In a Langstroth hive, hive bodies and hive supers are structurally identical rectangular boxes, distinguished primarily by their function and vertical position within the stack. A "hive body" refers to the lower boxes used as the colony's living quarters and nursery, while a "super" refers to the upper boxes placed on top specifically to collect surplus honey.
The Core Distinction Physically, these components are just wooden boxes with specific dimensions. The difference is strictly operational: hive bodies are where bees raise their young (brood), while supers are where they store the extra honey you intend to harvest.
The Functional Difference
The Langstroth system is modular. By stacking boxes vertically, you separate the colony's biological functions to manage them more effectively.
The Hive Body (Brood Chamber)
The hive body is the foundation of the colony. It is placed directly on the bottom board and serves as the permanent residence for the bees.
Its primary purpose is to house the brood chamber, where the queen lays eggs and workers raise larvae. It also holds pollen and honey reserves that the bees consume for their own survival, particularly during winter.
The Hive Super (Honey Storage)
The term "super" is derived from "superstructure," meaning it is added above the hive body.
These boxes are introduced only when the colony is strong enough to produce excess food. The honey stored in these upper boxes is considered surplus, which the beekeeper can remove and harvest without depriving the colony of its necessary winter stores or disturbing the queen's nest below.
Standard Sizes and Usage
While the length and width of Langstroth boxes are standardized to fit stacked frames, the depth (height) of the boxes varies.
Deep Boxes (9 5/8 inches)
The "deep" box is the traditional standard for hive bodies.
Because it holds large frames, it provides a continuous, unbroken surface area. This allows the queen to lay eggs in a large circular pattern, which is efficient for colony expansion. A typical setup uses one or two deep boxes as the brood chamber.
Medium Boxes (6 5/8 inches)
Medium boxes are versatile "utility" components.
They are frequently used as honey supers because they hold a significant amount of honey but are lighter to lift than deeps. However, some beekeepers also use them as hive bodies to standardize their equipment, stacking three mediums to equal the volume of two deeps.
Shallow Boxes
Shallow boxes are used almost exclusively as honey supers.
They are the lightest option, designed specifically for beekeepers who cannot or do not wish to lift heavy loads. They are rarely used for brood chambers as the frame surface area is too small for an efficient nest.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Choosing the right combination of bodies and supers involves balancing the bees' biology with your physical limitations.
Weight vs. Volume
A deep box is efficient for volume, but a deep box fully loaded with honey can weigh upwards of 80 pounds. This is why deep boxes are rarely used as honey supers. Most beekeepers transition to medium or shallow boxes for supers to keep the lifting weight manageable (40–50 pounds).
Equipment Interchangeability
If you mix deep bodies with medium supers, your frames are not interchangeable. You cannot move a frame of honey from a super down into the brood nest to feed a starving colony.
Some beekeepers accept the trade-off of using all medium boxes. This allows every frame in the apiary to fit in every box, though it requires buying and inspecting more frames to achieve the same hive volume.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
Your configuration should depend on your physical strength and your desire for standardization.
- If your primary focus is industry standard: Use two deep boxes for the hive bodies (brood) and medium boxes for the honey supers.
- If your primary focus is weight management: Use medium boxes for both the hive bodies and the supers to ensure you never have to lift a heavy deep box.
- If your primary focus is equipment interchangeability: Standardize on "all mediums" so that any frame can be used in any position within the hive.
The brilliance of the Langstroth design is its modularity; simply ensure your supers are light enough to lift when full, and your bodies are large enough to support a thriving queen.
Summary Table:
| Component | Primary Function | Typical Placement | Common Depth | Est. Weight (Full) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hive Body | Brood rearing & winter stores | Bottom of stack | Deep (9 5/8") | 70 - 80+ lbs |
| Honey Super | Surplus honey storage | Top of stack | Medium (6 5/8") | 40 - 50 lbs |
| Shallow Super | Easy-lift honey storage | Top of stack | Shallow (5 1/4") | 30 - 35 lbs |
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