Abstract: A heater-equipped man-made beehive incorporates a substantially enclosed hive body having a plurality of joined side walls, a floor, and a top. The hive body defines an entrance sufficient for allowing passage of bees into and from the beehive. A heating element is located inside the hive body adjacent the floor, and is adapted to raise an ambient temperature inside the beehive.

Abstract: A bee installation funnel apparatus, including: (1) a unitary blank having (a) a back panel, wherein the back panel includes a top side, a left side, a right side, and a bottom side, and at least one aperture, (b) at least one side panel, wherein the at least one side panel emanates contiguously from the back panel; and (c) a bottom panel, wherein the bottom panel comprises a top side, a left side, a right side, and a bottom side, and at least one tab, and (2) a security strap member, wherein the security strap member is positionable around an associated bee hive.

Abstract: A package and system for holding and transporting small living beings, particularly, insects such as honeybees and the like, configurable in a robust, sturdy three-dimensional shape for handling and transport by mail and commercial carriers, which prevents stinging from within the package, allows escape of smaller accompanying insects such as hive beetles, is interlocking with others of the packages and strong enough to support other packages and items thereon; that provides for air flow through and about the package for heat dissipation for proper honeybee environment; that accommodates food and separately carrying a queen bee; and that can be easily and quickly broken down into a non-operational, generally flat configuration for initial sale, transport, and storage.

Abstract: A tray for positioning in an exit path of a bee hive comprises a base, a bee entrance end, and a bee exit end. Spaced apart side walls extend upwardly from the base. The sidewalls extend generally lengthwise between the bee entrance end and bee exit end. A plurality of posts extend upwardly from the base and are positioned between the bee entrance end and the bee exit end. The posts are generally circular in cross-section. The posts act as obstacles around which the bees must walk to reach the bee exit end from the bee entrance end.

Abstract: A package and system for holding and transporting small living beings, particularly, insects such as honeybees and the like, configurable in a robust, sturdy three-dimensional shape for handling and transport by mail and commercial carriers, which prevents stinging from within the package, allows escape of smaller accompanying insects such as hive beetles, is interlocking with others of the packages and strong enough to support other packages and items thereon; that provides for air flow through and about the package for heat dissipation for proper honeybee environment; that accommodates food and separately carrying a queen bee; and that can be easily and quickly broken down into a non-operational, generally flat configuration for initial sale, transport, and storage.

Abstract: A processing unit for solitary bees is utilized in a method of timely providing a sufficient number of bees for pollinating a flowering crop. The processing unit provides secure storage for the solitary bees at every stage of their life cycle, and provides precise control of environmental conditions to ensure that the bees complete each stage of their life cycle in the optimum state of health and viability, and to ensure that adult bees emerge in close agreement with predicted emergence. The processing unit provides for protection against parasites, predators and pathogens, and may provide for feeding and mating of the bees. The processing unit may be used with any type of solitary bee nest. The processing unit may be fabricated in modularized components, allowing for increased capacity as required.

Abstract: A polymer reinforced wooden hive can comprise a wooden hive box built with joints and having an exterior surface, and interior surface, and at least one rim for receiving a hive top or a hive bottom. A continuous polymeric coating applied to the exterior surface and the rim, but not to the interior surface. The continuous polymeric coating can provide mechanical reinforcement to the joints, strengthening the wooden hive box. Hive tops and hive bottoms can also be included as part of the polymer reinforced wooden hives, and can likewise be coated with a continuous polymeric coating.

Abstract: Incubation and emergence of solitary-nesting pollinating bees from their nests or cocoons under field conditions may be effected using a device including a first outer and second inner hollow containers wherein a nest containing the bees may be disposed, and first and second communicating openings are provided on the lower surfaces of the containers to provide access to the environment from the nest in the inner container. To allow egress of bees from the nests to the environment while inhibiting or preventing their return, a one-way exit is provided in communication with the second opening, which is also attached to or extends through the first opening. Controlled heating of the nests are effected by disposing a heating element within the outer container, external of the inner container. A temperature controller for the heating element and an electrical power source for providing power thereto are also provided.

Abstract: An insect holder for holding an insect, e.g. a forager honey bee, comprises a housing with a chamber adapted to receive the insect, an inlet to the chamber through which the insect can pass to enter the chamber, and a head opening to the chamber adapted to permit the head of the insect in the chamber to pass therethrough to the exterior of the housing while retaining the insect in the housing, with the head of the insect protruding through the head opening to the exterior of the housing. The insect is constrained to be unable to turn around in the chamber or withdraw its head into the chamber, so that observations can be made on the insect head, e.g. monitoring proboscis movement in known manner. When observations are finished, the insect is released unharmed and undamaged.

Abstract: A container for shipping and utilizing stinging insects for therapeutic purposes includes an elongated sidewall portion having uniform cross-sectional configuration along a center axis of elongation, and end closures disposed at front and rear extremities of the sidewall. One of the end closures is a mesh panel which prevents passage of insects but permits stinging therethrough. A wafer, slideably positionable within the container permits isolation of one insect and advancement of the insect to the mesh panel which may be held against the patient's skin.

Abstract: A portable beehive is disclosed for use in transporting a population of bees between a beekeeper facility and an orchard or the like. The portable beehive includes a box formed from a folded, single-piece blank, and a removable top cover. The interior of the box has inner end walls which form ledges for suspending honeycomb frames within the box. An exit opening is formed through an end wall of the box, and the exit is closed or opened by a door flap. The door flap, when opened, functions as a mat upon which may be placed concentrated pollen for transfer to the bees. Pivotable carrying handles perform multiple functions including holding the top cover in place, limiting the movement of the honeycomb frames within the box, and holding a bee food container in place atop the cover. A space is formed between the rear inner end wall and the rear outer end wall in which bee food may be placed; openings are provided in the rear inner end wall through which bees may access the food.

Abstract: A housing has a length adjustable to match the length of the bee entrance of a common type of brood chamber and a width at least equal to the width of that bee entrance. The housing includes screened openings or other ventilation provision to permit air to pass through the bee entrance of the brood chamber. One or more arms or other clamping device on the housing holds the housing securely over the bee entrance to prevent bees from entering or leaving the brood chamber. The device facilitates transport of bees as well as laboratory control of African bees.

Abstract: A swarm lure package formed of a plurality of individual swarm lure units. The units are elongated tubes and are filled with swarm attracting material. A common end pack material closes the ends of each of the individual swarm lure units to form a single integral package. The end pack material permits removal of individual ones of the units while maintaining the remaining units in an integral package.