A beehive is a structure that serves as the home for a colony of honey bees, but the term refers to two distinct concepts. It can describe the natural nest built by the bees themselves within a sheltered space, such as a hollow tree cavity. It also commonly refers to the standardized wooden apparatus provided by beekeepers for managed colonies. The construction of the hive involves specialized materials, precise architectural techniques, and a highly organized internal structure.
Essential Materials of Natural Hive Construction
The foundation of the natural beehive is built almost entirely from two substances produced by worker bees: beeswax and propolis. Beeswax is secreted by young worker bees from four pairs of specialized glands located on the underside of their abdomens. Producing this wax requires the consumption of a significant amount of honey; estimates suggest bees must consume six to eight pounds of honey to produce one pound of wax.
The wax emerges as small, clear flakes, which workers collect and chew. They mix the wax with salivary secretions to make it pliable for molding into honeycomb cells. Beeswax is highly stable across a wide temperature range, which maintains the structural integrity of the comb throughout the seasons.
Propolis functions as a sealant and disinfectant for the hive structure. Worker bees create this resinous mixture by collecting sap and exudates from tree buds and other botanical sources. They combine this plant resin with their own wax and salivary secretions.
Bees use propolis to close small gaps, fill unwanted spaces, and line the interior walls of the hive. This application provides a protective barrier against moisture and drafts. Propolis also possesses antimicrobial properties that help maintain a sanitary environment within the colony.
The Architectural Process of Comb Building
The transformation of raw beeswax into the functional honeycomb structure is a collective effort. When initiating comb construction, worker bees link together to form hanging chains called festoons. This behavior serves as a living scaffold and helps maintain the elevated temperature needed to keep the wax malleable.
The bees mold the softened wax into the familiar lattice of cells. The resulting architecture is a double-sided sheet of interconnected, six-sided compartments, with cells slightly offset from one another. This precise geometry maximizes storage capacity while minimizing the material required for construction.
The hexagonal shape is an example of geometric optimization. It is the only regular polygon that can tile a plane without gaps, using the least amount of perimeter to enclose the maximum area. This structural efficiency ensures the honeycomb can support the heavy weight of stored honey and developing young without collapsing. The bees achieve this geometry through a collective process of heating, molding, and the pressure of adjacent cells forming simultaneously.
Assembly and Function of a Managed Hive
In modern beekeeping, the standard apparatus is a modular, wooden structure that provides a protected enclosure for the colony. This design, often based on the Langstroth hive, uses the concept of “bee space”—a precise gap of one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch. Bees will not build comb in this gap, allowing beekeepers to easily remove and inspect the internal components.
The hive is assembled vertically, starting with a bottom board that serves as the floor and main entrance. Stacked above this are the hive bodies, rectangular boxes that serve as the main living quarters. The largest and lowest box, the brood box, is where the queen lays eggs and the colony raises its young.
Inside each box, bees build comb within vertically hanging, removable wooden frames. The ability to inspect these individual frames revolutionized beekeeping, allowing for non-destructive colony management and honey harvesting. The structure is completed by an inner cover for insulation and an outer telescoping cover that provides protection against weather elements.
Internal Organization and Use of the Structure
The completed hive structure is internally divided into distinct zones for specialized functions. The core of the colony is the brood nest, typically located in the central and lower area of the hive. This area is the nursery where the queen lays eggs and the young develop.
Worker bees meticulously regulate the climate within the brood nest, maintaining a nearly constant temperature of about 94 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity between 60 to 70 percent. This precise control is necessary for the healthy development of the next generation of bees. Surrounding the brood nest is a ring of cells used for food storage.
Pollen Storage
Pollen, the colony’s source of protein, is stored in cells immediately adjacent to the brood. This placement makes it readily accessible to nurse bees feeding the larvae.
Honey Storage
Honey, which supplies the colony’s carbohydrates and energy, is stored in cells above and to the sides of the brood and pollen zones. This vertical arrangement places the essential food reserves closest to the area of highest consumption, ensuring the colony’s survival.