Field support, kept current
Use your hive with confidence.
Find the next practical step for setup, colony management, health, and harvest. Every guide is maintained by the Primal Bee support team.
49 current guides · updated by the Primal Bee support teamAsk Primal Bee for help finding the right answer.
What do you need to do?
Start with the job in front of you. Each path opens the most relevant part of the field manual.
Set up a new hiveAssembly, foundation, placement, and installing your bees.Manage my colonyFeeding, inspections, growth, supers, queens, and splits.Diagnose a problemMites, disease, moisture, weak colonies, and treatment guidance.Prepare for the seasonTimely spring, summer, fall, and overwintering decisions.
Your first year with Primal Bee
Get the next three steps—not another hundred-page manual.
Answer three quick questions about your colony, the season, and the job in front of you. We’ll point you to the most relevant, up-to-date Primal Bee guides.
Your starting point
Where are you with your hive?
Your recommendations always open the latest version of each guide, including any updates from the Primal Bee support team.
Prefer the setup sequence?
Use this fixed sequence when you already know you are assembling and establishing a new hive.
- 01Assemble the hiveAssemble, clean, and maintain the core Primal Bee hive components.
- 02Install foundationInstall foundations and apply the beeswax coating needed before colony installation.
- 03Install your beesChoose a colony source and install package bees, a nuc, or a transferred colony into Primal Bee.
- 04Feed for establishmentFollow establishment, feeding, inspections, expansion, seasonal care, and overwintering through the first year.
- 05Make the first inspectionPlan inspections, read brood and stores, and know when a full inspection is appropriate.
All usage guides
Browse the complete, live support library.
5 guides
About the product & science
For customers asking 'What is this hive and why should I trust it?' — pre-purchase confidence building.
- The science behind Primal Bee: thermal efficiency explainedEverything you need to know about Primal Bee's high-density EPS hive — materials, design, performance, and how it compares
- Primal Bee frame dimensions and Langstroth compatibilityHow Primal Bee supers, nest frames, and hive bodies work with standard Langstroth equipment and other hive systems
- Primal Bee hive specs: dimensions, weight, and kit contentsEverything you need to know about Primal Bee hive specifications, super options, and what's included in your kit
- Medium vs. Deep Supers: which Primal Bee kit to chooseEverything you need to know about medium vs. deep supers, what's included in your kit, and how much it all costs
- How much does a Primal Bee hive cost? Pricing and total investmentEverything you need to know about Primal Bee hive pricing, startup costs, payment options, and long-term value
8 guides
Buying & ordering
For customers in the purchase process — specs, pricing, delivery, promotions, and payments.
- What's in the Primal Bee starter kitEverything you need to know about what ships with your Primal Bee hive kit, plus how to order extras
- Primal Bee discounts and promotional codesCurrent offers, discount codes, event pricing, and how to save on your Primal Bee order
- Bulk pricing, payments, and nonprofit discountsEverything you need to know about promo codes, bulk pricing, special discounts, and accepted payment methods
- Ordering, shipping, returns, and warrantyEverything you need to know about ordering, shipping, assembly, returns, and warranty for Primal Bee hives
- Where to put your beehive: placement and elevationHow to position your Primal Bee hive for best results, including height, surface, moisture protection, and anchoring
- Setting up your Primal Bee hive: a complete guideHow to position, anchor, and maintain your Primal Bee hive for optimal colony health and performance
- Painting, gluing, and safe products for your Primal Bee hiveEverything you need to know about painting, gluing, fixing gaps, and protecting your Primal Bee hive
- Replacing parts and relocating your Primal Bee hiveHow Primal Bee EPS hives handle everyday use, damage, and relocation
11 guides
Physical hive setup & care
For customers who have the hive and need to set it up, maintain it, and understand its components.
- Assembling your Primal Bee hiveAssemble, clean, and maintain the core Primal Bee hive components.
- Installing foundations and applying beeswax coatingInstall foundations and apply the beeswax coating needed before colony installation.
- Installing foundation in Primal Bee framesHow to install, troubleshoot, and replace foundations in Primal Bee nest frames
- Foundation options and how to wire wax foundationsEverything you need to know about choosing, installing, and waxing foundations in the Primal Bee system
- Using the follower board to manage colony growthHow to use the follower board for colony management and check that foundations fit your frames properly
- Frame management, queen excluders, and hive accessoriesCommon questions about frame management, queen excluders, hive scales, and hive component design
- Cutouts, pollen collection, and feeding after a transferManage post-transfer feeding and establishment after a cutout or colony move.
- Your first year with bees: a month-by-month guideFollow establishment, feeding, inspections, expansion, seasonal care, and overwintering through the first year.
- Seasonal hive care: spring, winter, and dearth managementHow to manage your Primal Bee hive through spring buildup, winter preparation, dearth periods, and beyond
- Screen bottom board: ventilation and Varroa monitoring
- How to use the Primal Bee hive tool (and when you don't need it)
11 guides
Colony management
For active beekeepers managing their colony — from first installation through seasonal cycles.
- Sourcing and installing bees: your first yearChoose a colony source and install package bees, a nuc, or a transferred colony into Primal Bee.
- Installing a colony, managing swarms, and selling nucsHow to set up and manage your Primal Bee hive, including swarm prevention, honey-bound fixes, comb replacement, and nuc production
- Varroa mites, disease prevention, and Primal Bee maintenanceHow to manage propolis, burr comb, Varroa mites, and Deformed Wing Virus in your Primal Bee hive
- How to inspect a beehive: what to look for and whenPlan inspections, read brood and stores, and know when a full inspection is appropriate.
- The beekeeping year: seasonal colony managementPest control, colony health, honey harvesting, and beekeeping economics for your Primal Bee hive
- Honey harvesting, hive products, and earning potentialEverything you need to know about extracting honey, storing it, creating value-added products, and earning from your hives
- Queen management: finding her, recognizing problems, and requeeningBusiness, financial, and hive maintenance guidance for beekeepers using Primal Bee hives
- Swarm prevention, splits, and scaling your apiaryManaging propolis, burr comb, and Varroa mites in your Primal Bee hive — from monitoring to treatment
- Mite treatments for Primal Bee hivesHow to use Varroa mite treatments in your Primal Bee hive and manage Deformed Wing Virus
- How to use a bee smoker: fuels, technique, and alternatives
- How to move a beehive: transporting colonies safely
8 guides
Colony health
For beekeepers dealing with mites, disease, pests, or a colony that isn't thriving.
- How to sanitize a hive after American Foulbrood (AFB)How to clean, disinfect, and reuse Primal Bee EPS hive equipment after an AFB infection
- Pest defense: rodents, yellow jackets, ants, and beetlesHow the Primal Bee hive helps colonies resist common diseases and pests, plus practical management tips
- Troubleshooting your colony: stalled growth, wax moths, and pest treatmentsHow to identify and address common colony issues including pests, slow growth, and missing brood signs in your Primal Bee hive
- Why bees abscond: causes, prevention, and recoveryWhen your entire colony abandons the hive — why it happens and how to prevent it
- Disease resilience, honey harvest readiness, and extractionHow to handle colony loss, monitor for disease, and harvest honey from your Primal Bee Hive
- Beekeeping economics: revenue, breakeven, and legal considerationsEverything you need to know about storing honey, selling hive products, and building a profitable beekeeping operation
- Nosema in honey bees: recognizing, preventing, and treating
- Mite treatment compatibility: what to combine and what to avoid
6 guides
Honey harvest & beyond
For beekeepers ready to harvest and those thinking about the bigger picture.
- When to harvest honey: checking readiness and timingHow to tell when your honey supers are ready to harvest, plus tips for timing and adding supers
- How to harvest honey: clearing bees and extractionHow to clear bees from supers and extract honey using escape boards, bee blowers, and radial extractors
- Storing and processing honey: shelf life and crystallizationHow to store harvested honey and handle crystallization
- Marketable hive products: propolis, pollen, and beeswaxHow to harvest, process, and sell propolis, beeswax, pollen, and other profitable hive products
- How to make money from beekeeping: revenue, breakeven, and taxesHow to earn money from your hives, from honey sales to tax deductions and break-even timelines
- Processing beeswax: melting, filtering, and storage