Beekeeping can feel overwhelming at first—there’s a lot of new terminology and gear. Let’s break down a standard hive piece by piece so you know exactly what you’re looking at when your equipment arrives.

1. Bottom Board
This is the floor of your hive. It can be solid or screened. Screened boards help with ventilation and mite monitoring Solid boards help retain heat in cold climates

2. Hive Bodies (Brood Boxes)
This is where the queen lays eggs and brood is raised. Most beekeepers start with one or two deep boxes.

3. Frames & Foundation
Frames hold the beeswax (or plastic) foundation that bees use to build comb. Wood frames: traditional and repairable Plastic frames: durable and easy to clean

4. Queen Excluder
A mesh sheet that keeps the queen in the brood chamber so she doesn’t lay eggs in your honey supers.

5. Honey Supers
These are medium-sized boxes placed above the brood chamber for honey collection. Supers make harvesting easier and reduce lifting weight.

6. Inner Cover
Creates airflow and prevents bees from sticking everything to the telescoping lid.

7. Outer Cover
A weatherproof roof that protects your hive from sun, rain, and wind.

Final Tip Invest in quality frames and boxes—your hive’s durability and ease of use depend heavily on these components.