National Honey Bee

What are the Best Beekeeping Hives Today?

Beekeeping is more than just collecting honey and making money from it. There are many other aspects to it like understanding the species of bees that you want to breed, and how to set up a beekeeping station. You need to be familiar with the types and lifespan of hives that are required for beekeeping.

The history of honey bees and beekeeping is long and well-known. Honey bees are now domesticated for their honey. You may have thought about becoming a beekeeper. Beekeeping can be a rewarding hobby or a profitable business if done correctly. It is important to have the right information and knowledge about beekeeping before you begin.

In the 1980’s, I was first introduced to honeybees. I have always been fascinated by the little creatures who work tirelessly to provide a living environment for their family and their young. People die from lack of knowledge. This holds true for honeybees and beekeeping. It is important to understand the honey bee’s behavior and methods of producing honey. Knowing more about honey bees will make it easier to interact with them and collaborate with them. All of us can benefit from knowing more about honeybees.

A bit about Honeybees

Honeybees live in colonies because of their social structure. A colony can have anywhere from a few thousand bees to thousands. Their primary focus is to re-produce, and to ensure that their young are well fed. The adult bees are responsible for raising and nurturing the young bees. The future job of the young bee is to take over after the adults die. Once we have a basic understanding of the honeybee colony structure, we can start to learn how to “work with” them.

Honeybees not only produce food for themselves, but also for us. You can choose to be a hobbyist and only get involved in the beekeeping. We can also decide to become more involved in beekeeping. You will be able to work in harmony with nature as you learn more about bees. People have come up with ways to provide honeybees with a home that is both suitable and desirable by understanding the basic social structure of honeybees and their working methods. It is also easy to manage and move from the beekeeper’s point of view.

Honebees Home

This “house” is known as a bee-hive. The bee hive was designed to complement the honeybees’ work methods. The bee hive, which is the most important piece beekeepers need to have, is essential.

Special clothing is required to work with honeybees. Honeybees aren’t hostile and will only sting if they feel threatened or defending their colony. A full body suit with a veil and gloves is the best protection. The veil covers the neck and head of the beekeeper and prevents stings to the neck and face. A smoker is another important piece of equipment for beekeepers. A smoker is simply a device used to produce smoke. Honeybees sense smoke and think it is a fire. They instinctively prepare to flee the hive as soon possible. As they feel they must leave the hive, their defense mechanism against intruders has been “turned off”.

The beekeeper should harvest honey if the honey cells are covered in wax. The nectar source of honey can affect the color of the honey. People prefer honey that is light in color, but it does not affect the quality of the honey. There are many benefits to keeping honeybees close to your home. The honeybees will help to ensure that the plant life in your area thrives. Farmers will also benefit from their pollination by the honeybees.

Types of Hives

There are many hives that can be used to house your bees. However, you need to be aware that not all hives will be suitable for every area.

1. Skep hive

This type of home beekeeping is a basket with no inside structure. This hive is ideal for bees as they move in and out of it. It has one hole at its bottom. There are two problems with this hive. First, you can’t inspect its internal structure. The honey must be removed from the hive in order to collect it. If the honey is not collected, the bees will either die or fly away.

2. Mud and clay beekeeping hive

This type of beekeeping hive was made from clay and is thought to have its origins in ancient Egypt. This hive is used to collect honey by smoking the clay at one end, which causes the bees to fly to the other end. The honeycomb is not protected and honey collection becomes simple.

3. Bee gum hive

This type of beekeeping device is found in the hollows and trunks of gum trees. This type of hive is not recommended as you will need to sulphur honey to collect. Insertion of a container containing burning sulfur inside the hive. This would kill all bees at once and is not a good idea if you intend to keep your bees for many seasons.

4. Beekeeping hive

They are made with two purposes in mind. The first purpose is to extract honey, and the second is to provide a way for pollination of nearby crops.

• Langstroth hive is a popular beekeeping method in the US.
• Top Bar hive – Mostly used in the UK.

These hives share many common features. These hives have removable frames which make it easier for beekeepers inspect the bees. Honey can be collected easily without killing any bees. Their homes can also be reused for a longer time. If you are a serious beekeeper, this is the perfect solution!