Beekeeping: Items Needed for Building a Hive Box

Beekeeping involves a hive box and other related items. There are kits available that will require you to put together the hive box by wiring, nailing, and gluing. A person should estimate about $500 in expenses towards your set-up and this may not include the cost of the bees.

To set-up your hive box, find a location that has a flat surface and will protect your bees from rain and wind. Also, do consider a place for the bees where humans and animals will not disturb them.

Depending on your construction a hive box may contain an outer cover, inner cover, two or more suppers, brood box or queen excluder, bottom board, and possibly a hive stand. Some beekeepers will add their own unique options such as a pollen trapper.

A cover will be placed on top of the hive box. There are different styles to which a beekeeper can use. Some will choose a telescoping cover or a migratory cover. Business beekeepers prefer the migratory cover because it is a solid cover that equals in size to the sides of the hive box.

The inner cover allows air space for insulation against heat and cold. With the inner cover it allows the top cover to be easily removed.

Supers are a vital section because this is the place where bees will be storing the honey. The supers are stored between the inner cover and bottom board. There are two common types of supers to choose from, a shallow super or a deep super.

Some beekeepers might use a shallow super, deep super, or variations of both. The benefit to a deep super is that it can hold more honey. However, when a deep super becomes full, it can weigh up to 100 pounds. A shallow supper allows easier carrying weight.

Once you have the supers in place, you will need frames. Each super contains about ten frames with foundations. Frames and foundations are important for hive inspections and will prevent the bees from building a mess.

Frames are used to keep the foundation in place. The foundation is a honeycomb impression where bees put wax on. A lot of beekeepers prefer using a plastic foundation because it is easier to use. Also, it is very important to know the super measurements so that the frames will fit inside.

The bottom board is where the bees enter the hive box. It also contains a landing board for the bees. Bottom boards must be strong enough to endure the weight of the hive. Some beekeepers will add a stand for extra support.

Bottom boards also need to be protected from decay or rot. Another item that can be added is a hive entrance reducer. A reducer is used for containing the entry from wind and lessens the damages from mice.

Building a hive box requires a lot of effort and time. A hive box must be solid and in place before bees can move in. Once you have build your box, you will also need to have regular inspections and other maintenance duties.