Making cornstalk hives

Dauda Sani Abbas, Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta, Kano State, Nigeria

The cultivation of different varieties of corn in Mirini District, Kano State and other parts of northern Nigeria resulted in the availability of cornstalks (usually left to decay). some beekeepers were motivated and voluntarily trained to make different designs and styles of hives using cornstalk, subsequently generating income for both the famers and beekeepers, leading to poverty alleviation in the area.

Introduction

Cornstalk is used to make hives in Mirini District and other areas of Kano State because of the availability of the stalk due to corn farming in the area. A small river passes through Mirini which during the rainy season attracts bees as it makes the area conducive for their habitat. There is loam soil that gives an added advantage of practising both dry and wet farming as well as the opportunity to cultivate sorghum. The staff of Audu Bako College of Agriculture decided to motivate beekeepers in the area to use locally available materials to make different designs and styles of hives.

Materials needed

Cornstalk (fresh/wet for thinning), cow dung, Kenaf Hibiscus cannabinus, bark of Piliostigma reticulatum, dried grasses (straw), polythene.

Method

A sorghum stalk is what is referred to as a cornstalk for this article. Sorghum is a cereal Sorghum vulgare or Sorghum bicolor, the grains of which in are used to make flour and are used also in cattle feed. In West Africa, sorghum is known as guinea corn – hence cornstalk. Strong, straight and good-sized corn stalks are selected and cut according to the length of the hive. The stalks are also divided into two halves along the length of the stalk to enable the cow dung to be applied and to provide a smooth surface for the bees to attach their comb easily. The half corn stalks are woven into a flat mat-like structure using Kenaf as the thread.

The tree thinnings are used to form ring shaped structures of different sizes (one bigger than the other) to help in forming the tapered shape of the hive when the above mat-like structure of the corn stalk is rolled and tightened over and against them. These rings are usually seven in number depending on the length of the hive.

Grasses or straw are then thatched and applied on the corn stalk to cover it fully. A sheet of polythene is applied between the corn stalk and the grass to serve as waterproofing.

They are tightened fully with Piliostigma reticulatum bark. Cow dung is coated thickly on the inside and lightly on the outside. Bee entrances are made on the smaller end and the wider end is used for inspection and honey harvesting.

Rolled-up and tapered cornstalk hive

Yahya Musa

Top-bar cornstalk hive

Yahya Musa

Top-bar hive made with cornstalks

Corn stalks are tightened and thatched to the shape of a top-bar hive. The two ‘’V’’ shaped panels are made first, then the front and back panels are thread fitted to the V shaped sides. This is followed by fitting the bottom of the hive. The hive is then coated thickly on the inside with cow dung. The cover is made separately to overlap the hive body.

Training targets:

Encourage, motivate and guide the community on how to make different cornstalk hives.

Coach trainees in ways of managing bees and harvesting honey with little interference.

Help farmers to make valuable use of cornstalks and those who are not interested in beekeeping can sell the stalks to beekeepers rather than leaving them to decay.

Semi-circular bar hive

Yahya Musa

Semi-circular cross bar hive

Yahya Musa