How to Build a Beehive

So, you need to know how to build a beehive. You have ordered your package bees for sale and now you need to get the hive built and ready for their arrival.

There are many types of bee hives and many different plans. On this " how to build a bee hive " page I will focus on the Langstroth hive. Most new bee keepers will start out with a bee hive kit. This kit will need some assembly. If you ship it assembled (which you can) it can cost a fortune in shipping.

Lets get you started on How to build a beehive:

The bottom board goes down first.

• Build the deep hive bodies. These are going to be where the bees will store their supply of honey and pollen and the queen will lay her eggs. You won't take any honey from this part of the hive. The bees will need it all to get through the winter.
• Build the deep frames and put the foundation in them. Hang ten of these in each deep hive body. The bees will fill these with honey, pollen, and brood (baby bees). If you are using plastic foundation, consider spraying it with sugar water to encourage the bees to draw it out. I prefer was foundation (and so do my bees).
• Lay the queen excluder on top of the second deep hive body. This will prevent the queen from being able to get up into your honey supply to lay eggs. Since you will be filtering the honey when you extract it, it isn't really a problem if she does, but it's a waste of her effort and doesn't help your bees at all. This piece is optional, but I recommend it.
• Next come the honey supers. These will not be stacked on the hive until the honey starts to flow in May and the bees have filled both deep supers. Add honey supers as the bees are ready and they will continue to fill them for you as long as the nectar flows.
• Build your shallow frames and hang them in the supers.
• Finally, put the inner cover and the top cover on top. I usually put something heavy on top of that like a brick or a rock to prevent the wind or a skunk from taking the lid off and rummaging through the hive.
• Paint all the exposed outsides of the wood to keep the wood protected. Use white or a light color to prevent the hive from absorbing the sunlight and getting too hot.

Now you know enough about how to build a beehive to put yours together when it arrives.

I personally prefer the build your own bee hive plan. I will be putting up the plans for that shortly. If you are at all handy with woodworking making these little bees a home is a cinch!

Don't get so busy learning how to build a beehive that you forget to order your bees!

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