Beehive Information for Beginners
Ants, wasps, termites, and honeybees are considered social insects. These insect types live as a group, working together, cooperating, and caring for their little ones. (Unlike wasps and ants though, honeybees are vegetarian. They get their protein food from pollen and their carbohydrates from honey.
Social Classes of Honeybees
Bees are grouped into 3 social classes. This should be considered in setting up a beehive. Since you are taking care of honeybees, it’s important to plan your beekeeping hives. You should know the different classes of bees and their functions:
Workers. These working bees comprise of the females bees that are not yet fully developed reproductively to become a Queen. It’s expected of them to do most of the work in a beehive.
Queen bee. The Queen is most fertile female bee among the colony. Her task is to lay eggs continuously. If she dies, a female worker will be chosen to take her place. The female bees will undergo a special diet of “royal jelly” to produce also a special larva. Once a larva is hatched, its female bee would become the next Queen of the colony. A special place in the hive then is made meant only for the Queen.
Drones. The drones are all the male bees in the colony. During springtime and summertime, it is expected to have about 0 to 500 drones within a colony. The purpose of these drones is to mate with the Queen.
Beehive Equipment
Beekeeping hives can thrive in any place where there are lots of flowering plants producing nectar and honey. It is also important to have shading and protection from strong winds if you are planning to set up a beekeeping hive.
A beehive is composed of the following:
The bottom board. The bottom board should not be laid on the ground directly. It should be made of wood and should also have a wooden stand for the hive to rest on.
Foundation and hive frames. An imprinted hexagon comprises of the hive foundation. A foundation is very important since it’s used by the honeybees to create a straight comb. The purpose of the frames on the other hand is to hold the sheets of beeswax in place.
Brood chamber or hive body or super. The brood chamber or hive body is a wooden box also called as a super. This large box usually houses up to ten combs. The beekeeper can choose to have one or two brood nests which are meant to store the honey for the bees’ own use.
Queen excluder. A queen excluder is very important in a beehive. It should be placed between the brood nests and supers. If your hive has two chambers or bodies, then queen bee excluder is no longer necessary.
Hive covers. Your beekeeper hive should both have outer and inner covers. The outer cover serves as protection from weather, while the inner covers provide insulation as well as prevent the comb from attaching to its outer cover.
