In the 19th century, French beekeeper George de Layens invented a hive that is gaining popularity worldwide. The hive's design is based on Layens' sustainable beekeeping principles, which prioritise the use of local bees and appropriate hives that require minimal management.
By utilising large hives with big frames and enough space for the queen to lay eggs, natural swarming can be minimised, and a robust colony can be established in preparation for the winter. Thousands of Layens hives are currently in use in the USA, and over 1 million can be found in Spain.
The Layens hive features 20 conventionally spaced frames, each measuring 440x340mm wide. The top bars are butted together at the top of the hive to provide extra insulation. This particular Layens hive style is ideal for UK beekeepers and includes varroa mesh floors, pull-out inspection trays, and two entrances for potential use with colonies.
The hive comes fully assembled, complete with 20 assembled Layens frames, two entrance reducers (one for each colony), and a partition board.
A walkthrough video of our Layens hive by Black Mountain Honey