- Assembled 10-frame Langstroth-size double-deep set in insulated plastic; no painting.
- Listed standard parts: screened bottom with pollen trap and drawer, entrance reducer, queen excluder, division board, frame spacers and top feeder.
- Frames are not included in this set; the boxes take standard wooden or plastic frames.
- An R-value of 6.93 is reported in Building Beehives For Dummies; the listing itself gives no R-value.
This Apimaye insulated hive review covers the Ergo 10-frame double-deep set without frames. It is built from the listing, the Apimaye range in our catalogue and published descriptions of the hive. Hive & Frame did not keep bees in it.
Insulated hives are one route to wintering; wraps on a wooden hive are another. If you are comparing styles, see our best beehive for beginners list, the winter prep page and 8-frame vs 10-frame hives.
Who it’s for, and who should skip it
- keep bees where winters are long or summers are very hot
- never want to paint or replace rotting wooden boxes
- like having a feeder, excluder and pollen trap built into the set
- already use 10-frame Langstroth frames, or plan to buy them anyway
- want natural wood or a fully plastic-free hive
- need a set that arrives with frames (Apimaye sells one with 10 wood frames)
- run 8-frame equipment
- want to mix freely with wooden boxes and covers without checking fit first
Pros and cons
- Arrives assembled and needs no painting
- Screened bottom with pollen trap and drawer, entrance reducer, excluder, division board and top feeder listed as standard
- Takes standard 10-frame Langstroth frames
- Double-walled, foam-filled HDPE walls as described by Building Beehives For Dummies
- Supers, nucs and an upgrade kit in the same system
- Frames not included in this set
- Insulation figures are maker or secondary claims, not independent tests
- Plastic boxes; some beekeepers prefer wood
- Proprietary bottom, cover and feeder parts
Specs
| Frames | 10 (frames not included) |
|---|---|
| Boxes/Supers | Double deep |
| Material | Insulated plastic |
| Coating/Wax | No painting needed |
| Includes | Screened bottom with pollen trap, excluder, top feeder |
As stated by the maker or seller; confirm on the listing before you buy.
What comes in the Apimaye Ergo set?
The listing calls this the Ergo insulated 10-frame hive set, white body with green entrance, double deep, no frames. It lists the following as standard features and says the hive is assembled and does not need painting.
Apimaye Ergo 10-frame set: listed parts
| Part | Included | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hive bodies | ✓ Double deep | 10-frame Langstroth size |
| Frames | ✗ Not included | Takes standard wooden or plastic frames |
| Screened bottom board | ✓ Yes | With pollen trap and drawer |
| Entrance reducer | ✓ Yes | — |
| Queen excluder | ✓ Yes | — |
| Division / uniting board | ✓ Yes | For splits or combining |
| Frame spacers | ✓ Yes | — |
| Top feeder | ✓ Yes | — |
| Paint | ✗ Not needed | Insulated plastic |
Source: Apimaye Ergo listing
The listing also mentions a first-place Beehive Innovations Award at an Apimondia congress and Arizona-based support from beekeeping staff; both are maker statements.
How well does an Apimaye insulated hive insulate?
The listing says the hive is "insulated to withstand extreme weather" and designed to prevent moisture buildup, and claims bees survive colder winters while eating less honey, with more foragers free in summer. Those are maker claims. The listing gives no R-value.
Building Beehives For Dummies describes the hive as food-grade, high-density plastic (HDPE) with double-walled sides and top injected with polyurethane, and reports the R-6.93 figure as at least six times a conventional wooden Langstroth. Treat that as a published claim; we have not seen an independent test of it.
Apimaye vs a wooden hive with a winter wrap
An insulated hive and a wrapped wooden hive solve the same problem in different ways. The table sets the Ergo against a wooden 10-frame kit plus a wrap from our catalogue.
| Apimaye Ergo | Wooden hive + wrap | |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation | ✓ Built into walls and top | ~ Seasonal wrap, sides only |
| Painting | ✓ Never | ~ Paint or wax-dipped boxes |
| Feeder and pollen trap | ✓ Included | ✗ Usually separate |
| Frames included | ✗ Not in this set | ~ Depends on kit |
| Fits other wooden parts | ~ Frames yes; check boxes and covers | ✓ Standard parts |
| Material | HDPE plastic | Wood plus fabric wrap |
Wraps such as the POLLIBEE four-layer cover, listed with the other hives and hive accessories, go on in fall and come off in spring, and they fit equipment you may already own. An Apimaye hive does the job year-round, including in summer heat, where a wrap does not help.
POLLIBEE Winter Hive Wrap for 8 & 10 Frame, 2D+1M
- Material
- 600D Oxford, 3 mm pearl cotton, 2 foil layers
- Size
- 76.8 x 24.8 in
- Fit
- 8 and 10 frame, 2 deeps + 1 medium
Best for Wrapping a full stack for winter
LRDCIMO Winter Hive Wrap, Hoover 10-Frame Deep
- Type
- Insulated wrap
- Fit
- Hoover Hives 10-frame 9-5/8" deep
- Closure
- Adjustable straps and buckles
Best for Wrapping a single deep for winter
Frames, supers and the rest of the Apimaye range
This set has no frames, so budget for twenty deep frames to fill both boxes. Apimaye sells the same hive with 10 wood frames and double-waxed foundation, as well as configurations with medium supers and an all-deep version, so every frame is one size.
| Product | Frames | Boxes | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apimaye Ergo Insulated 10-Frame Hive Set, No Frames | 10 (frames not included) | Double deep | Screened bottom with pollen trap, excluder, top feeder |
| Apimaye Ergo Insulated Hive Set with 10 Wood Frames | 10 wood frames, double-wax foundation | Single | Screened bottom, pollen trap, excluder, top feeder |
| Apimaye Ergo Insulated 10-Frame Hybrid, 1D+1M | 10 | 1 deep, 1 medium | Fully assembled boxes |
| Apimaye Ergo Insulated 10-Frame Honey Maker, 1D+2M | 10 | 1 deep, 2 medium | Fully assembled boxes |
| Apimaye Ergo Insulated 10-Frame Simplicity, 3 Deep | 10 | 3 deep | Fully assembled boxes |
Specs as listed by the maker or seller; check the listing before you buy.
Apimaye also makes a 7-frame insulated nuc for swarms and splits, and a Hive Upgrade Kit with a screened bottom board, a 1.1-gallon feeder and an insulated cover for existing wooden 10-frame hives. If you are not sure about foundation, see plastic vs wax foundation.
Apimaye Insulated 7-Frame Nuc, Plastic Core Frames
- Frames
- 7
- Boxes
- Nucleus box
- Material
- Insulated plastic
Best for Housing splits and caught swarms
Apimaye Hive Upgrade Kit for 10-Frame Wood Hives
- Fits
- 10-frame Langstroth (wood)
Best for Upgrading wooden 10-frame hives
Seasonal tips for an insulated hive
- Spring
Watch for crowding early; a warm, insulated box can build fast. Add space before the colony fills the top box.
- Summer
Use the screened bottom and ventilation options in heat, and count mites monthly from the population increase phase.
- Fall
Remove the excluder if the colony will winter in two boxes, fit the entrance reducer and feed if stores are light.
- Winter
Leave the hive closed on cold days. Heft it occasionally to judge stores, and keep the entrance clear of dead bees and snow.
The seasonal checklist gives month-by-month tasks for your region, and the mite threshold calculator turns a 300-bee sample into an HBHC 9th-edition verdict.
Alternatives worth a look
Lyson Insulated Polystyrene 10-Frame Hive Kit
- Frames
- 10 assembled wooden with plastic foundation
- Boxes
- 1 deep (9.5")
- Material
- Insulated polystyrene
Best for Cold climates without wrapping
Why consider it: An assembled polystyrene 10-frame deep with bottom board, covers and 10 assembled wooden frames; the maker says it needs no winter wrap.
Layens Horizontal Hive, Insulated, 20 Frame
- Frames
- 20 Layens (21 without divider)
- Material
- Double wall, 1.5 in foam
- Includes
- Aluminum roof, 3 entrances with steel doors
Best for Cold-climate horizontal hive
Why consider it: A US-built horizontal Layens hive with double walls and 1.5 in of foam, holding 20 extra-deep frames with no boxes to lift.
Hoover Hives 10-Frame Langstroth, Assembled, 2D+1M
- Frames
- 10 (30 NZ pine frames)
- Boxes
- 2 deep, 1 medium
- Material
- Fir exterior
Best for A ready-to-use full hive
Why consider it: A fully assembled, beeswax-dipped fir 10-frame hive with two deeps, a medium and 30 frames, if you prefer wood plus a seasonal wrap.
Built from the Apimaye listings in our catalogue, the description in Building Beehives For Dummies, and HBHC guidance on varroa timing. The Apimaye website blocked our requests, so manual details could not be checked. Hive & Frame did not keep bees in this hive.