Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

DIY Hive Plans for USDA Beekeeping

Beekeeping for the sale of honey or other bee products such as pollen and honeycombs is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. Hives are constructed according to the needs of the beekeeper, and the state and local branches of the USDA inspect the hives to help control disease and ensure safe processing of food products. However, it's up to the beekeeper to make a comfortable home for the bees. The USDA recommends purchasing or building a new hive to deter the spread of disease,

Things You'll Need

Prebuilt beehive components
Unassembled beehive components
Hammer
3-inch steel screw shank nails
2-inch steel finishing nails
Glue

Instructions

- 1
  Choose the type of hive you will use. Hive construction is not based on USDA requirements, but safe food processing precautions, registration and regular yearly inspections of your bees are required. In light of that, the ease of collecting honey and working with the hives should be considered, as well as space you have available and the number of hives you will be using.
- 2
  Purchase the hive components that suit your needs. There are two main types of hives, a Langstroth hive and a Warre hive. The Langstroth is a box or series of boxes with frames hanging inside that have structures for the bees to build honeycombs. The Warre hive also consists of boxes, but instead of frames these have a series of bars across the top of the box with wax starter strips attached. The bees construct their honeycomb free of any substructure, and boxes are added at the bottom of the tower to expand the hive as needed. The USDA recommends avoiding used equipment to deter spreading disease.
- 3
  Assemble the prebuilt hive when it arrives. For a prebuilt hive, simply stack the frame boxes in the location where they will be used. Hives are preferably located in an open area with a water source nearby, and within a short distance of orchards, vegetable or flower gardens, crops or open meadows. Then place starters in the frames for the bees to build on and place the frames in the boxes. Once the hive is assembled, you can introduce your bees to the hive. USDA recommends purchasing a nucleus or package of bees rather than gathering a wild swarm, to avoid starting with bees that have disease or pest problems.
- 4
  Construct a hive kit by laying out the pieces first and checking to be sure nothing is missing. Construct first the boxes according to the diagrams included with the kit. Use the screw shank nails to fasten the boxes, and glue where indicated in the diagrams. Use the finishing nails to construct the frames to add inside the boxes. Then stack and add the frames as described in Step 3 once the components are built.

Insects & Science