A hive is a basic beekeeping equipment for bees which can set up their home.
Langstroth hives are probably the most commonly used. Langstroth patented his design in the United-States on October 5, 1852 originally for comb honey production but it has become the standard style hive for many of the world’s beekeepers, both professional and amateurs.
There are four basic components to a beehive. The bottom board, the supers, the frames and the covers.
Hive Cover – Telescoping cover “telescopes” over the sides of the top super to protect the hive. Galvanized covering.
Inner Cover – Creates a dead air space for insulation from heat and cold.
Shallow Supers – Consist of Super, Frames and Beeswax Foundation for “surplus” honey storage. Bees store their extra honey in the frames for the beekeeper to remove. 6-5/8′ or , 5-11/16” supers, or even hive bodies may be used.
Hive Bodies – Consists of Body, Frames and Beeswax Foundation. “Brood Chambers” are the bees’ living quarters. Queen lays eggs in these chambers and brood is raised. Honey is also stored for the bees’ food.
Bottom Board – Forms the floor of the hive. Shown with wooden entrance reducer in place to keep mice and some cold out during winter.
Bee hive material is a very important aspect of any beekeeping operation. Correctly constructed beehive material should last at least 20 years; poorly constructed items may only last 2 to 3 years.
