There seems to be an assumption that the Langstroth design of over 100 
years ago has not changed. It obviously has, but the underlying idea has 
stayed fairly constant- movable frames, bee space and ease of harvesting 
honey. Every one of the offshoots borrows from those fundamentals.

What has happened is supposed standardization of dimensions so there is 
a "standard hive" (deeps and shallow supers), but if you actually try to 
mix manufacturers, things are not quite as advertised. So, even there, 
things are different. Frames are different. Everything above and below 
the brood box is different. Even the boxes are different and many 
beekeepers have a mix of box sizes or some who use one size. Commercial 
operators change many parts of the hive for easy of transport and 
ventilation. Northern beekeepers can have different setups than 
Southern. Then there are people like me who make their own. You can have 
ten frame, nine frame and even eight frame hives, not to mention nucs.

Materials differ: you see various woods, metals, and plastics used.

I have seen and have read about many different hive designs. To think 
that beekeepers who use the Langstroth design are stuck in a static 
universe does not recognize reality. It does, however, tend toward 
biases and prejudices of those who have found a "better way" which is 
not a universal better way but suited for their own situation, per the 
article. Some of the ideas and designs are fantastic. They work but are 
not practical for most.

The Langstroth design is the closest thing we have to a universal, 
one-size-fits-all, hive design. I admire the genius that was behind 
something that has stood up for so long and been so universally accepted.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and  other info ---