Langstroth beehives are the most popular type of hives that beekeepers use. Each hive consists of boxes with hanging vertical frames, an entrance for bees, and a protective cover. Although most Langstroth beehives are similar in design, there are options when it comes to choosing the ideal hive.
The boxes making up these beehives come in three depths: shallow, medium, and deep. Then you have choices of widths—either a 10-frame or 8-frame beehive. Before choosing which is the best beehive for your garden, it’s essential to consider the size. A large hive with deep boxes can be very heavy when it’s full of bees and golden dripping honey.
Some features to consider before buying a Langstroth beehive include the following:
• The hive should be built from good quality timber and Eco-friendly materials
• A viewing window is helpful in case you want to observe bees in the hive
• Easy to assemble
• It is insulated to protect bees from harsh environmental conditions
Knowing the best Langstroth beehive to buy can be challenging. Our review looks at the pros and cons of each beehive to help you choose the right one for your home beekeeping hobby.
Langstroth Beehive Review
1. Hoover Hives Langstroth Beehive
An excellent example of a high-quality hive is this 8-frame beehive kit by Hoover Hives. This hive comes with two deep boxes and one medium box, as well as 16 brood frames and eight high-quality wax coated frames. The natural pine wood construction is sturdy and provides plenty of insulation for bees during cold weather.
One of the benefits of the Hoover Hives Langstroth Beehive is the quality of materials and design. The natural wood is coated with beeswax to ensure a high-quality hive.
Pros:
- Affordable beehive for beginner or professional beekeepers
- Brood frames are wax-coated
- Sheltered from the elements—heat, rain, and cold
- One of the best examples of a Langstroth beehive
Cons:
2. Goodland Bee Supply GL3STACK 3 Tier Bee Hive Kit
This cost-effective Langstroth beehive has three boxes—two deep and one shallow—to make up the hive. The ten frames in deep boxes ensure an ample supply of honey. The beehive kit comes with a total of 30 wooden frames and 30 plastic frames. All frames have a wax coating to start your beehive.
The Goodland hive has all the necessary parts for a fully-functional beehive.
Pros:
- Excellent design and easy to assemble, although nails and screws aren’t supplied
- Excellent value for money
- Telescoping roof to protect bees in the hive
Cons:
- Needs a few coats of paint to keep out rain or moisture
- No instructions on how to assemble the hive
3. Busy Bees Amish Made in USA 8 Frame Langstroth Beehive
This beehive is constructed in the Langstroth style and is ideal as a starter kit. The Busy Bees hive has one deep and one medium box that is suitable for 8 frames. This beehive contains all you need to get started beekeeping—queen excluder, entrance reducer, wax-coated foundations, and a screened bottom board.
Busy Bees beehive is definitely for beginners. You get everything you need to get started at a reasonable price. However, it’s not suited for experienced beekeepers.
Pros:
- Easy to expand the beehive
- Comes in an 8- or 10-frame design
- Can use the components with other Langstroth beehive manufacturers
Cons:
- The beehive is heavy
- Poor construction and design
- No instructions and no pre-drilled holes for easy assembly
4. Honey Keeper Beehive 20 Frame Complete Box Kit
The Honey Keeper beehive is a robust hive if you need to develop a prosperous bee colony. The sturdy hive is made from fir and pine wood and is guaranteed to last a long time. As well as having the standard elements of a Langstroth hive, this beehive has stable foundations.
One of the advantages of this beehive is its excellent design and high capacity. The kit comes with two boxes—one medium and one deep—and each hold ten frames.
Pros:
- Comes complete with foundations
- Attractive overall design
- Metal telescopic that is pre-assembled
- Assembly instructions
- Suitable for professionals or beginners
Cons:
- Hive is very heavy once assembled
- Wood can split when nailing it together
5. Mann Lake Langstroth Beehive 10 Frame
This one-box Langstroth beehive is a popular choice with beekeepers. The pinewood construction is from premium timber, and the hive comes pre-assembled. As with most Langstroth hives, this has a metallic, telescoping roof and can be used with other 10-frame beehives.
The excellent design of the Mann Lake beehive means that bees can easily move in and out of the hive. When your bee colony is established, you can add another deep box to expand.
Pros:
- Already assembled, so ideal for beginners
- Plenty of space and ventilation inside for bees to move around
- Affordable beehive for beginners
- Easy to upscale to a larger beehive
Cons:
- Needs finishing to weather-proof the hive
- Doesn’t contain a screened feeder
- No queen excluder
6. VIVO Complete Beekeeping 20 Frame Beehive Box Kit
Whether you are an expert or a beginner beekeeper, the VIVO Langstroth hive is an excellent choice. This beehive is constructed from high-quality pine wood. The hive consists of a medium and deep box that holds up to 10 frames each. Telescopic metallic roof helps to protect bees and the hive from the elements.
VIVO beehive also contains a sturdy bottom board, entrance reducer, and hive excluder. You also receive everything necessary to assemble the pine beehive.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble and comes with all the necessary tools
- Good overall appearance
- Plenty of space in the hive to support a vast colony of bees
- High-quality hive for an affordable price
Cons:
- It’s necessary to paint the hive or treat the bare pine wood with tung oil
- Some users complain that the wood warps after some time
What do you Need to Consider when Buying a Beehive?
Langstroth beehives are relatively standard in their design. However, it’s essential to consider several factors when choosing the ideal hive to start your bee colony. Here is a list of factors to consider before making a decision.
- Bottom board—This is where the hive boxes sit, and the board has the entrance and exit to the hive. To help increase ventilation and protect the colony from mites, consider buying a hive kit with a screened bottom board.
- Hive boxes—The hive boxes are where the queen lays her eggs and the worker bees produce honey. Hive boxes come in three depths—deep, medium, and shallow. Each box can hold between 50,000 and 60,000 bees.
- Frames—These beehive components hang vertically in the boxes and are where the bees produce honey. Langstroth beehives hold either eight or ten frames. So, if you’re adding to an existing apiary (beehive), make sure you buy the right type of box and frame.
- Entrance reducer—This part of the beehive reduces the size of the entrance. This is essential as the bee colony establishes itself and has to defend itself from robber bees.
- Queen excluder—The queen excluder prevents the queen bee from leaving the hive but allows the worker bees to fill the frames with honey. Not all beekeepers use queen excluders in their hives.
- Beehive cover—Usually covered in metal sheeting, the telescoping cover protects the hive from inclement weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many beehives do I need if I’m a beginner?
If you’re a beginner beekeeper, you should start with two hives. At the start keeping two colonies of bees can ensure that your bees survive the first fall. As you gain experience, you can compare how both hives are performing. Also, if one colony loses its queen, you can transfer a frame with eggs to the queen less hive.
How much area do I need to start beekeeping?
You should leave an area of about seven feet around each beehive. This space gives the bees enough room to work without ‘bumping’ into bees from the other hive. The standard size of a Langstroth beehive is 19 7/8” in length and 16 1/4” wide. The beehive height depends on the number and type of boxes you have.
Do I need a license to keep bees?
Depending on where you live, you may need to get a license to keep bees. So, before you buy your beehive and other equipment, check out what local laws say about keeping bees in residential areas. Some states require beekeepers to register, whereas other states don’t have any license requirements for keeping bees.
Conclusion
Successful beekeepers depend on using high-quality beehives to keep colonies of bees healthy and productive.
From this review, the top recommendation for a Langstroth beehive is the eight frame hive by Hoover Hives. The hive boxes and frames are made from high-quality timber, coated with beeswax, and offer the best value for money.