Types of Beehive
There is a lot of choice for a new beekeeper when it comes to picking a beehive, and new designs are always appearing on the market. So, which is the right one to buy?
For UK beekeepers, RBKA recommends starting with a BS national beehive, since this hive type is most suited to the needs of British bees and our climate. However, provided you practice good beekeeping, you should be successful no matter which hive type you choose.
On this page, we take a look at some of the most common hive types you may come across.
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British Standard (BS) National
The most common beehive type you will come across in the UK. A good choice for new beekeepers due to the high availability of compatible parts, and thus lower cost. As mentioned above, this hive type is the most suitable for British bees and our climate.
National hives can be made from cedar, polystyrene (poly hives) and other types of wood, e.g. pine.
The best national hives are made from cedar, however these are also the most expensive. Cedar hives do not need to be treated as the wood contains natural oils which protect them from the elements.
National hives made from other softwoods like pine must be treated with a bee-friendly wood preservative e.g. linseed oil to weatherproof it before use.
Poly hives are popular for their superior insulating properties, and some beekeepers swap their wooden hive roofs for a poly roof over winter to exploit this over the coldest months. Disadvantages of poly hives include the fact they cannot be sterilized with a flame, they can be prone to condensation and some beekeepers don't find them aesthetically pleasing.
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Langstroth
The most common hive worldwide is the Langstroth, although it is less popular in the UK. This hive is of a similar vertical modular design to the National but differs in the size of the frames and component boxes. It is a bit larger than the National.
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WBC hive
This is a somewhat old-fashioned hive design which is most well-known as the "classic" beehive in paintings and on cards. It is a double-walled hive with exterior stacked pyramid sections called "lifts" surrounding separate loose boxes, in which the colony lives. This design works well for insulating the bees, however, it is complicated to assemble, is very difficult to transport when it is full of bees and is generally considered less practical compared to other hive types. The brood box is slightly smaller than the National - space for one less brood frame. This was adequate when most bees were the native bee but now that the genetics have been mixed with other strains the space is inadequate. This could be easily remedied however by adding a super to the brood area or using the increasingly popular British deep brood box.
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Smith hive
The third of the three hives covered by BS1300 the Smith Hive is popular in the Scottish Boarders. The frame sizes and numbers are identical to the National but with short lugs and top bee space. It has the simplicity and economy of construction as the Langstroth.
