The Clonroche hive stand was designed by Tom Hillyard of the Beekeeping Unit, Teagasc, Clonroche, Co. Wexford. Ireland. I have seen many of them in use in Ireland, with an increasing number elsewhere. The drawings have been hard to come by, so I have put them on this website, accessible from the button top left. This is by kind permission from Teagasc.

I don't use the Clonroche stand because I had my own before I first became aware of this design when I visited Ireland to attend the FIBKA Gormanston Summer Course. I have since handled bees on Clonroche stands on many occasions and I thoroughly recommend them. The original intention was to make a cheap sturdy folding hive stand that can be easily made with minimum tools. The main material is 4" x 1.5" (100 x 38mm) tanalised wood of the type that is used for fencing. The length is 6 ft (1835mm) which will take two full colonies on each end and a nuc in between if needed. A careful eye will be able to find used wood that will make the stands at little or no cost.

On many occasions I have seen three colonies on a stand, but I find the colony in the middle is difficult to remove supers from and manage.

A major benefit of the Clonroche hive stand is that the legs will fold underneath, so when folded flat the stand takes up little room.

Roger Patterson.