

[Melbourne12]

Yes. The reproduced version available from Amazon for a tenner contains the detailed plans for several variants. I have just bought a copy. Well worth it if you're seriously thinking of making one.

 

I think you may find that the £195 is an irritating ploy by sellers of antiquarian books. They don't actually have a copy, but trust that they can find one and make a profit if anybody actually orders it at that price.

[Stevedore]

Here is the last cached version of Dartington's web site courtesy of "The Wayback Machine":

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20080110195325/http://www.dartingtonhive.co.uk/

 

 

Also found a carpenter near High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire who builds Dartington hives:

 

http://www.dartingtonhives.co.uk/

[Somerford]

It is good to keep in mind that the best way of utilising the BeeHaus is to use techniques developed with the Dartington. If anyone has questions, I'll try and help answer them !

 

regards

 

Somerford Steve

[daj198]

Did Robin sell the copyright to Omlet? We all love a mystery.

 

I hope not, because this website is breaking the law if that's the case: http://www.dartingtonhives.co.uk/

 

Selling Dartington hives would be very naughty if Omlet had the patent.

[OXFORDBEE]

Selling Dartington hives would be very naughty if Omlet had the patent.

 

Getting a patent and enforcing a copyright on Dartington hives could be somewhat problematic.

 

Twin colony hives have been around for years. For example Wells had a twin colony hive and Simmins had his double and triple conqueror hives.

 

These hives were both about in the 1890's.

 

Also, there are twin colony hives and long hives in Europe. As far as I understand it's the method of managent in the Dartington that is the difference. Once you slid in the division board and run it as a two colonies in one box ... well that's been done before.

 

A long time ago!

[Kermit]

Wanting a copy of Robin's book I thought I'd try other book sellers. Blackwells still list both versions at this addresshttp://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/jsp/search_results.jsp?title=New+Beekeeping+in+a+Long+Deep+Hive&titleStem=&otherbooks=true&titleOp=AND

 

I ordered the book and have just received confirmation that it has been dispatched.

 

What is the difference between the two? Does the book have plans or not?