Wooden beehive in beekeeping: what should I know to choose

Every amateur or professional beekeeper faces the dilemma between a wooden hive or a plastic beehive for his bees.

Despite the differences between the two types of beehives, it is a fact that a wooden hive due to the natural characteristics of the wood will always precede a quality debate.

So let’s look below for what reasons a wooden beehive is an ideal choice for any beekeeper who targets a fine honey.

Key Features of Wooden Hives

The wooden beehive is also called a “natural hive” as it is more related to natural hives in tree trunks, rock openings or other small natural cavities.

It is also called an “artificial hive” as it is made of special wood treatment and is appropriately reinforced with proper finishing. Inside, the hives include wooden honeycomb frames, parallel hexagonal wax structures, hollow inside, which constitute their skeleton.

Inside the honeycombs is the place where the queen gives birth to her eggs. There grow bee larvae and store nutrients such as honey and pollen.

The most common wood for the manufacture of hives in Greece is fir wood. Pinewood (lighter and more economical) is usually used to make the frames.

Wooden Langstroth Hive

The Langstroth honey box, also known as the “Standard” beehive, is a notorious wooden hive. A big advantage of this type of beehives is that they are easily transported. The parts of the Langstroth cell consist of the movable base, two or more floors and a lid.

In Australia, the Australian lid is used as it is easier to place clips to transport bees without opening the hive.

The usual external dimensions of the cell are 51cm depth (side view), 42cm wide (front view) and 24.5cm high. The frames used are Hoffman type, with 3 holes laterally, and 448X232mm, 35mm from centre to centre.

Wooden beehives: the advantages

• With proper maintenance, a wooden hive can last up to 20-30 years.
• Wood is a natural material that has been tested for many years by beekeepers around the world and is more in keeping with the traditional principles of beekeeping.
• Wooden hives are easier to convert, which favours maintenance after many years of wear. This means you can change a part of it with a new one with confidence that it will fit exactly to the dimensions.
• Wooden hives are a flexible and economical solution in the long run.