The Basic Components of the Honey Bee Hive
The honey bee hive consists of several boxes that are named after their colony use versus simply the size.
The most common naming convention among beginning beekeepers is simply a brood box and a super. The brood box is the box where the queen lays her eggs (the “brood”) and the super box is where the remaining worker bees place the honey stores. So, you may also hear them called honey supers.
The more experience beekeepers tend to use the size and function in their names, so you may a “deep box” or “deep brood box”, which refers to the box as before where the queen lays her eggs.
Super boxes for the Langstroth hive come in 3 sizes:
- shallow ask known as
- medium also known as an Illinois Super
- or the no longer commonly use Wisconsin Super
Then we have top and bottom boards that also come in different variations:
Top boards with inner and outer covers, used mostly up north and Migratory Top boards more commonly used in Florida since we don’t have a huge temperature differential that causes condensation inside the hive.
Bottom boards can be solid or screened. The screened bottom board is known to be used in the control of the varroa destructor mite.
Then we have frames and sometimes we have foundation.
Great veil for quick inspections with easy on and off. Won't droop in your face like so many other types of veil styles and stays snug where its supposed to. Keeps you cool in the summer heat when you are out working your bees!
- Cowboy hat with bee veil has a visibility panel in the front with chin strap and elastic shoulder straps. This bee veil is quick and comfy.
- Will cover face and neck. Be sure to pull it down over the shirt collar for appropriate protection
- One size fits all
Other options:
Learn more: How to Select a Bee Smoker
