What is Langstroth hive?

Langstroth hive is considered a technical solution to obtain pure honey, which is currently being applied in many countries worldwide. With this method, beekeepers incur additional costs to make hive boxes and queen excluders compared to the traditional method of using single hives. However, the quality and value of honey have significantly improved.

What is Langstroth hive?

Langstroth hive beekeeping is considered a technical solution to obtain pure honey, which is currently being applied in many countries worldwide. With this method, beekeepers incur additional costs to make Langstroth hives and queen excluders compared to the traditional method of using single hives. However, the quality and value of honey have significantly improved.

The technique involves using a Langstroth hive (a box without a bottom and lid) placed on top of a regular Langstroth hive (there is a grid between these two boxes, which only worker bees can pass through, but the queen cannot). Four queen excluders are placed on top. Then, a queen cell is added below for the queen to lay eggs. After 20 days, the beekeeper raises the four queen excluders and adds the queen cells below again. This process is repeated, so when harvesting honey, the upper Langstroth hive will only contain queen excluders.

Langstroth hive beekeeping is a necessary step to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese honey in the global market. From the conventional hive, the beekeeper only needs to place one Langstroth hive on top (reserve box or storage box), and the lower box is used as the brood chamber for the queen to lay eggs and the young larvae.

Removing the queen excluders containing honey and taking them out of the hive will not affect the colony's activity, nor harm the queen bee. This method allows for the full development of the bee colony, easy inspection, reduces disturbances to the colony during harvesting, decreases the exploitation process, and ensures high-quality honey and food safety.

Honey produced through Langstroth hive beekeeping is delicious, nutritious, and meets the highest standards of food safety and hygiene.

Limitations of Single Hive Beekeeping

Single hive beekeeping is a traditional method that is gradually being replaced due to several significant limitations, such as:

• Honey harvested from single hives may not meet the standards of purity and food safety. When extracting honey, beekeepers have to process both the dense capped honey and the watery honey brought in by the bees. This can lead to a lack of quality and, in some cases, the honey may ferment and produce glycerin before being processed industrially.
• During the honey flow season, if the queen bee lacks sufficient space to lay eggs, it can reduce the colony's reproductive capacity, resulting in the death of bee larvae due to "overlaying." Moreover, worker bees can also die, and the population of new workers cannot compensate for the loss, leading to a rapid decline in the colony's population. Beekeepers often need to remove around one-third or half of the frames after every honey harvest.
• Honey extracted from single hives often contains numerous bee larvae, bee corpses, and pollen, which may affect its overall quality.
• The process of extracting honey results in the loss of many bee larvae, which can cause problems such as cold, hunger, and susceptibility to diseases. This significantly reduces the bee population after each harvest.
• When extracting honey, the beekeeper needs to spend time locating the queen bee before removing the honeycomb frames, or else the queen bee can be damaged or killed.

The Langstroth hive beekeeping method can overcome all the shortcomings of single-hive beekeeping, and that is why many honey producers are transitioning to this advanced beekeeping model.

Advantages of Langstroth hive Beekeeping

Langstroth hive beekeeping is currently being widely adopted in various regions of Vietnam and has shown successful results beyond expectations. Some advantages observed by beekeepers include:

• Honey stored in Langstroth hives is mostly kept on the top level, allowing beekeepers to wait for the honey to be fully capped before extracting it. This method satisfies most of the quality standards.
• In some cases, honey companies in Turkey apply this beekeeping method and export honey directly without the need for testing, as the quality is consistently high.
• If desired, beekeepers can extract watery honey immediately after harvesting. However, it is essential to note that this unpurified honey may not have a long shelf life and could ferment.
• The ground floor of the Langstroth hive provides enough space for the queen bee to lay eggs during the honey flow season, ensuring a more extended honey-producing period that can continue throughout the year based on the available nectar sources.
• During honey harvesting, beekeepers only need to remove honeycomb frames from the top Langstroth hive, which does not interfere with the queen's egg-laying activity or the development of worker bee larvae in the bottom brood chamber.
• Since honey extraction is done mainly from the top Langstroth hive, beekeepers do not waste time searching for the queen bee. The process is more straightforward, convenient, and faster.
• Additionally, since honey extraction focuses on the honeycomb frames from the top box, the honey obtained is mature and fully ripened. The color of Langstroth hive honey is usually clearer and less cloudy. It has a longer shelf life due to its low water content.
• Moreover, Langstroth hive beekeeping allows for the production of different honey products, such as centrifugal honey (similar to honey harvested from single hives) and comb honey. Comb honey is particularly popular among consumers, easy to market, and can be sold at a higher price compared to traditionally raised honey.
• Most importantly, this beekeeping method not only improves honey quality but also reduces labor efforts, as beekeepers do not need to extract honey multiple times.

Langstroth hive beekeeping has been successfully introduced to various beekeeping regions in Vietnam, gradually replacing traditional beekeeping methods and meeting the demands of both domestic and international honey markets.

The Importance of Langstroth Hive?

The beehive is the home of the honeybee colony, making it an extremely important element in beekeeping. Having a good beehive contributes to more effective beekeeping practices. There are various types of beehives, and one of them is called the "bộng ong," which utilizes hollow tree trunks as beehives.

Beekeeping in Langstroth hives results in better-quality honey compared to other single-hive beekeeping methods

The majority of beehives are made from wood, such as chestnut, litchi, mango, etc. However, since beehives are placed outdoors, beekeepers may paint the exterior of the beehive to make it waterproof or use other protective measures.

Using hive bodies helps in separating and partitioning the bees' living areas, making it convenient for honey extraction. These hive bodies need to be designed according to specific principles to ensure simplicity and ease of honey harvesting and bee management, while also optimizing honey production.

Creating a favorable environment for honeybees in hollow tree trunks is beneficial, but it can be challenging when aiming for large-scale honey production. It is preferable to use improved Langstroth hives with smart, movable frames to facilitate beekeeping and ensure high honey productivity.

Currently, the Langstroth hive, known as the "thùng Langtros," is quite popular, with inner dimensions of 47 x 43 x 25 cm. The hive is designed with two windows that can be opened at both ends for easy movement. It has large holes an entrance for bees, and a cover to protect against rain and sunlight. The hive is elevated with metal legs to protect it from pests such as ants and wasps.

When positioning the beehives, they should be raised 25 - 30 cm above the ground, with a minimum distance of 1 meter between hives. The entrances should be placed in different directions. Beekeepers should choose dry and well-ventilated locations, such as under eaves, near tree roots, etc. Avoid placing hives on tiled or concrete surfaces, in excessively wet areas, or close to livestock barns or sugar factories.

The appropriate hive size is crucial

If the Langstroth hive is too large, it becomes difficult for the bee colony to regulate temperature and humidity inside the hive. Bees naturally form a spherical shape within the hive, with the smaller bees often pushed out of the honeycomb. Conversely, if the hive is too small, overcrowding occurs, leading to bee colony division, which affects their development and significantly reduces honey production.

If the size of the top-bar beehive is too large, it becomes challenging for the honeybee colony to regulate temperature and humidity within the hive

However, when designing the Langstroth hive, it is essential to ensure convenience for beekeepers in terms of feeding, honey extraction, and hive transportation. Additionally, the hive's dimensions can be adjusted based on beekeeping practices in different regions.

Typically, a complete Langstroth hive is designed with the following dimensions:

• Bottom box size: (Length x Width x Height x Thickness) 510 x 420 x 250 x 18 mm
• First upper box size: (Length x Width x Height x Thickness) 510 x 420 x 250 x 18 mm
• Second upper box size: (Length x Width x Height x Thickness) 510 x 420 x 150 x 18 mm
• Mainframe size: 29 (485 x 230 x 36 mm)
• Upper frame size: 10 (485 x 130 x 36 mm)
• Number of bottom trays: 1 (3 liters)
• Number of queen excluders: 1
• Material: Pine, Oak, or Tung wood

For those who have been beekeeping for many years, it's easy to notice that when there is sufficient pollen, the queen bee will lay eggs on both sides of a frame within 3 days. This is because the lifespan of worker bees is 21 days, so having 7 frames will provide enough space for the maximum egg-laying capacity of the queen bee. After accounting for an additional frame for food storage, the optimal choice for beekeeping would be 8 frames in the Langstroth hive.

The technical standards for the Langstroth hive

Technical standards for the Langstroth hive are crucial for the healthy development and honey production of the honeybee colony. Apart from selecting the appropriate hive size, beekeepers need to adhere to specific technical standards to ensure the utmost convenience for the honeybees and the beekeeping process:

Spacing between frames within the Langstroth hive

The most suitable distance between the bottom of the frame in the upper hive body and the top of the frame in the lower hive body is usually 7 or 8 millimeters. If this distance is too large, worker bees may have difficulty moving between the upper and lower hive bodies, leading to reduced honey production.

The technical standards of the top-bar beehive are an extremely important factor for the healthy growth of bees

In some cases, worker bees may produce wax connecting the lower and upper levels of the Langstroth hive, allowing them to move between the two. Consequently, when extracting honey, you have to tear apart this wax barrier, inadvertently making the honeybee colony more aggressive.

Spacing between frames within the hive body

The ideal spacing between the bottom of the frames in the upper hive body and the top of the frames in the lower hive body is usually set at 7 or 8 millimeters. If this spacing is too large, worker bees will have difficulty moving from the lower to the upper hive body, and vice versa, hindering the transfer of honey.

The technical standards of the Langstroth hive are of utmost importance for the healthy growth of the bee colony.

Techniques for adding supers

When raising bees in a Langstroth hive, there are two techniques for adding supers, namely "kế lửng" (partial addition) and "kế nguyên" (full addition). These techniques have some differences, as follows:

"Kế lửng" (partial addition) technique

During the non-honey season, beekeepers only use the lower hive body (8 frames). When the honey season starts and the honeybee colony reaches 7-8 frames, strong and populous, beekeepers add the upper hive body (8 frames).

In the upper hive body, beekeepers only need to attach the hive legs to the frames, while in the lower hive body, they need to remove the honeycomb caps by cutting or using a capping scratcher.

The technique of adding supers to honeybee colonies ensures high productivity without causing harm to the honeybee colony

One important thing to note is that you need to scrape or cut off the wax cappings on the honeycomb cells so that the worker bees can easily move the honey to the upper honey super. Once the honey frames are uncapped, the newly gathered honey will be transported and stored in the honey super above. If you don't remove the wax cappings, the honey will remain in the lower brood chamber, and any new honey brought in by the bees will also be stored in the lower chamber. This will be considered a failure in adding honey supers effectively.

With the "kế lửng" (partially added) technique, beekeepers may not need to use queen excluders. However, when harvesting honey, special attention should be given to the queen to ensure her safety and not disrupt her normal activities.

When the honey flow season ends, beekeepers will return to regular beekeeping in the lower brood chamber and wait for the next honey flow season.

"Kế nguyên" (full addition) technique

During the non-honey season, beekeepers use the lower hive body (8 frames) and follow traditional beekeeping methods. When the honey season begins, the honeybee colony needs to reach 7-8 frames, with a strong and populous population. Bear in mind that the egg incubation period is 3 days, the larval stage lasts 6 days, and the pupal stage lasts 12 days. Therefore, at this point, the honeybee colony will have 1 frame of eggs, 2 frames of larvae, and 4 frames of capped brood, theoretically.

During the honey flow season, beekeepers need to add honey supers to their hives. A queen excluder should be placed between the brood chamber and the honey super. It is essential to invest in a good-quality queen excluder to prevent warping or damaging the wings of worker bees.

• Day 1: Transfer four honey frames with capped brood from the brood chamber to the honey super. In the brood chamber, replace the removed frames with empty frames for the worker bees to build a comb for the queen to lay eggs. A few days later, check the honey super to see if there are any queen cells. If queen cells are present, they should be destroyed to prevent the colony from swarming.
• Day 11-12: Add the remaining three honey frames from the brood chamber to the honey super. In the honey super, place three empty frames for the worker bees to build comb and for the queen to lay eggs.

By following this technique, the honey supers are successfully added. From this point on, beekeepers can harvest honey from the honey super and regularly inspect the condition of the bee colony in the brood chamber of the honey super.

How to prevent diseases in honeybees when beekeeping using Langstroth hives

• Maintain strong and populous bee colonies with a sufficient number of frames (ideally, at least three frames). Only healthy and strong colonies can better resist diseases if inadvertently exposed to them.
• Ensure the hive has an adequate supply of honey. If there is a shortage of nectar in nature, supplementary feeding should be provided to the bees, such as sugar syrup, honey, pollen, soybean flour, etc., to ensure the queen has the best conditions for continuous egg-laying.
• Regularly check and replace old and worn-out honeycomb frames. As recommended by veterinarians, beekeepers should not use honeycomb frames older than two years.
• Provide a well-ventilated hive during summer and ensure a windproof and warm environment during winter.
• Promptly isolate any infected colonies by moving them to a distant location (meaning they should not share the same foraging area with non-infected colonies to prevent disease transmission).
• Use appropriate bee medications at the end of the honey flow season as a preventive measure.

Above are the sharing of Beekeeping techniques, hoping to help you get useful information to understand more about this method.