Beehive stands might seem insignificant to novices; however, they serve more purpose than just keeping hives away from wet grounds. A hive stand happens to be a very important and essential item in beekeeping.
If you must know, bees by nature like to build their house above the ground; hence, a hive stands help make their hive as natural as possible.
Hive stands come in different shapes, sizes, and material components. This post will educate you more about the importance of beehive stands and present some facts succinctly about hive stands before reviewing the best five on the market.
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Bee Hive Stands – Are They Necessary?
The Beehive Stand supports and suspends the hive above the ground. As it does that, it channels water away from the stand through the hive walls. A stand helps keep a hive dryer and in return prolong its life. Moisture causes a hive to rot and rust, hence the need for a stand.
The wet ground makes bee parasites like the nosema apis to bloom. Mold and fungus also blossom fast on wet surfaces or grounds; hence, hive stands to eliminate wetness. Besides that, when you put your hive on a stand, it helps keep predators (which are common problems) at bay. Predators steal honey and/or eat bees.
Furthermore, hive stands help hives all the ventilation they require. A well-ventilated hive makes the hive environment conducive for bees. At the right temperature and humidity brood development and conversion of nectar to honey becomes happens easily. So, make the environment ideal for those to be possible by using a good stand.
After exploring the benefits of hive stands, buying the right one happens to be the next challenge when you don’t know what to look for.
First, find out the type of beehive predators prevalent in the area you have your apiary. Ants, bears, bee eating birds, lizards, mice, praying mantis, raccoons, rats, skunks, and so on are some common hive hunters.
Furthermore, you need to consider the height because a good hive must be at an ideal height. A hive must not be too high to make it easy to work around it without using a ladder.
Also, the stand must be one that makes the hive gently sloppy to help water drain off the bottom board seamlessly.
Best Bee Hive Stands for Sale:
From the preceding sections, you can now see the important role Bee Hive Stands plays in beekeeping. For that purpose, we did a review of the best stands on the market from which to choose. Ensure you read features with the type of hive you have. Here they are in no particular order:
Ultimate Hive Stand for Beekeepers (10 Frame – Deluxe) from Farmstand Supply
From the stable of Farmstand Supply, USA comes the Ultimate Hive Stand. Made from recycled materials, this techno-polymer construction of a stand will not rot or rust.
When you use this stand, it hoists your hive to exactly 300mm or 12 inches above the ground. At this height, you can work perfectly in and around the hive.
Furthermore, the lift of the hive makes for easier access, improved ventilation and mite/pest control. You can get either the 8-frame or 10-frame configuration – but this right here is the 10-frame.
It works perfectly with any bottom board and comes with inbuilt drains to the hive and its structure dry. A dry hive stays functional for a long time.
With large footpads, the stand spreads the load, which makes for stability. When in use, hive rests on heavy-duty rails for ultimate support.
Also, it comes with security screws that give it extra strength and keep it from moving. It can be assembled with ease and fast.
Why not upgrade the look of your hive today by getting yourself this perfect stand? No matter the type of hive you possess, this Farmstand product stands in for you:
Ultimate Hive Stand for Beekeepers (8 Frame – Deluxe) from Farmstand Supply
This 8 Frame – Deluxe, comes with the same features as its counterpart, the 10 Frame – Deluxe 10. Also, a brainchild of Farmstand Supply, USA, this hive comes from recycled materials. It is made of techno-polymer construction, which makes for durability.
This 8-frame configuration stand fits any bottom board nicely. Thanks to the built-in drain the stand helps keep your hive away from moisture, makes it easy to access, keeps hives well ventilated and help rid the hive of mite and pests. It also ensures your hive last longer by ridding it of water.
For stability and strength, the stand comes with large footpads for load spreading and also security screws. The stand comes with heavy-duty rails on which hives sit, which gives it great support. With only a screwdriver, assembling takes 2 minutes or less, and you do not need to worry about extra tools.
Harvest Lane Honey Plastic Bee Hive Stand
This hive comes from the company, Harvest Lane Honey. The plastic beehive stand comes built with durable material that will last longer.
It comes with sturdy metal rests, which help to disperse the weight of the hive. These four sides of this Harvest Lane Honey stand slides together to transform into a durable hive stand.
10-Frame Hive Stand Beekeeping Bee Hive
Made from pine, the Toughtimbers Hive Stand gives your bees seamless access to the hive. The bees can enter the hive easily, especially when loaded with nectar.
This happens to an issue since many bees fall short of the bottom board when they come in laden with nectar. This stand solves the problem.
To assemble, just follow the simple instruction included in the package to get the job done. The hive works perfectly for 10-frame hives.
Mann Lake HD-709 Adjustable Hive Stand
In terms of versatility, the Mann Lake HD-709 adjustable hive stand takes the cake. Reason being that it can work for both 10-frame and 8-frame hives. The hive comes made of rugged, zinc-plated steel. When in use, it suspends your hive 6.5 inches above the ground.
The stand allows the hive to be free from moisture, especially the bottom board. With the stand, you need not worry about ventilation issues – it keeps your hive well ventilated.
Beehive Hive Stand
This hive stands at 18 inches tall and it’s made from the finest pine wood. It works perfectly with 10-frame hive and measures by the width 16.5 inches x 24 inches.
It comes with pre-drilled holes, which make for easy assembling, which means you don’t have to borrow or rent wood drills. Besides the holes, the stand comes with easy to follow instructions and screws too.
From the stable, if BeeHive Barn LLC, this hive is designed to be used with the company’s bottom boards.
Bee Smart Hive Stand:
Beehive Stand Dimensions
Beehive stands help hive to get the much-needed elevation. The elevation helps in many ways for the protection and well-being of the bees.
Experts said that the best hives should be at least 18 inches above the ground. At that height, it was submitted that crawling insects are less likely to reach the hive.
Also, the height was said to keep skunks and other predators at bay. We are going to take some of the reviewed stands and consider their dimensions. Here are they:
| S/N | HIVE STAND | DIMENSION |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ultimate Hive Stand for Beekeepers (10 Frame – Deluxe) | 25 x 16.2 x 8.5 inches |
| 2 | Ultimate Hive Stand for Beekeepers (8 Frame – Deluxe) | 24.8 x 15.1 x 7 inches |
| 3 | Harvest Lane Honey Plastic Bee Hive Stand | 20 x 20 x 12 inches |
| 4 | 10-Frame Hive Stand Beekeeping Bee Hive | 16 x 1 x 20 inches |
| 5 | Mann Lake HD-709 Adjustable Hive Stand | 24 x 16.8 x 8 inches |
| 6 | Beehive Hive Stand | 16.25 x 24 inches |
Bee Hive Stand Swapout:
FAQs about Bee Stands for Hives:
Q: What Material Components Are Beehive Stand Made From?
A: Ideally, most stands come manufactured from environmentally friendly natural materials like wood and recycled materials such as heavy-duty plastic or light metal materials.
For durability, manufacturers coat the wooden stand with oil or wax to protect it from rot, molds, and insect attack.
Q: What If The Base Of My Hive Is Larger Than The Hive Stand I Purchase?
A: In this case, we like you to know that once the base of the hive is bigger than the hive stand, it would not work because the hive will not fit into it. Ensure you measure the base of your hive before you buy the stand for it.
Q: How to Build a Beehive Stand
Final Word
Now you have them; Top 6 Best Bee Hive Stands this 2020 on the market for you to pick from. Each of the reviewed stands comes with its exclusive features and benefits.
Just ensure you consider the benefits and features along with your needs. Before buying, run your choice through the criteria highlighted above. (pdf)
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