Local bees

simple equipment

sustainable methods

Everything you need to start your beekeeping journey.

Natural

We provide conditions in which bees find their own natural solutions through minimal interference.

Sustainable

Our methods foster bee welfare and facilitate bees’ natural behaviors while working within their limits.

Local

Based out of Cincinnati, we offer in-person support, education and local overwintered nucs and queens.

Everything You Need To Get Started

in natural beekeeping

Find a full range of products and services to support backyard hobbyist who want to keep bees on a modest scale.

From Our Customers

The short time I was with you guys I learned a great deal about working with Layens hives, stuff I have not seen/heard from other youtubers ...

Everything that you both shared and your eagerness to help me and the others during the sessions, and at many other times, was invaluable. The hands on training, your confidence in me, and your calm demeaner helped me become very comfortable around the bees.

The hands-on class training helped with things you may take for granted.

Seeing the bees spring life cycle was extremely helpful. I now know how bees typically act throughout the spring cycle and what to expect. I know what behavior should be concerning and strategies to correct any discrepancy in their environment.

I would recommend the bee keeping classes to anyone, not just new beekeepers. The new info that I learned at each session will hopefully help carry me through my journey. I would be interested in any additional classes or training you would offer in the future.

Since I was a complete novice, everything I have learned about Bees has been new and exciting especially their development and life cycle.

How would you rate the quality of your purchases? EXCELLENT

I would definitely recommend Layens Hives due to their ease of use and they seem much less evasive on the bees. When I look at other bee keepers using Langstroth hives, it seems like they are using 10 times more effort to maintain their hives and aways disturbing most of their bees everytime they get in their hives.

I would recommend this class [Winter Prep] to fellow beeks, especially if they were interested in the Layens system. Your apiary is well built and maintained, which is an inspiration to students.

I'm very biased towards Layens hives. I spent six months researching beekeeping before I made my first purchase, and all aspects of the Layens system appeals to me. Unless a person wants to keep bees commercially, I will always recommend horizontal hives to them.

The most interesting thing I learned at the class was the new strategy of controlling condensation in the hive by blocking the top ventilation and insulating the roof making sure there's no air gab above the frames. In addition the divider boards are insulated and tight to the bottom.

The hands on portion of the class [Spring Bootcamp] helped with things you may take for granted.

I was impressed by several things, a. The Layens hive and how it works well without chemicals very cool…b. splits and sustaining your own hives and building your own colonies…good teaching…

I would recommend this course [Spring Bootcamp] to people interested in bee keeping. This class has provided me with a strong foundation of bee keeping.

Yes, I would recommend using Layens Horizontal Hives. These are reliable hive choices for bees.

How would you rate your overall experience with the Wild Hives team? EXCELLENT

Why We Use Layens Style Hives

Go From Novice to Natural

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to make the change to more natural and sustainable beekeeping, we have the equipment and training you need.

Learn

Check out our blog where you will find the research and seasonal instructions to help you become a more informed and knowledgeable beekeeper.

During the beekeeping season, join us each month for our in-person apiary walk or online Zoom meeting where we share with the Wild Hives Community timely insights and management practices.

Grow

Wild Hives offers seasonal events, training classes, equipment choices, and other helpful items as you grow your backyard apiary.

Services & Upcoming Events

VRI Community Monthly Zoom Meeting

The Varroa Resistance Initiative (VRI) is intended to support and facilitate a growing community of like-minded beekeepers broadly organized but locally working together to monitor and track for varroa resistant traits within their colonies and local member apiaries.

Next Zoom VRI Community Meeting: September 23rd (7-8pm EST)

Topic: Varroa Lifecycle/What is the current research?e/What is the current research

Consider becoming a member and joining our growing community of beekeepers. It’s totally FREE!

Click the button below to find out more.

Monthly Community Zoom Meeting

Join us each month for a one hour Zoom meeting in which timely topics, equipment suggestions, Layens specific management practices and experience will be shared and discussed with our Wild Hives Community. We’d love to see you at the next meeting.

Just click the registration button below.

Monthly Field Days

2026 Field Day Schedule (weather permitting)

Join us each month from May to September for a two hour In-Person Field Day at our Bethel, Ohio Apiary. Our time will be spent in the hives discussing and working through management activities appropriate for that month so veils are required for you to attend. We also take time to sit and talk about whatever beekeeping questions you might have. So if you want, bring a lawn chair and some water and join us in the shade.

No sign up needed. We’d love to see you at our next Field Day.

Restroom facilities are not provided

Apiary Services

Natural and Sustainable beekeeping starts here. With our apiary services, we help you move from novice to natural. An estimate of the service time will be provide prior to meeting with the customer based on the service type selected. All service costs will include round trip drive time.

Event Updates

From The Blog

Influences on the Queen’s Color

Are your colonies demonstrating symptoms of Inbreeding, Outbreeding Depression, Diploid Drones, or VSH retention failure?

Questions Around Extracting Honey

About Us

Sonja and Rob’s beekeeping journey, not unlike many beekeepers, started with joining their local bee club, reading stacks of material, and seeking support. It wasn’t long before they realized they wanted to pursue a more natural and sustainable approach in their beekeeping while collecting only local honey bees and managing them in hives that closely mimicked their natural home. Click below to learn more about how their journey led to the formation of Wild Hives LLC and the growth of the Wild Hives Community.

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