Anatomy of a Beehive
In the enchanting world of beekeeping, understanding the anatomy of a beehive is essential. The beehive is not just a home for the industrious honeybees; it’s a meticulously designed structure that serves as the epicenter of their complex society. In ancient times home of this bee society was hollow wooded trunk, or hidden from the elements open space. Today we have different types of beehives, specifically created to house bee families with the hope of making their life easier and productive.
As a beekeeper or a curious observer, delving into the intricacies of a beehive unveils the remarkable organization of these tiny insects and their vital role in our ecosystems. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the various components that make up the anatomy of a beehive.
The main parts we would divide any beehive are below:
**1. Outer Cover**
The outer cover of a beehive is like a roof that protects the colony from the elements. It shields the bees from rain, wind, and extreme temperatures, helping to maintain a stable environment within the hive. Outer covers can vary in material, from traditional wooden lids to more modern materials like metal or plastic. Important feature here is also temperature regulation and noise cancelation from falling objects or intruders.
**2. Inner Cover**
Beneath the outer cover, the inner cover acts as insulation, preventing condensation from forming within the hive. It often has a central hole that serves as an entrance and ventilation point for the bees. Ventilation in a beehive is extremely important. Wrong conditions created by the beekeepers will lead to condensation, which in turn will cause bacteria, spoiled honey, wet bees, etc. These is unacceptable conditions in a beehive. Often temperature amplitude during different seasons is great and we have to be extra careful about the conditions inside a beehive. Some inner covers also have a feeding hole, allowing beekeepers to provide supplemental food. They can be taking only small space on the surface of the cover or they can be the cover itself. Feeders are usually designed in a way to provide liquid or solid food to the beehive.
**3. Supers**
Supers are boxes stacked on top of one another, where the bees store honey. Due to the bee instinct to save their food furthest from the entrance of the home supers are naturally the place where bees would save their food supply. This fact was used very clever by some beekeepers. They rotate the supers in specific times of the year in a specific way. This basically cause disturbance in the family and keeps them busy reorganising their home the way it was before. In the process of uncapping and transferring honey bees actually create a false picture of food income from outside thus generating a “mood” in the beehive for laying brood and expanding the family.
There are two main types of supers:
– **Deep Supers**: These are the lower boxes and serve as the brood chamber where the queen lays her eggs and the worker bees raise the young. The deep supers are deeper than other supers to accommodate the growing brood.
– **Medium Supers**: Positioned above the deep supers, medium supers are used for honey storage. They are easier for beekeepers to lift when harvesting honey.
**4. Frames and Foundation**
Within the supers, frames and foundation play a critical role in guiding the bees’ activities. Frames are wooden or plastic structures that hold sheets of foundation. Their size varies depending on the beehive system in use and / or purpose of the frame. It is important to note only hight is changing. Usually, width of the frames is all the same. Frames should be interchangeable as often they swap places in the beehives. Main difference here is if they have delimiters on the top separating them from the neighbouring frames of not. Foundation is typically made of beeswax or plastic and provides a guide for the bees to build their honeycomb. Beekeepers more often than not use pre-drawn foundation to encourage the bees to produce honeycomb in a specific pattern. Using foundation results in quality-built frames, where regular families raise workers and not drones.
**5. Brood Chamber**
The brood chamber, located in the deep supers, is where the queen bee lays her eggs. Here, worker bees raise new brood, which includes workers, drones, and new queen bees. The brood chamber is kept warm and well-protected to ensure the survival of the young bees. Its important to note here that due to excessive usage frames in these chambers have to be replaced regularly. This will ensure healthy brood and happy family.
**6. Hive Body**
The hive body encompasses the deep supers and brood chamber. It serves as the core structure of the hive, housing the majority of the bee population and their essential activities. The hive body includes the brood chamber and lower frames for brood rearing. It is usually made out of wood, polystyrene or plastic. It should be made resilient to intruders like birds and mice for example. These are the predators against which bees can’t protect themselves. It is up to us to ensure their survival.
**7. Queen Excluder**
Positioned between the hive body and the honey supers, a queen excluder is a device with evenly spaced openings that allow worker bees to pass through but prevent the larger queen from ascending to the honey storage areas. This ensures that the queen does not lay eggs in the honeycomb. Not all of the beekeepers practice using the excluder. There are multiple surveys in favour and against the usage of it. You can read more << here >>
**8. Bottom Board**
The bottom board forms the base of the hive. It includes an entrance for the bees and provides ventilation. Some bottom boards have a removable tray to monitor and manage hive pests and debris that falls from the hive. Depending on the region different designs and improvements are used to increase functionality of the bottom board. One of these is collecting pollen, which we human value very high.
**9. Hive Stand**
The hive stand is the support structure that raises the hive off the ground. Elevating the hive helps protect it from moisture and pests and provides a comfortable working height for beekeepers. They can be made of metal, concrete, wood or silicone.
Understanding the anatomy of a beehive is crucial for anyone interested in beekeeping. Each component plays a unique role in the success and well-being of the colony, and proper hive management is essential for healthy bees and a bountiful harvest of honey and other bee-related products. As you explore the world of beekeeping, take the time to appreciate the artistry and functionality of this miniature society’s architectural marvel – the beehive.
