Hive frame
A hive frame is a wooden frame on which bees build comb and which can be lifted out of the hive whole.
A hive frame is a wooden frame on which bees build comb and which can be lifted out of the hive whole. Foundation made of beeswax or plastic gives the comb a base. Frames are matched to the box: deep frames go in deep boxes, medium frames in medium boxes.
Between frames and walls a bee space of ¼–⅜ inch (6–10 mm) is left. Plastic foundation can be reused even after pests damage the comb. Frames are loosened with a hive tool, which also scrapes off wax and propolis.
The bees build the comb themselves: young workers secrete wax platelets from eight glands under the abdomen, chew them with saliva and shape hexagonal cells. According to FAO, a comb of about 20 g can hold 1000 g of honey, and wax caps ripe honey.
Why this matters to you. A frame lets the beekeeper inspect a comb and take out the part of the nest that is needed without wrecking the rest.
Facts
| Raw material | Wood; the comb base is foundation of beeswax or plastic |
|---|---|
| House range | Matched to box depth: 240 mm (deep), 170 mm (medium), 144 mm (shallow) |
| Main use | Carries the comb; lifts out of the hive whole |
| Year founded | 1852 — Langstroth patent; 1814 — Prokopovych hive (ESU) |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Hive frame → kind of → Apiary and beekeeping → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Apiary and beekeeping
- Similar and different
- Langstroth hive, Dadant hive
Frequently asked questions
What is foundation?
A base for the comb, made of beeswax or plastic, that is fitted into the frame.
Why is a 6–10 mm gap left between frames?
It is the bee space: a gap that bees keep free as a corridor.
Is it true that plastic foundation is single-use?
No: it can be reused even after pests have damaged the comb (MSU).
What is used to loosen frames?
A hive tool, which also scrapes off wax and propolis.
How much honey does a comb hold?
According to FAO, a comb of about 20 g can hold 1000 g of honey.
What to read next
- Langstroth hive — The Langstroth hive is a movable-frame hive of stacked boxes, patented in 1852, in which frames hang with a bee space around them.
- Dadant hive — The Dadant hive is a frame hive with a deeper brood chamber than the Langstroth hive; its modified form is known in Europe as Dadant-Blatt.
Similar
Frame hive · Honey extractor · Dadant hive · Tree beekeeping · Top-bar hive · Langstroth hive
Sources
- Mississippi State University Extension: Beginning Beekeeping in Mississippi
- FAO Bulletin 124: Wax
- Cornell University Library: L. L. Langstroth Journal