Beekeepers often passionately discuss hive types, materials, and even the orientation of brood frames. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is what the hive is actually sitting on – the hive stand. Though it may seem insignificant, a well-designed hive stand serves multiple purposes and offers several benefits that enhance beekeeping practices.
The primary functions of a hive stand include:
- Elevating the hive: By keeping the hive off the damp ground, a hive stand prevents moisture-related issues and helps maintain a drier and healthier environment for the bees.
- Clearing the entrance: The hive stand prevents vegetation from blocking the hive entrance, ensuring unobstructed access for the bees.
- Providing stability: A good hive stand offers a stable and level platform for the hive, allowing it to remain secure even during unfavorable weather conditions. It can also accommodate the weight of heavy supers, providing a solid foundation for the hive structure.
- Additional working space: Hive stands provide space for beekeepers to place frames removed during inspections, offering convenience and organization during hive management.
- Ergonomics: Positioning hives at an appropriate height can prevent or delay back strain, providing a more comfortable working experience for beekeepers.
While not all hive stands fulfill all these functions, striving for an ideal hive stand is worthwhile. Considering my own beekeeping activities on the west coast, where uneven ground and damp conditions pose challenges, I have recently designed hive stands that address these specific needs.
Before discussing my proposed solution, let’s briefly explore several DIY and commercial hive stands, highlighting their pros and cons.
Types of Hive Stands:
- “No hive stand” approach: This involves placing the hive directly on the ground. While it may seem convenient, it can lead to discomfort and strain on the beekeeper’s back and knees.
- Pallets: Using pallets as hive stands provides a flat surface, but they require additional adjustments to ensure level positioning. Over time, pallets can become overgrown by surrounding vegetation, making them less visible and accessible.
- Tires and milk crates: Old tires can serve as functional hive stands, with the ability to level them by adding wedges. However, they may not be aesthetically pleasing and lack a convenient space to balance frames during inspections. Milk crates, although suitable for temporary bait hives, may not offer stability for full hives.
- DIY and commercial “proper” hive stands: These stands feature horizontal bars supported by legs or blocks. They provide stability and ample space for frames and additional boxes during inspections. Several manufacturers offer hive stands with similar designs.
Achieving the desired levelness:
While a perfectly horizontal hive stand is not always essential, ensuring the option to easily level the stand is beneficial, especially for those using foundationless frames. Bees build comb vertically in relation to gravity, so a tilted hive can lead to angled comb, hindering frame reversals or interchangeability.
Design considerations:
The two critical features to consider when designing a hive stand are strength and stability.
- Strength: A hive stand should securely support the weight of a full hive, which can exceed 100 kg during peak season. For multiple hives on the same stand, the weight increases accordingly, necessitating sturdy construction.
- Stability: Given that the weight distribution is top-heavy due to the supers, a hive stand with closely spaced feet may be unstable. An ideal design should offer ample stability and prevent toppling.
Additional considerations:
Convenience and security are also crucial factors to consider:
- Convenience: The spacing between rails should accommodate removed frames during inspections, allowing beekeepers to safely store frames while accessing the rest of the hive. This can be achieved by balancing frames on one lug and the bottom bars.
- Security: In areas prone to strong winds, hive stands can be strapped down for added stability. A bracing bar underneath the hive facilitates side-to-side strapping, offering enhanced security.
While hive stands may seem like a minor aspect of beekeeping, investing in well-designed stands can significantly improve the beekeeper’s experience, enhance hive management, and contribute to the overall health and productivity of the colony.
Photo by Floris Bronkhorst on Unsplash