Our Tube Packages give the bees a greater degree of control over their environment inside the package, despite changes of temperature outside, than is available in the American style of package.

Our design allows the bees to draw cool, fresh air from low down and to discharge warm aromatic air high up. This prevents them breathing in stale air discharged from other packages, while making use of natural air convection.

We also make the packages narrow enough for bees to restrict the airflow when it is cold outside the tube. This narrowness has the added advantage of reducing the light entering the tube, thus modifying the effect on bees when the tubes are moved from the dark to light.

It is important that we made the package with a large interior surface and a strip of mesh stretching nearly the full length of the tube. The bees can cling to this during transportation so lessening the stress which occurs when bees cling to each other as in a swarm.

This is particularly important on rough air flights or on rough roads. This means the bees live longer after they have been hived.

Another very important feature of Arataki Tube Packages is the ease of feeding while they are in the bins and the extreme ease of hiving them.

When ordering our tube packages please be aware that we ship 704 Arataki Tube Packages on one airline pallet. These are made up of four bins of 176 tubes per bin, which can be moved by forklift.

You have to be aware of these figures particularly when you are ordering outside Canada. Otherwise the air freight becomes prohibitive.

Order early so you don’t miss out.