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Langstroth hive

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The Langstroth bee hive is the standard bee hive used in many parts of the world. In 1853, the Rev. L.L. Langstroth published a book called "The Hive and the Honey Bee". This book describes the use and dimensions of the modern bee hive as we know it today.

The Langstroth bee hive is made up of:

  • Telescoping cover or migratory cover
  • Inner Cover
  • 1 or more hive bodies or hive supers made of wood, polystyrene, or plastic
    • (optional) queen excluder between brood box and honey supers
    • 8-10 Frames made of wood or plastic per hive body or hive super
  • Bottom Board with optional entrance reducer


Telescoping cover

This is a wooden or polystyrene cover that fits on the top of the hive. In the north, where the cover usually telescopes down around the inner cover and an inch or so down over the top super, it is called a telescoping cover. Many commercial beekeepers use what is called a migratory cover, which is a solid cover that does not extend beyond the sides of a hive body. Source: Stahlman Apiaries


Inner Cover

The inner cover provides a dead air space for insulation against heat and cold. It prevents the bees from gluing the top cover to the top bars of the super under it. With an inner cover, the top cover is easy to remove from the hive and when the frame of the inner cover and telescoping cover is notched it can serve as a top entrance for the bees. A hole in the middle allows bees to reach emergency food if it is required. Granulated sugar can be poured onto the inner cover near the hole and the bees will be able to get to it during even the coldest of days.

Hive body and hive super

There are generally four different sizes of what amounts to a box frame with standardized inside dimensions. Deep and medium hive bodies are used as the brood box. Medium, Shallow and Comb honey supers are used for honey stores and to harvest the honey.

  • Deep: 9 9/16 inches depth
  • Medium: 6 5/8 inches depth
  • Shallow super: 5 3/4 inches depth
  • Comb super: 4 3/4 inches depth