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A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus ''Apis'' live and raise their young. Natural beehives are naturally occurring structures occupied by honeybee colonies, such as hollowed-out trees, while domesticated honeybees live in man-made beehives, often in an apiary. These man-made structures are typically referred to as "beehives". Several species of ''Apis'' live in hives, but only the western honey bee (''Apis mellifera'') and the eastern honey bee (''Apis cerana'') are domesticated by humans. A natural beehive is comparable to a bird's nest built with a purpose to protect the dweller. The beehive's internal structure is a densely packed group of hexagonal cells made of beeswax, called a honeycomb. The bees use the cells to store food (honey and pollen) and to house the "brood" (eggs, larvae, and pupae). Artificial beehives serve several purposes: production of honey, pollination of nearby crops, housing supply bees for apitherapy treatment, as safe housing for bees in an attempt to mitigate the effects of colony collapse disorder, and to keep bees as pets. Artificial hives are commonly transported so that bees can pollinate crops in other areas.〔(Chapter 10 – Honey ) USDA〕 A number of patents have been issued for beehive designs. == Natural hives == Honey bees use caves, rock cavities and hollow trees as natural nesting sites. Members of other subgenera have exposed aerial combs. The nest is composed of multiple honeycombs, parallel to each other, with a relatively uniform bee space. It usually has a single entrance. Western honey bees prefer nest cavities approximately 45 litres in volume and avoid those smaller than 10 or larger than 100 litres.〔(Honeybees of the genus ''Apis''. ) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations〕 Western honey bees show several nest-site preferences: the height above ground is usually between and , entrance positions tend to face downward, Equatorial-facing entrances are favored, and nest sites over from the parent colony are preferred. Bees usually occupy the nests for several years. The bees often smooth the bark surrounding the hive entrance, and the cavity walls are coated with a thin layer of hardened plant resin (propolis). Honeycombs are attached to the walls along the cavity tops and sides, but small passageways are left along the comb edges. The basic nest architecture for all honeybees is similar: honey is stored in the upper part of the comb; beneath it are rows of pollen-storage cells, worker-brood cells, and drone-brood cells, in that order. The peanut-shaped queen cells are normally built at the lower edge of the comb.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Beehive」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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