What is the primary use of a hive tool in beekeeping?

The primary use of a hive tool in beekeeping is to pry apart hive boxes and scrape excess wax. This tool is specifically designed to assist beekeepers in manipulating hive components during inspections or maintenance. When a beekeeper opens a hive, the frames and boxes can often be tightly sealed due to propolis, a resinous substance that bees use to seal cracks and crevices. The hive tool allows beekeepers to gently pry these boxes apart without damaging the frames or the bees inside.

Additionally, the hive tool is also used to scrape away wax build-up and propolis from the surfaces of frames, hive bodies, and other equipment. This maintenance is crucial to keeping hives clean and functional, promoting good bee health and ensuring that beekeepers can effectively manage their colonies.

Other options focus on activities that, while important in beekeeping, are not the primary purpose of the hive tool. Collecting nectar pertains more to the bees’ foraging behavior, monitoring hive temperature involves specialized equipment, and inspecting bee health typically requires observation and examination rather than the use of a hive tool.