Methods of Bee Keeping

Bee keepers work by one of two broad methods. The indigenous method is the older approach, but the honey it yields comes mixed with wax straight from the comb; the modern method was developed specifically to overcome this drawback, improving the texture and manageability of the hive. In India, two hive designs are used in modern practice — Langstroth and Newton — with the wooden Langstroth hive built from six named parts: the Stand (the sloped base that lets rainwater drain away), the Bottom board (sitting above the stand, with one gate for entry and one for exit), the Brood chamber (the hive's most important part, holding 5–10 movable frames through which workers pass freely, each frame built around a vertical wax sheet called a Comb Foundation that lets a strong worker-brood comb be reused repeatedly), the Super (an uncovered, baseless chamber of additional frames that gives the colony room to expand), the Inner cover (a perforated wooden piece that ventilates the super) and the Top cover (a sloped, weatherproofed lid). Alongside these primary parts, bee keepers rely on several accessory tools: a Queen Excluder keeps the queen confined to the brood chamber; Comb foundation sheets guide new comb construction; bee gloves and a bee veil protect the keeper's hands and face from stings; a Smoker calms the bees during inspection; a Hive Tool scrapes away excess propolis or wax; an Uncapping knife removes the wax cap during honey extraction; a Bee brush sweeps bees off the combs; a Queen …