Detachable Honeycomb Frame for Varroa Mite Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trap honeycombs for varroa mites are difficult to handle due to the bees building their comb over the edges of the frame, making it challenging to remove the frame with the varroa mites without damaging the middle wall, which complicates cleaning and reuse.
Innovation Solution
A honeycomb design featuring a detachable rear panel and middle wall that can be easily removed and reassembled, with adhesive or fastening means allowing for manual handling and cleaning, and a modular structure that facilitates assembly, disassembly, and replacement of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the frame is attached to the housing with the honeycomb grid, then the queen can lay eggs and the honeycomb structure can be formed, but the frame becomes difficult to remove from the housing because bees build comb over the edges of the frame
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into separate components: a fixed front part and a detachable rear part with the frame. This segmentation allows the frame to be easily removed from the housing by simply detaching the rear part, solving the problem of difficult frame removal while maintaining structural integrity during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame with the honeycomb grid is extracted as a separate removable component from the housing. The rear part of the housing can be detached to remove the frame, allowing easy separation of the frame from the housing without damaging the honeycomb structure or requiring complex detachment procedures.
2Reliability
If the middle wall is destroyed after removing varroa mites, then the mites can be eliminated, but the frame and housing require complex cleaning and reassembly procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a fixed front part and a detachable rear part that can be easily removed. This allows the entire rear assembly containing the middle wall to be easily detached and cleaned, simplifying the reassembly process while maintaining effective varroa mite elimination through the destruction of the middle wall.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear part of the housing with the middle wall is extracted as a removable component. This enables easy removal and cleaning of the middle wall after varroa mite elimination, reducing the complexity of cleaning and reassembly operations while maintaining the effectiveness of the mite control method.
3Productivity
If the honeycomb piece is built up over the edges of the frame, then the bees can construct their comb structure, but the frame cannot be easily removed from the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a fixed front part and a detachable rear part. This segmentation allows the frame to be easily removed from the housing by detaching the rear part, while still enabling bees to build their comb structure efficiently over the edges of the frame during the trapping period.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear part of the housing is designed to be dynamically detachable, allowing easy removal of the frame and middle wall after the trapping period. This dynamic design enables easy frame removal while maintaining the structural integrity needed for efficient honeycomb construction during use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy removal and disposal of the varroa mite-infested honeycomb piece without tools, simplifying handling and ensuring reliable cleaning and reuse of the honeycomb, effectively combating varroa mites by attracting them into the trap.
Implementation Method 1
The inside of the rear wall can preferably have an adhesion aid to hold the middle wall
Implementation Method 2
the middle wall, which can be plastically deformed under heat, can be pressed and thereby adhere
Data Source
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AI summary
The trapping frame is used to combat Varroa mites in beehives. It preferably has a detachable cage (2, 3, 4) for a queen bee and openings (6), preferably in an upper part (5) of the cage (2, 3, 4), for worker or hive bees to pass through. The trapping frame also has a middle sheet (20) and coupling devices (14) on the cage (2, 3, 4) for attaching the cage (2, 3, 4) in a honeycomb. To simplify handling of the trapping frame, the middle sheet (20) is arranged on an inner side (21) of a rear wall (4) of the cage (2, 3, 4) facing the cage interior (15), and is detachably held on the cage (2, 3, 4).