The COVID-19 pandemic has given many of us spare time to clean closets, learn a hobby and finish long-forgotten tasks. Here’s a unique pandemic project completed by an Irish beekeeper: a working beehive made from Legos.
In May, Ruairi O’Leachain posted a video of his fully functional Lego beehive, an idea he had before the pandemic began. The video quickly went viral, attracting more than 100,000 views.
He said he was surprised by the reaction. People from all over the world told him they liked the idea and wanted his plans to build their own. Unfortunately, he built the hive without plans, next to an actual hive to make sure the dimensions were the same.
Beekeepers will understand why O’Leachain did not need any glue to keep the Legos together. Bees naturally will seal any openings in the hive with propolis, a substance that bees collect from trees to use as their “bee glue.”
O’Leachain owns Athione Wildlife Apiaries, where he sells honey to fund his work as a wildlife rescue volunteer.
What a cool idea – I wish I had a Lego hive! I wonder whether the bees prefer a colorful house versus my drab white ones made of wood. It certainly would be a challenge – maybe I’ll ask my grandchildren to build one from Grandma.
Bee Lady Honey 