Hive Covers for Langstroth Beehives

Beekeeping is a science, and humans first learned the importance of beekeeping hundreds of years ago. They learned and developed multiple ways to make it a more sustainable undertaking. Over the years, different methods emerged together with innovations in equipment and tools. Early beekeepers learned that the survivability of the colony also depends on how the hive is protected from different elements. Hive covers became essential equipment in beekeeping.

The hive cover acts as a protective roof that keeps out the rain, among other things. A hive cover is one of the four major components of a beehive. The other three includes the bottom board, the frames, and the honey supers. The hive cover comes as either inner or outer cover. The inner cover provides additional insulation while the outer cover protects the hive from the weather. The invention of hive covers was first documented in the 1800s. Many patents proved efficient in protecting the man-made hives. Today, modern technology helped developed better hive covers. These covers have a wide range of selections that differ in sizes, functionality, and design.

Searching for an ideal hive cover can consume a lot of your time due to a huge number of products available on the market. A bee shop might have a hive cover on sale but, it doesn’t mean that it’s the right cover for your hive. Your best chance is by checking what’s available online, and our expert view of the products will help you find the best hive cover. This list showcases the best hive covers that will give great value for your money. These hive covers are suitable for use with Langstroth beehives.

Overview of the Best Hive Covers

10. Toughtimbers Beehive Assembled Wooden Inner Cover  (10 Frame)

A basic design doesn’t mean that it has a basic functionality. The Toughtimbers Beehive Wooden Inner Cover is one of the best inner covers that you can find on the market. It has a great brand that comes with it too. This inner cover is used between the hive top and the top box. This cover offers extra protection from external elements that may harm your bees. It also serves as a barrier between the top box and hive top for easy inspection. You can also use this inner cover as a feeding board. This inner cover is made from high-quality materials that has high durability and resistance. It is also very easy to install and to use.

The Toughtimbers Beehive Wooden Inner Cover measures 16 x 1 x 20 inches. It weighs 5 pounds. This inner cover is one of the most recommended beekeeping products to protect your bees from the elements of nature. It is expertly designed to give the hive proper ventilation keeping the hive healthy. This is surely a beekeeper must-have.

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9. GreenBeehives Beehive 8 Frame Inner Cover

A great hive cover needs to be strong. The GreenBeehives Inner Cover gives strength a new definition. It is made with groove and tongue construction and high-grade exterior wood glue. There are no wood preservatives included during the construction of this inner cover which makes it a lot safer for your bees. It comes pre-assembled with a front notch for proper ventilation. Good ventilation ensures that your bees are healthy. This inner cover will fit perfectly on 8 frame hives. You can also use this cover as a top feeder by turning the notch down.

The GreenBeehives Beehive 8 Frame Inner Cover measures 24 x 18 x 2 inches and it weighs 5 pounds. This inner cover makes beekeeping a lot easier. Simply unpack it and install. Another great thing about this product is that it’s cheap. It is a bargain provided its impeccable design and durability.

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8. Toughtimbers 10 Frame Beehive Flat Top Langstroth Hive Cover

A Lanstroth hive is a vertical hive that features vertically hung frames, bottom board with entrance for bees, boxes that contain frames for honey and brood, and an inner cover and top cap for weather protection. For additional protection, a beekeeper needs a dependable top hive cover. One of the best hive covers that you can buy is the Toughtimbers 10 Frame Beekeeping Beehive Top Langstroth Hive Cover. It is a flat top cover that can fit 10 frame hives. It is specially stapled and glued to provide durability. This is a great top cover that will surely protect the hive form the weather, ensuring that your bees are kept safe and healthy.

This hive cover measures 16 x 1 x 20 inches and it weighs 10 pounds. It is sturdy and will last a very long time. If you’re looking for a great hive cover, this product should be on top of your list. It’s worth every penny.

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7. Busy Bees ‘N’ More Langstroth 10 Frame Telescoping Top Cover

 

Get this beehive top cover for your 10-frame Langstroth beehives. The Busy Bees ‘N’ More Langstroth 10 Frame Telescoping Top Cover is Amish made in the USA, so you are sure of its quality and proper function. The manufacturer also has a reputation of making reliable and good quality beekeeping equipment. This metal and wood beehive cover is flat at its top. It is made in the standard and popular design for Langstroth beehives top covers. The frame of the cover is made using Michigan Eastern White Pine wood. The cover telescopes down the sides of your beehive box to ensure water dripping from the top does not get into the beehive. It also keeps insects and pests from gaining access into the beehive through the top.

The manufacturer of this hive cover has painted over the metallic plating of the cover so it does not rust.  Assembly and construction of the cover is done using good quality materials. The cover is lightweight and very effective. Both wood glue and screws are used in the joints of this beehive top cover. The wood is also smooth so it does not risk hurting your hand when handling this top cover. The Busy Bees ‘N’ More Langstroth 10 Frame Telescoping Top Cover shows great workmanship and is very solid. It works as promised and lasts for many years in use.

The hive cover is made in a standard design and size. It is made using wood and metal as is common practice in beekeeping, and it works well with any standard beehive of the Langstroth 10-frame size. Additionally, the materials used to make this beehive top cover are of high quality. They ensure the cover is durable and that it works well at keeping the elements and sunlight out of the beehive.

Perhaps the only downfall of this hive cover is that there is no option to get it in the 8-frame Langstroth beehive size.

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6. Blythewood Bee Company Telescoping Lid (5, 8 & 10 Frame)

Need a great cover for your hive? Look no further, the Blythewood Bee Company Telescoping Lid is an excellent hive cover that will surely protect your bees from different elements. It comes fully assembled, so all you need to do is to install it. The hive cover features a rigid all-wood construction that sports interlocking side rims which are glued with high-grade water-resistant glue and screwed to position for superb durability that only a few can ever match. This hive cover is primed and painted with latex which is mildew resistant. This layer protects the wood from rotting and breaking. This latex layer is topped with a sheet of high grade aluminium for added protection.

The 8-frame configuration of the Blythewood Bee Company Telescoping Lid cover measures 21.75 x 18.25 x 2.25 inches and weighs 7 pounds, while the 10-frame configuration measures. This product is one of the best hive covers out there that provides excellent protection to the hive and the bees. Its solid construction ensures that this hive cover will last the test of time.

Check Price on Blythewood Bee Company (5-frame) Check Price on Amazon (8-frame) Check Price on Amazon (10-frame)

 

5. Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Hive Cover

Yes, it is the ultimate hive cover that you’ll ever need to protect your bees and the hive. The Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Hive Cover features double-wall structure with internal space insulation to keep the hive cool during the summer and warmer during the winter. That’s the kind of versatility that you need in your beekeeping activities. It also features a passive ventilation system that improves the airflow in the hive which in turn improves honey production. This hive cover reduces the moisture level inside the hive keeping the bees healthy. It also comes with a built-in drip edge to keep the hive components dry. This extends the life of the entire hive.

This hive cover fits an 8 or a 10 frame equipment. It is made of a special material that prevents rotting. You don’t have to paint it. No assembly required. Unpack it and you’re ready to install. Its superb functionality comes from its unique, yet simple structure. This hive cover measures 23.5 x 19.5 x 5.6 inches and it weighs 7.4 pounds.

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4. Harvest Lane Honey Beehive Inner Cover

The Harvest Lane Honey Beehive Inner Cover might look really simple but, its great value is in its great functionality. This inner cover is used between the hive top and the top box. This cover offers extra protection from external elements that may harm your bees. It also serves as a barrier between the top box and hive top for easy inspection. You can also use this inner cover as a feeding board. This inner cover is made from high-quality materials that has high durability and resistance. It is also very easy to install and to use.

The Harvest Lane Honey Beehive Inner Cover measures 16.4 x 0.1 x 19.8 inches. Many beekeepers have enjoyed the benefits of this inner cover. You should also consider buying one to ensure the safety of the entire colony. It comes from one of the most trusted brands in the beekeeping industry. That means that you’re getting a great value for your money.

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3. Mann Lake WW751 8-Frame Garden Hivery Cover

In beekeeping, the protection of the hive is paramount. A failed hive means lost effort and time, and you have to start over again. To solidify the hive’s protection, you’ll need the help of the Mann Lake WW751 8-Frame Garden Hivery Cover. It is already assembled, so all you need to do is to install it. This hive cover securely fits on 8 frame hives. It is made from high-quality materials that has high durability and resistance. It is made with copper colored anodized aluminum so it won’t patina with age. This cover is also designed to efficiently ventilate the hive on any seasons.

The design of the Mann Lake WW751 8-Frame Garden Hivery Cover directs rain water off the hive so that it doesn’t accumulate on top. The hivery cover measures 23 ¼ x 18 ¾ x 5 ½ inches and it weighs around 9 pounds. It is also stunning and elegant to look at.

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2. Mann Lake WW754 10-Frame Garden Hivery Cover

A Lanstroth hive is a vertical hive that features vertically hung frames, bottom board with entrance for bees, boxes that contain frames for honey and brood, and an inner cover and top cap for weather protection. For additional protection, a beekeeper needs a dependable top hive cover. One of the best hive covers that you can buy is the Mann Lake WW754 10-Frame Garden Hivery Cover. It is a flat top cover that can fit 10 frame hives.

The decorative telescoping cover is made with copper colored anodized aluminum so it won’t patina with age. This is a great top cover that will surely protect the hive form the weather, especially since its design allows rain water to run off the hive, instead of accumulating on it, ensuring that your bees are kept safe and healthy.

This hive cover measures 23 ¼ x 20 x 5 ¾ inches and it weighs 9 pounds. It is sturdy and will last a very long time. If you’re looking for a great hive cover, this product should be on top of your list. It’s worth every penny.

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1. Bee Smart Designs Ultimate Top Cover, Bottom Board & Robbing Screen Combo

This is a Bee Smart Designs offering of a beehive top cover, bottom board and robbing screen. The top cover in this Ultimate Top Cover, Bottom Board & Robbing Screen Combo is made using molded polymer material. It comes in a soft white color that is great for temperature regulation in the beehive where you use it. The material also ensures that the cover is durable since it does not rot. Molding the top cover gives you equipment with no joints or seams to get loose over time. This top cover is a great addition to your apiary because it leaves no places for small insects such as beetles and moths to hide within it. The cover comes with adapters to fit it on both 8-frame and 10-frame Langstroth beehives.

The Ultimate Top Cover, Bottom Board & Robbing Screen Combo has its top cover with drip edges. It telescopes over the sides of your uppermost beehive box. This top cover allows air to flow in and out of the beehive for ventilation and moisture regulation. Look out for the Homestead Essentials name and website address engraved on the sides of this top cover to confirm you are getting the authentic product. Both small and large beekeeping operations are suited to use this Ultimate Top Cover, Bottom Board & Robbing Screen Combo. The top cover doubles as a surface on which to place beehive boxes during hive inspections.

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Conclusion

Here are the best hive covers for beekeeping available on the market. These products boast in efficiency, affordability, and design. Each of these hive covers will protect your bees and the colony from the weather and other external elements. Seasons may change, but these hive covers will stay the same to keep the hive healthy and safe. We know that you have your own preference in hive covers, and this list will surely have one for your need. The best hive covers on this list will give you great value for your money.

Do you own any of the hive covers on this list? Which hive cover(s) do you think should be added to this list? Leave a comment below and let us know.