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WILD BEE NESTS

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In the wild, honey bee nests are often located in the holes of trees, caves and on rock crevices, hanging and exposed in warmer climates, or artificial cavities such as outbuildings, house walls, eaves and machinery.

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The nest's internal structure is a densely packed group of hexagonal prismatic cells made of beeswax, called a honeycomb. The bees use the cells to store food (honey and pollen) nectar, and to house the brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae).

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In the wild, nest-site preferences appear to be around 3.5 ft to 16ft from the ground and entrance positions tend to face downward, and equatorial-facing entrances are favored, (south in the northern hemisphere, and north in the southern hemisphere) approximately 900  ft from the parent colony are preferred. 

Bees usually occupy nests for several years.

 

Unlike other bee species, honey bees do not hibernate during cold periods. Instead, they remain inside the nests huddled closely together, sharing body heat and feeding on stored food supplies. The basic nest architecture for all honeybees is similar: honey is stored in the upper part of the comb; beneath it are rows of pollen-storage cells, worker-brood cells, and drone-brood cells.

THE  BEEHIVE

The word beehive is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, but scientific and professional literature distinguishes nest from hive.   Hive is used to describe an artificial/man-made structure to house a honey bee nest. 

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There are many designs of beehives; no hives are perfect, and each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. 

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Georges de Layens was a French botanist and apiculturist who created a mobile beehive called the Layens Hive, in the late 1800's.   

“We cannot improve beekeeping by going farther and farther away from the bees’ natural tendencies,” wrote de Layens. “Instead, pick the hive model that is best suited to your locale, populate it with local bees, and the results will speak for themselves.”  

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Bee Professor has  excellent articles on the types of beehives. There's a detailed account on the strengths and weaknesses of each type and hive comparisons to complete.

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Click on the names to learn more:

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LANGSTROTH 

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TOP BAR HIVE

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LAYENS 

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WARRE

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FLOW HIVE

 

LANG LONG HORIZONTAL

Image: Gelena Farms

Image: BeeBuilt

BEEHIVE LOCATION

Gelena Farms have identified 10 factors  to consider when choosing the best location for a beehive on your property.

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  1. Give Your Honey Bees Lots of Sunlight

  2. Angle Your Beehive to the Southeast

  3. Create a Wind Barrier to Shield Your Honey Bees

  4. Place Your Beehive Near a Food Source

  5. Place A Water Source Near Your Beehive

  6. Aim for Dry Ground

  7. Avoid Hills and Valleys

  8. Use a Hive Stand

  9. Avoid High Foot Traffic Areas

  10. Leave at Least 6" Between Beehives

Details on how and when to inspect a hive by BeeProfessor: HERE

HONEY COMB

Young worker bees between 12 and 20 days old are the only bees in the colony capable of producing wax. They have eight wax-producing glands on the underside of their abdomen.

In order for these young workers to produce wax they need to ingest honey.

The older foragers bring nectar back to the colony where it is converted into honey and stored. The younger bees feed on the honey and  sugar from the honey is converted by the wax gland into tiny flakes which are excreted through pores. When exposed to the air, the flakes harden into wax. 

Other worker bees will begin manipulating the wax with their antennae, mandibles and legs, actively warming the wax enough to build the comb.

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The comb  structure is a double sided sheet of tessellated hexagonal cells where the base (common to both sides) is formed from three rhombi. The axes of honeycomb cells are always nearly horizontal, with the open end higher than the back end. This slight tilt ensures honey stays within the cells before being capped. 

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Further reading on the complexities of honey comb: 

Image: J.Calicott

PROPOLIS

Propolis or bee glue is a resinous mixture that honey bees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudate gathered from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources.

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Propolis is used as a sealant for small unwanted open spaces in the nest/hive to protect the colony from the elements, such as drafts and rain, and makes for better defensibility against parasites and predators by narrowing the existing entrance. (burr comb is used to fill larger unwanted spaces and bridge gaps that propolis can't do) 

It's believed that propolis reinforces the structural stability and vibration, and provides thermal insulation. It may also provide protection from pathogens, via antifungal and antibacterial properties.

​Lastly, bees use propolis to seal any dead carcasses they can't remove from the nest or hive, essentially mummifying the carcass to make it odorless and harmless. ​

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Further reading about propolis + human use: 

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