Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: How To Build A Beehive - 6 Tips

When you start beekeeping, there are certain
pieces of essential equipment. Most of these, you
will have to buy, but when it comes to the
beehive itself, you have a choice. You can buy
one (either ready assembled or as a flat pack for
self assembly). But you also have the option of
building your own beehive.

Obviously, this will not be for everyone. You do
have to have a certain level of basic skills to
be able to build a beehive. But you certainly do
not need to be an expert carpenter - it is
surprisingly easy to build your own beehive if
you have a good set of plans and follow some
basic rules.

So, if you would like to give it a go, here are
some tips on how to build your own beehive and
help to ensure that it turns out as you hoped -
well-built, attractive, and long lasting.

1. Choose the right beehive plans

When building a beehive, you will need detailed
plans and instructions. You can easily get free
plans on the internet, but they are often very
poor quality and difficult to follow -
particularly for a beginner. Make sure that the
plans you are using are comprehensive and easy to
understand. The best plans include pictures from
each stage of the building process or, even
better, video.

2. Fully read the instructions before you begin

It can be difficult to resist the temptation to
just get started, before you are properly
prepared. Resist the temptation! Read your plans
from start to finish before lifting any tools.
This will give you an overall picture of the
whole job. Without this, you will be likely to
get confused and make mistakes.

3. Use untreated wood

When you are buying the wood for your hive, make
sure that it has not been treated in any way. A
lot of modern methods of pressure-treating wood
use chemicals which can be poisonous to honey
bees, so stick with untreated materials.

4. Do not take shortcuts with the glue

As well as nailing the parts together, be sure to
use glue. Apply this just before nailing. It is
easier to just rely on the nails, but glue
provides extra strength and the extra effort will
pay of in the long run.

5. Keep your beehive square

It is not essential that your boxes and frames
are perfectly square, but they need to be
reasonably square to allow the frames to fit
properly. Use a carpenter's square to make sure
they are as true as possible.

6. Use paint or wood preservative

Hive bodies must be treated with wood
preservative or paint. Apply a coat of good
quality latex base paint, followed by an exterior
latex paint, or else just double coat with an
exterior wood stain. Either is equally effective
- which you use is down to personal preference.
Do not paint or stain the inside of the supers.

In very hot locations, painting the beehive white
will help to stop it getting too hot in the
summer. If you are going to keep a lot of hives
in one location, it can be a helpful
identification aid to the bees if each hive is a
different color, although this is not essential.

Building your own beehive is really not that
difficult, is a great way to save money, and is
very satisfying - so go build a beehive today!

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Val Wilson is passionate about all things
beekeeping! It is an incredibly rewarding hobby
in so many ways, so if you would like more
information about how to start beekeeping, go to
http://www.bestbeekeeping.com for your FREE 7 day
beekeeping ecourse.

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