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BeeCastle cedar hives and beeswax-coated kits

BeeCastle sells cedar Langstroth hives with beeswax-coated frames, starter kits with a suit and tools, feeders, mouse guards and harvest kits.

See BeeCastle on Amazon
Beekeeper in a jacket and veil setting up a new Langstroth hive in a backyard
BeeCastle 10-Frame Beeswax-Coated Hive Kit, 2 LayerBeeCastle 8-Frame Starter Kit with Tools and SuitBeeCastle 10-Frame Hive with Window, 2D+1MBeeCastle 10-Frame Medium Super, Beeswax-DippedBeeCastle 10-Frame Waxed Langstroth Hive, 2D+1MBeeCastle 10-Frame Starter Kit with Tools and Suit
Photo: OakleyOriginals, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr
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BeeCastle in our catalogue

Products by category

Hives & kitsHives & kits: 66Frames & foundationFrames & foundation: 44Hive tools & smokersHive tools & smokers: 22Honey harvestHoney harvest: 22Bee health & feedingBee health & feeding: 44

What BeeCastle sells

BeeCastle builds its line around cedar Langstroth hives with beeswax-coated plastic foundation, which means you can put bees on the frames without waxing them yourself. The brand also fills in the rest of a first-year kit: tools, feeders, mouse guards and a honey harvest set.

  • Hives: 10-frame two-layer and 2 deep + 1 medium kits, a 10-frame hive with an observation window, and 8- and 10-frame starter kits that add a smoker, 19+ tools, jacket, pants and gloves.
  • Frames and parts: deep frames with waxed foundation, yellow and black waxed foundation sheets, a medium super and a beeswax-dipped screened bottom board.
  • Feeding and winter: 3.5 L and 6.5 L deep frame feeders, wood entrance reducers and stainless mouse guards for 8- or 10-frame hives.
  • Tools and harvest: 9- and 14-piece tool kits, a double sieve harvest kit and nylon honey gates.

BeeCastle hive kits by listed spec

ProductFramesBoxesMaterialIncludes
BeeCastle 10-Frame Beeswax-Coated Hive Kit, 2 Layer102 boxesCedarFrames and beeswax-coated foundation
BeeCastle 10-Frame Waxed Langstroth Hive, 2D+1M102 deep, 1 mediumCedar boxes, pine framesFrames and waxed foundations
BeeCastle 10-Frame Hive with Window, 2D+1M10 (30 frames)2 deep, 1 mediumCedarMetal cover, excluder, mouse guard, 30 waxed frames
BeeCastle 8-Frame Starter Kit with Tools and Suit8 deep (unassembled)1 assembled deepCedar, pine framesSmoker, 19+ tools, jacket, pants, gloves
BeeCastle 10-Frame Starter Kit with Tools and Suit10 deep (unassembled)1 assembled deepCedar, pine framesSmoker, 19+ tools, jacket, pants, gloves

Specs as listed by the maker or seller; check the listing before you buy.

Two details are worth reading closely. First, the starter kits include one assembled deep but list the frames as unassembled, so plan an evening with glue and nails. Second, the 8-frame starter kit uses 8-frame boxes; 8- and 10-frame equipment does not mix, so choose one width for your whole apiary. Our 8-frame vs 10-frame comparison walks through the trade-off.

How BeeCastle compares with other hive brands

Hoover Hives also sells beeswax-dipped kits, in fir with NZ pine frames, and offers fully assembled versions. Mann Lake's kits are pine and made in the USA, with Rite-Cell waxed plastic foundation. Goodland's kits are kiln-dried pine with pre-waxed foundation. BeeCastle's distinguishing points are cedar boxes and kits that bundle protective gear. BeeCastle also makes an FSC wood claim on some listings; treat that as the maker's claim.

Who BeeCastle suits

BeeCastle fits a beginner who wants one order to cover the hive, the frames, a suit and the hand tools, and who prefers cedar boxes. It suits you less well if you want fully assembled frames out of the box, pure beeswax foundation, or a made-in-USA hive; for those, look at Hoover Hives' assembled kits, pure wax sheets in the frames and foundation hub, or Mann Lake.

Where BeeCastle appears on Hive & Frame

BeeCastle: questions

Are BeeCastle hives made of cedar?
The boxes are listed as cedar; several kits list pine frames inside cedar boxes.
Do BeeCastle frames come with foundation?
Yes. The kits and frame packs list beeswax-coated plastic foundation, in yellow or black.
Do BeeCastle kits come assembled?
It varies. The starter kits list one assembled deep with unassembled frames, while the Medium Super lists frames and foundation as unassembled. Read each listing.
Does a BeeCastle starter kit include bees?
No. Packages and nucs come from local or regional bee suppliers, not from gear kits.
Can BeeCastle boxes stack with other Langstroth brands?
They are Langstroth-size, but box dimensions vary slightly between makers. Check the listed dimensions and stick to one frame width, 8 or 10, across your apiary.