A beehive serves as shelter for a colony of bees, providing a secure environment for raising young, storing honey and pollen, and protecting the colony from external threats. Whether found in natural settings or managed by beekeepers, its design and materials directly support the bees’ complex social organization and their daily functions.
Natural Hive Construction
In natural environments, bees construct their hives primarily from materials they produce themselves: beeswax and propolis. Beeswax forms the structural foundation of the honeycomb. Worker bees secrete liquid beeswax from eight specialized glands on their abdomens; it hardens into flakes upon exposure to air. Bees then chew these wax flakes, making them pliable, and mold them into hexagonal cells. This hexagonal shape is efficient, requiring less wax and enabling maximum storage of honey, pollen, and housing for larvae. Chemically, beeswax consists mainly of esters of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols, contributing to its malleability and water-repellent properties.
Propolis, also called “bee glue,” is a resinous mixture bees collect from plant buds, sap flows, and other botanical sources. Bees mix these plant resins with their own wax and enzymes to create a sticky substance. Propolis seals cracks and openings, smooths internal surfaces, and reinforces the hive’s structure, acting as a protective barrier against external invaders and weather. Its antimicrobial properties also play a role in maintaining hygiene within the hive, as bees may collect more propolis when the colony is sick to fight off infection. Wild bee colonies establish their nests in sheltered cavities like hollow trees, rock crevices, or abandoned structures, utilizing these natural enclosures as the outer shell for their wax and propolis constructions.
Human-Made Hives
Human-made hives for managed beekeeping use durable and practical materials to facilitate colony management and honey harvesting. Wood is the most common material for constructing hive boxes and frames. Pine is widely used due to its affordability, widespread availability, and ease of working. Cedar and cypress are also favored for their natural resistance to rot, decay, and insects, and their insulating properties that regulate hive temperature. These wooden components also offer a stable structure for the bees to build their comb.
Plastic is also frequently incorporated into human-made hives, particularly for frames and foundation sheets. Plastic frames are often pre-assembled, durable, and resistant to pests like wax moths. They are also easy to clean and sanitize, simplifying maintenance for beekeepers. While plastic hives can be more expensive initially and may offer less insulation than wood, their longevity and ease of cleaning can offset the cost over time. Other materials include metal for weather-protective hive covers, and screens for ventilation or as queen excluders.