from top to bottom of: telescoping cover or migratory cover inner cover one or more hive bodies or honey supers made of wood, polystyrene, or other plastic (optional) queen excluder between brood box and honey supers eight to ten frames, made of wood or plastic, per hive body or honey super (optional) foundation made of wax and wires or plastic bottom board, with optional entrance reducer Outer cover The outer cover is a wooden or polystyrene cover that fits on the top of the hive. In higher latitudes (further north in the Northern Hemisphere; further south in the Southern Hemisphere), a cover which telescopes down around the inner cover and an inch or so down over the top super, called a telescoping cover, is usually used. Many commercial beekeepers use what is known as a migratory cover, a solid cover which does not extend beyond the sides of a hive body. Inner cover The inner cover provides a barrier between the telescoping cover and the bees. In more temperate climates, a plastic foil may be used as an inner cover. Plastic foil should not be used to winter bees under, as trapped condensation would cause the hive to become wet, and bees can be lost due to freezing when temperatures fall during the night. In areas with a hot summer, a solid inner cover with a communication hole provides dead-air space for insulation against both heat and cold. This prevents the bees from gluing the top cover to the top bars of the super under it. When an inner cover is used, the top cover is more easily removed from the hive. Notches in the frame of the solid inner cover and telescoping cover can serve as an upper entrance for the bees. A communication hole in the middle allows bees to reach emergency food placed above by the beekeeper if it becomes required. Hive body and hive super Hive bodies and hive supers are rectangular boxes with standardised inside dimensions to take standardized frames. However, there are regional and brand differences. Outside box dimensions vary depending on the type of material used; for example polystyrene foam boxes have much larger outside dimensions than boxes made out of wood. Three heights of boxes are standard: Deep, Medium and Shallow. Deep and medium hive bodies are used for the brood chamber. Medium and shallow supers are used for honey stores. The