Your first hive purchase!

The most challenging part of beekeeping, for the beginner, is purchasing your first hive.  You wonder, “What do I need and what do I not need”? 

First on the list is to order your bees. We often hear, “I bought my hive but I cannot find any bees available”.  Due to bee shortages, it is important to place your order for your bees first.  Bees sell out very quick in the first couple of months of the year.

We recommend utilizing an 8 frame hive.  Bees like to grow their colony vertically and not horizontally.  8 frame supers are also better for reducing the weight to approximately 60 lbs per honey super.  This will save the average beekeeper a back ache!  A 10 frame honey super can weigh 80 lbs or more. 

One standard “first year” hive will include the following:

Quantity                                Description

            1 – Screen Bottom Board, especially recommended for beekeepers in the South.

                        Solid bottom board  for beekeepers in the North.

            1 – 9 5/8” Deep Brood box

            2 – 6 5/8” Medium Super

            1 – Inner Cover

            1 – Telescopic Cover

            8 – 9 1/8” Wood frames for the Deep Brood Box

            8 – 8 ½” Foundation for the 9 1/8” frames.  We recommend using “waxed” 

                          plastic foundation.

            16 – 7 ¼” Wood frames for the medium supers

            16 – 6 ½” foundation for the 7 ¼” wood frames.  We recommend using “waxed”

                          plastic foundation. 

            1 – Entrance reducer

            1 – Boardman feeder (to feed your sugar water to your bees). We like the plastic type.

You will want to have your hive off the ground to reduce pests, wood rot, and provide good ventilation to the hive.  We elevate our hives at least 18” to 24”, which also helps prevent a sore back from leaning over so much.  There are many wonderful hive stands to make an apiary for a hobbyist from simple to spectacular!

Be sure to paint two coats of paint on the exterior part of your hive.  All areas that come into contact with the elements must have paint.  Do not paint the interior side of the hive.  The interior needs to be natural.  This helps the humidity level of the hive and creates a natural environment for your bees as much as possible. The paint should be a 10 year latex paint.  The paint should be allowed to dry and cure for at least two weeks prior to placing your bees in their new hive.

Where do you find these items?  We first recommend getting in touch with a local beekeeping supply store.  In a small town, you may even find beekeeping supplies at your local hardware store.  We recommend staying local due to the fact you are going to have questions and they can help you understand the “local” issues you may be facing.  One good example is that they would know your area’s nectar flow and how to prepare the hive for winter in your location.

Let us know if this blog is helping you!