Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
foundation. If the frames you purchase have plastic foundation, you will have to add
bees-wax coating (see page 37).
The suppliers who sell preassembled boxes also sell preassembled frames that fit in
the boxes so that proper bee space is preserved. These are a good match and make set-
ting up a hive much easier.
Bottom Boards
You'll need a floor for your hive. Although several styles are available, consider using
ventilated bottom boards. Instead of having a solid wood bottom, these have a screen
covering the bottom. Screened bottom boards are good for several reasons: The open
bottom provides ample ventilation from top to bottom inside the hive, removing ex-
cess moist air and aiding the colony in temperature regulation, and an open floor allows
the colony's debris to fall out rather than accumulate on the floor inside. You should,
however, make sure there is some kind of a solid slide-in temporary floor.
Inner Covers
Set on top of the uppermost box is an inner cover. If the outer cover is the roof, the
inner cover is the ceiling of your hive. It provides a buffer from the hot hive top in the
summer and helps regulate air flow. There is an oblong hole in the center of the inner
cover. Almost all inner covers are sold preassembled. They are often made from a sheet
of masonite or a patterned paneling. These work but not well enough. They tend to sag
as they age. However, some inner covers are made of several thin boards in a frame,
which won't sag as they age. Find a source for the latter, as they are worth the search.
Additional items you'll need include a pail-type feeder, an entrance reducer, a bee
brush, and a fume board. Each item is explained later in the topic, according to when
they are used during the season.
An assembled hive with the individual parts offset, showing from bottom to top: bottom
board; three supers and frames; an inner cover; and a telescoping, metal-sheathed out-
er cover. An entrance reducer, which doubles as a mouse guard, rests on the outer cov-
er.
