Even though there are three primary types of beekeeping hives used around the world, we are going to focus on the Langstroth hive because it is the easiest kind to find and maintain in the United States.
Let's begin with the base. Many hive makers like to use cypress for the base, which is a very suitable wood because it resists weathering and rotting better than other types of wood.
The hive stand is one of the most important parts of the entire beehive structure because it separates the hive body from the moist ground and also helps ventilate the hive.
The hive stand also helps out foraging bees by elevating the entrance points and exit points. Non-elevated hives can have entrance and exit points blocked by growing grass.
Your hive will come with an entrance reducer - this wooden cleat is used in the cooler months of the year to help preserve the warmth inside the hive. Note: For the warmer months of the year, the entrance reducer should only be used for colonies that have been newly installed in the hive.
The main part of the Langstroth hive is called the deep hive body. This is where all the action takes place.
Again, many manufacturers use cypress, but some may use other woods as well. The deep hive body has two separate parts: the lower deep and the upper deep.
The lower deep is used for curing and storing the honey. The upper deep, which is also called the brood chamber, is used by the queen bee to lay her eggs. "Nurse" bees will also be in the upper deep, since their task is caring for bee larvae.
The queen excluder on the other hand, is a screen that prevents the queen bee from entering the honey supers. It was designed in such a way that the queen bee will not be able to pass through, but the foraging workers will be able to, thanks to their smaller size.
The queen excluder should only be used during active honey production. This component of the Langstroth hive was designed to preserve the purity of the honey and to prevent the honey from being mixed with brood and pollen.
When it's time to install your bees, you have the choice of using wooden frames with a wax foundation or wooden frames with plastic foundation.
While some beekeepers will argue that in the long-term, plastic frames are a better investment because the material will not rot; most honey beekeepers will agree that bees work much faster with wooden frames with a wax foundation. Also, honeybees are usually very slow to accept plastic foundations.
To avoid this problem, it's much simpler to just purchase frames with a wax foundation from your local beekeeping supply. It doesn't take much effort to assemble everything and your bees would be much happier.
James Collins is the creator of the "Beekeepings Tips For Beginners Mini Course" - compulsory reading for anyone interested in learning about beekeeping hives [http://www.beekeepingtipsforbeginners.com/understanding-the-beehive]. The website contains valuable information on how to easily start your new hobby as a beginning beekeeper... Even if you have never seen a beehive before!
For your FREE 10 part mini-course on "Beekeepings Tips For Beginners Mini Course" go to [http://www.beekeepingtipsforbeginners.com]
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