Week 2 - How to build a hive


The different parts of a hive are:
 

Bottom Board/Floor

Is the foundation of the hive, it is where all the bees enter and exit the hive. It is also what the hive sits on top of and therefore holds the entire weight. It also has a mesh floor that allows for unwanted debris to fall through when the bees do not need it.

Entrance Reducer

Is a piece of wood that reduces the size of the entrance of the hive that controls the amount of bees allowed in and out of the hive.

Hive Bodies (Brood Box)

The brood box is the area of the hive where the bees live, as well as the queen bee. It is also where the queen bee lays all the eggs, (nursery) where they will grow and hatch.

Queen Excluder

Is used to keep the queen bee out of the super box - where the honey is stored. This is done so the queen bee cannot lay any eggs in the honey, enabling it to be collected and eaten without any eggs in it. The queen excluder is basically a board with many gaps in it that allows the worker bees to go through, but the gaps are too small for the queen to get through, hence why it is called a queen excluder.

Honey Super

Is basically identical to the brood box, except that it is shallower than the brood box. The purpose of the honey super is for the storage and collection of honey. The bees will put the honey in the frames of the super box, and it is where it will stay until it is collected.

Frames

The frames act as a base for the bees to build their comb onto -  they are basic wooden frames with a sheet of beeswax called foundation inside, this is where they will go on to lay eggs or store honey.

Inner Cover

Acts as a lid of the hive, it separates the honey super from the roof, this prevents any unwanted bees building comb on the bottom of the roof, which will be troublesome when the roof is removed. It also has a hole in the middle of it, which allows for ambrosia fondant to be fed to the bees in the colder months.

Outer Cover/Roof


Is the roof of the hive, it is on top of the crown board and it protects the bees inside the hive from all weathers. It also helps protect the hive from foreign objects that may fall on the hive and could potentially damage it.

How to Build a Beehive (DIY) | Family Handyman


This hive is my wooden hive at home. I will be using this as an example and comparison against the hive I am making. I will also use this opportunity to look at this hive in more detail and see where it needs improvement and then hopefully add those to the hive I am making. 

I will also get the external measurements of the hive at home to further improve the ones I already have online and to make sure that the hive I am creating, is the right size and therefore interchangeable with frames, lids, bases etc




How this helped me?

The information I have gathered has helped me greatly as it provided me with more detailed information, without having to dismantle my own beehive (causing disruption to the bees) and therefore be more accurate. 

This will also help me when building the hive as it will give me a greater understanding of the purpose and need for the different parts of the hive. 
With the information from the website and my own knowledge of bees and beehives and how they work, I put them together to help increase my understanding of the beehive and how it operates and all the different sections of the hive and their role within it.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/BeeHive_Parts.jpg



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