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.
Manufacturer recommends 3 birds per nipple.
- Does not require a drip cup.
- Screw directly into PVC pipe or bucket, or use reducing tees with Teflon tape for round PVC pipe.
- 360° side-action pin.
- Screw/Threaded style, screw size: 5cm
- 360 degree nipple stainless steel
Limited delivery area and times:
- To 33933 and Burnt Store Marina on Fridays
- To 33904 and 33914 on Mondays
Delivery cost: Free on orders over $10
Delivery area: 33993, 33904, 33914 and Burnt Store Marina community
Shipping cost: Carrier calculated
Shipping: USPS Priority Mail in the continental US only
Farm Pick Up cost: Free
Farm Pick Up by Appt: Pick up appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance.
Other options:
Learn more: How to Select a Bee Smoker
