How to Make a Base for a Bee Skep
A bee skep is a medieval-style beehive that was used in gardens to attract bees for honey production. A classic garden fixture, the bee skep is no longer legal to use for housing bees but it can be a decorative addition to your landscaping or home decor. In medieval times, bee skeps were kept in alcoves in stone walls along the garden. While that would be an attractive option, most modern bee skep fans must create another kind of base. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Asses the area in which you are planning to display your skep. A skep can be set directly on the floor or ground. Determine the size of the area you want to set the skep and the size of the skep itself.
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Lay out some rustic wood planks or cut two or three treated wood planks into a square slightly larger than the diameter of your skep. Place the skep on top of the wood. Set the base and skep strategically in the garden for the best view.
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Situate the skep on a large piece of smooth-topped flagstone to create a decorative, natural-looking base.
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Purchase a piece of rustic furniture to hold the skep. An antique butter churn, a wooden bucket turned upside down or a old table are good choices. Choose something that complements your decor, whether the skep is being displayed inside or outside. An old wooden cart or wooden, child-sized wheelbarrow is a fitting base that is also mobile.
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Block the entry hole before displaying your skep. Use a piece of cork, wooden dowel or thin piece of flat wood anchored to the inside of the hole to prevent a new colony of bees from entering.
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Tips & Warnings
A skep is not a friendly home for bees. To remove them from the skep, the colony must be destroyed, which is why the skep does not have a bottom to allow access to harvest the honey.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
