Recently we have been building new hive bodies (brood chambers) out of Western Red Cedar. A brood chamber is usually the bottom box of a hive and houses worker-made cells where eggs, larvae and pupae develop. Some cells in this part of the hive also hold pollen, nectar or honey which is used to feed the developing larvae. This is where the queen is laying eggs, and the brood nest is located.
These hive bodies were designed by WW Smith of Innerleithen many years ago. My father had a strong association with WW Smith who was Scotland’s first commercial beekeeper, so we adapted his hive design. They will last at least 50 years. The timber is very resistant to decay. The timber was sawn up locally at Brackenside and planed in Cockburnspath by John Kent. The rest of the work was done onsite at Chain Bridge Honey Farm.
