It is a well-known fact that bees are some of the most important insects on our planet. Not only do they perform an important ecological function, they also provide numerous financial benefits for the farmer.

On the ecological front, bees account for a very huge chunk of wild and commercial plant pollination (USDA). As they visit different flowers looking for nectar, they usually carry pollen from one flower to another thereby helping with the pollination process. Some plants would actually go extinct without bees and human existence would also be threatened if all the bees were to be wiped out.

On the financial side, bees are most famous for their honey. Honey is a healthy and nutritious product that is much better than artificial sugars. It can be consumed alone or incorporated into other foods and drinks with excellent results. Depending on the number of bees you have, you can have enough honey for you own use and still have a lot left over for sale. Other products from bees such as beeswax, propolis and pollen can be used to manufacture cosmetics and other products. Mead is a popular alcoholic beverage that is actually made from honey.

If you are considering keeping bees, the first thing you need to get right is the type of bee hive. This is because there are many different types and designs of bee hives, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. The most common and popular types include the Top Bar hive, the Warre hive and the Langstroth Hive. These hives have different designs and are usually appropriate in different situations. What’s more you can even opt to build your own hive from scratch if you are up to the challenge.

When choosing a hive, you also need to consider the purpose for which you are choosing to keep bees. As mentioned earlier, you can keep bees for their honey, for pollination purposes, for study or just as a hobby. The Langstroth hive is most appropriate for honey harvesters. This is because its large size allows for more honey production, while its inner design allows for easier harvesting of the honey. For pollination purposes, the Warre and Top Bar hives are best suited. The four frame observation hive is portable and very appropriate for study and observing bee behavior.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is the amount of maintenance work that comes with each type of bee hive. Right from the installation, different hives will require different amounts of energy and equipment. Being the biggest hive, the Langstroth hive can be quite heavy and cumbersome to lift and move. You might actually need more than one person to move it. It however requires little maintenance. On the other hand, the Top Bar is the lightest to lift but it requires more frequent maintenance and monitoring.

As with anything else, the cost is usually a major consideration before deciding to buy something. Due to the differences in the size, materials used in the construction and overall designs, all the hives have different prices. No matter the type of hive, the ones made from cedar are usually more expensive than the ones made from pine. They are however more durable and therefore still a worthy investment. On average, building your own hive is usually cheaper than buying a ready-made one. The amount of accessories on each hive can also significantly drive up the cost. All in all, go for a hive that suits your purpose, but is also within the budget.

If you choose to buy a hive instead of building one, the supplier you choose to buy from matters a lot. You need to choose a supplier who is not only knowledgeable and also one who has the best bee hives for sale. Be on the look-out for how each supplier is rated by their clients mostly from online sources. Have a face to face consultation and gauge their knowledge on bees and bee hives. They should be able to advise you on which hive to get based on the purpose and you budget. Ensure that they have a wide selection of different types and sizes of hives so that you can get the most suitable one for your needs.  A reputable supplier we have connections with is www.ebeehq.com, find more out on there website.