Langstroth hive
Also known as: Langstroth beehive, movable-frame hive, Langstroth
The Langstroth hive is a movable-frame hive of stacked boxes, patented in 1852, in which frames hang with a bee space around them.
The Langstroth hive is a movable-frame hive made of boxes of equal width stacked on top of each other. Pastor Lorenzo Langstroth patented it in the United States on 5 October 1852 (No. 9,300), and Cornell University Library treats this hive as the starting point of today's beekeeping.
Everything rests on the bee space: frames hang 6–10 mm from the walls, a passage the bees neither build over with wax nor seal with propolis. Any frame can therefore be lifted and checked without breaking comb.
According to Mississippi State University Extension, the standard is 10 frames per box; 8-frame boxes also exist, but 8- and 10-frame boxes cannot be stacked together. There are three depths: deep 240 mm, medium 170 mm and shallow 144 mm, and frames must match the box. The brood nest usually fills two deep boxes, and the bees store honey in supers above it.
Why this matters to you. A beginner with a Langstroth hive can buy frames and boxes of one standard from different makers; the only rule is not to mix 8- and 10-frame widths.
Facts
| Year founded | US Patent No. 9,300, 5 October 1852 (L. L. Langstroth) |
|---|---|
| House range | Boxes: deep 240 mm, medium 170 mm, shallow 144 mm; 8 or 10 frames |
| Main use | Removable frames with a bee space of 6–10 mm |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Langstroth hive → kind of → Apiary and beekeeping → kind of → 🍯 Honey
Links
- Part of
- Apiary and beekeeping
- Similar and different
- Frame hive, Hive frame, Honey extractor, Top-bar hive, Dadant hive
Frequently asked questions
What is a Langstroth hive?
A movable-frame hive of equal-width boxes, patented by Lorenzo Langstroth in 1852.
What is the bee space?
A gap of 6–10 mm between frames and walls that bees leave free of wax and propolis.
What box sizes are there?
Deep 240 mm, medium 170 mm and shallow 144 mm, for 8 or 10 frames (Mississippi State University).
Is it true that 8-frame and 10-frame boxes can be stacked together?
No. They differ in width, so they are not combined in one hive.
How many boxes does the brood nest use?
Usually two deep boxes; the bees store honey in supers above them.
What to read next
- Frame hive — A frame hive is a beehive in which bees build comb on movable wooden frames.
- Top-bar hive — A top-bar hive is a hive in which bees build combs hanging from removable bars, with no frames or foundation.
- 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.
- Hive frame — A hive frame is a wooden frame on which bees build comb and which can be lifted out of the hive whole.
- Honey extractor — A honey extractor is a centrifugal machine that flings honey out of the combs once the bees have capped them with wax.
Similar
Log hive · Dadant hive · Frame hive · Hive frame · Top-bar hive · Tree beekeeping
Sources
- US Patent 9,300: Bee Hive (L. L. Langstroth, 5 October 1852)
- Cornell University Library: L. L. Langstroth's journal
- Mississippi State University Extension P3594: Beginning Beekeeping in Mississippi