Use Same Supplier
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Two different suppliers cut woodenware to different sizes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
”Charlotte, I was given some wooden hives and I want to use them with the ones I already have. In class you said to use the same supplier. Can I still use these donated hives?” - Elsa
Use Same Supplier
Hi Elsa,
How do your donated hives fit on your existing woodenware? If they fit so that bees are not sneaking out of nooks and crannies, you should be fine.
What I say in class is that as you are starting, stick with the same woodenware, or wood hive parts, supplier. Although hive sizes are supposed to be standard sizes, each supplier has their own version of those standard sizes.
For example, in the photo the two hive boxes are from two different suppliers. There is almost a half inch gap on one side and, try as I may, I can’t get the boxes to line up on top of each other. If you like your hives to look nice this will drive you a little buggy and make it difficult to keep boxes neatly stacked.
Worse yet, if the boxes leave room for bees to sneak through, they will fill that opening with propolis making it difficult to part the boxes. They will add propolis anyway but don’t make it harder on yourself trying to keep the boxes on top of each other.
If your boxes don’t fit, you have several options:
First, determine how much of a gap you have and whether the bees can still stay inside them.
Then decide if you can live with the gap between the different boxes. If not, and if you don’t do woodworking, tap your woodworking friends to even out one side of the hive boxes.
If you can’t fix the gap, consider using the boxes for something else. Add a top, paint it and make it into an outside side table. Or store gardening supplies. These days buying wood is a bit pricey. If you can repurpose the ill-fitting wood hive boxes I would. I remember when I tried to get items to fit into my custom bee lover’s gift boxes, it can be frustrating and time-consuming!
The bottom line is when you start with one supplier, stick with ordering hives from that same supplier. You increase your chances of getting hives that fit together nicely doing so.
