The buzz about bees on Intaka Island
Bees are buzzing with purpose on Intaka Island, playing a vital role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystem and contributing to the sustainability of Century City as a smart city. These hardworking pollinators are essential for the health of the island’s diverse flora and help support the local bird and insect populations that thrive here.
In an environmentally sustainable smart city like Century City, bees symbolise the harmonious relationship between urban development and nature. By pollinating plants, they contribute to green spaces, which improve air quality, reduce heat, and enhance biodiversity. At Intaka Island, their role in sustaining this living wetland underscores the importance of protecting and supporting these tiny heroes.
Through initiatives like indigenous planting and habitat preservation, Intaka Island remains a sanctuary for bees and other pollinators, ensuring they continue to thrive and contribute to a greener future.
Intaka Island is home to three distinct types of beehives, each uniquely designed to support its hardworking residents. These hives play a crucial role in the sustainability of our ecosystem, and their diversity showcases the innovation and history of beekeeping.
The Beehives at Intaka
- Langstroth Hive
- Top Bar Hive
- Natural Hive
Each of these hives has a unique design, purpose, and history.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular hive types:
Langstroth Hive
Design: Vertical stack of rectangular modular boxes with frames
Popularity: Very high
Invented: 1851
When most people imagine a beehive, they’re picturing a Langstroth. Invented in the mid-1800s, this vertical hive features stacked boxes for brood, honey, and food supplies. Inside each box, frames with foundation cells help bees quickly construct their comb.
Warre Hive
Design: Vertical stack of square, modular boxes with top bars
Invented: Mid-1950s
Known as the “People’s Hive,” the Warre emerged a century after the Langstroth. Although similar in its vertical structure, the Warre uses square boxes instead of rectangular ones, offering a simpler and more natural approach to beekeeping.
Top Bar Hive (TBH)
Design: Horizontal box on legs filled with top bars
Invented: 1960s
The Top Bar Hive takes a different approach, using a single horizontal box elevated on legs. Under its removable roof, top bars without frames or foundation allow bees to build comb naturally.
Flow Hive
Design: Vertically stacked boxes with an innovative honey extraction system
Invented: 2015
For those interested in modern technology, the Flow Hive offers a game-changing honey extraction system. Although it comes at a higher price point, it’s gaining popularity for its convenience and innovative design.
Bee Skep
Design: Traditional dome-shaped basket with no internal structures
Invented: 800 CE
One of the oldest hive types, the Bee Skep, is a simple, hand-woven basket made from straw or grass. Though rarely used today, it remains a symbol of early beekeeping practices.
A Sweet Collaboration
The beehives at Intaka Island are expertly maintained by Soetvlei Honey Farms, with resident beekeeper Lawrence Woollam leading the charge. These thriving colonies not only support the Island’s biodiversity but also produce delectable honey.
Looking to try Intaka Island honey? Keep an eye out for the honey stand at our next Natural Goods Market, the honey is labelled as Cape Honey. It’s the perfect way to take home a little taste of nature’s magic!
The next time you visit Intaka Island, come visit our beehives and take a moment to appreciate the hum of activity around the flowers – it’s the sound of sustainability in action!
