subject: Parts of a Langstroth Beehive [print this page] Your first investment as a beginning beekeeper is the modern Langstroth hive. Nowadays you can buy or order blueprints for this hive or you can buy a ready-made model. Even if you are handy with tools, purchase your first beehive. No matter where you get the hive, it must be well-built and made from strong wood, like cypress l. The parts of a Langstroth hive include:
Hive stand
Bottom board
Slatted rack
Lower deep or brood chamber
Upper deep or food chamber
Queen excluder
Shallow honey super
Inner cover
Outer cover
Since your hive will be exposed to the elements for a long time, it would be best if you can apply a few coats of paint to the outer surface of the hive. Remember to paint your hive several days before installing the honeybees.
You can use polyurethane (use the outdoor grade), oil-based paints, etc. You can paint the outside of the hive all you want but do not paint the following:
Feeder (the one located at the top of the hive)
Cover (the whole cover should not be painted or stained)
Hive bodies
Frames
If you paint the wooden parts of the hive that will house the bees, the bees may swarm since they don't like the smell of paint. And you wouldn't want any of those chemicals to mix with the honey, would you?
Now, when you want to move your hive, you have to make sure that each of the sections of the entire hive is strapped down securely.
While it is true that bees use lots of propolis to secure each of the sections, you cannot rely entirely on the natural glue. If you have to transport the hive on your truck, use ratchet straps and padding or hive staples to secure everything before driving because the hive might come apart during the actual drive.
Beehives made from good quality wood and painted require very little maintenance and should last for years to come.
