Mann Lake HK370 Assembled Hive Kit Review

The Mann Lake HK370 Assembled Hive Kit provides you with the most necessary equipment to begin your career as a beekeeper – the beehive. This kit is pre-assembled so all you have to do is to add the bees and work on the next steps. However, before we go into this product review, let’s talk a bit about the history of beekeeping.

History of Beekeeping

The science of beekeeping has a very long history that spans way back the ancient times. No one can tell when it exactly began, but it is certain that it is very important to our lives. Beekeeping products are essential to society and the environment which include pollen, beeswax, royal jelly, and of course, honey. While we culture the bees for their precious products, we ensure the survival of these little wonders and we ensure the balance in the ecosystem at the same time. Imagine a life without bees – global system failure.

The history of beekeeping shares with us the many developments in culturing methods and tools. Humans learned how to make this industry a sustainable enterprise through various innovations. These innovations improved the way we take care of the bees and perfect the art of honey production. Beekeepers continue to find ways to increase the sustainability of bees and they continue to create tools to make the activities more efficient and convenient. If you’re a beginning beekeeper, a good starter kit can serve as a catalyst for your success. The market can provide you with many options, but it could take a while before you find the ideal kit for your needs. You’ll be needing recommendations, and this article is the best place to check out one of the best hive kits out there. Let’s begin.

Features of the Mann Lake HK370 Assembled Hive Kit

• The kit includes two painted 6-5/8-inch hive boxes.
• There are twenty 6-1/4-inch assembled wood frames waxed with yellow RiteCell foundation.
• There is a solid bottom board.
• It has an entrance reducer to prevent larger pests from getting inside the hive.
• It comes with a telescoping cover with an inner cover.
• Dimensions: 22-inch x by 18-1/2-inch x 13-1/7-inch height.

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Further Thoughts

The Mann Lake HK370 hive frame is assembled with RiteCell foundation. This foundation is a sheet of beeswax that directs the comb building. It also acts as a support for the entire comb. In nature, bees can build a comb without a foundation, but the use of a foundation helps beekeepers in guiding the orientation and location of the comb. A foundation also influences the production of drones and the size of worker bees. Click here to read more on foundation vs foundationless beekeeping.

The bottom board is the floor of the hive box. It serves as a frame that protects the hive from damp ground, dirt, and insects. Today, the most common bottom boards are designed with screen filters. This design improves the ventilation inside the hive.

The entrance reducer is a small component but serves a big purpose. It limits the bee access to the beehive and also improves temperature control and ventilation, especially during the cold season. The entrance reducer is placed loosely at the entrance for efficient control.

The inner cover is like a shallow tray with a hole at the center. This provides an additional ventilation source for the beehive. The outer cover, on the other hand, serves as a barrier from outside elements. It’s like the roof of your house.

About the Bee Hive Box

The bee hive box serves as the shelter for the bee colony. It encloses the frames where the bees live, work, and populate. As a shelter and aside from being a home for the bee colony, the hive box acts as protection from the weather, harmful elements, and predators. Hive boxes are commonly made of wood and come with different sizes – shallow, medium, and deep.

The first working hive box was introduced in 1814. It was re-designed several years after, and in 1852, the famous Langstroth movable hive frame revolutionized the beekeeping industry forever. A hive frame is a beehive component where the honey is kept and the young bees are raised. It is an essential part of the modern movable hive. It can be removed for inspection and for honey extraction. The first beehive frame was introduced in 1814 by Petro Prokopovych. Succeeding beekeepers improved the design which eventually led to the Langstroth frame.

Conclusion

This concludes our discussion about this useful hive kit. As I said, the market might overwhelm you with hundreds of products with promises of excellent performance. Narrowing down your options is a way to save time and one thing that you must consider in our recommendation like this. The Mann Lake HK370 Assembled Hive Kit is definitely worth your consideration. It is reasonably priced which means that you’re getting a great deal with the amazing inclusions in the package. Of course, checking out another product is not a bad idea. It will increase your chances of getting the ideal equipment for your beekeeping needs.

Do you own the Mann Lake HK370 Assembled Hive Kit? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think of it.

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