The Warre Octagon Bee Hive Kit is made from Cypress timber. This species is one of the best types of wood for beehives for its longevity, lightness and insulation properties. They are made to order, so the hive is made especially for you. The standard thickness of the walls is 25mm. Other thickness if available can be made on request. The Octagon Warre bee hive is the best hive for over-wintering bees. It works just like the standard Warre Hive with the advantage of being more thermally efficient. The Octagon Hive kit is easy to assemble, it comes with detailed step-by-step instructions with photos. I have done the specialty carpentry of cutting the pieces precisely for you. All parts are labeled and coded. I will teach you the method so you can put it together perfectly using simple tools. The Kit comes with: The floor, which comes assembled for you. Two, three or four boxes (please select your option) with V-shaped top bars Hive mat for top box Quilt box with wire mesh, cotton fabric and wood shavings Roof Lid Entrance reducer for winter The kit doesn’t include screws. The Octagon Hive has always a minimum of two boxes. In spring and summer it needs a minimum of three boxes. Depending on the strength of the colony and nectar flow, a forth or more can be added. If you are new to Warre beekeeping, there is a free book you can download online which covers the method, it is suitable to beginners. Please use the link below. More about the Octagon Warre. Its nearly cylindrical design simulates a tree cavity, the round octagonal shape is more thermally efficient which accommodates the bee cluster perfectly, therefore better in keeping the bees warm/dry and able to spend the winter with less honey stored. The inside of the boxes is left rough so the bees can easily propolise the walls just like they do inside tree cavities which forms an extra layer of protection. If you would like to offer the bees a house that resembles their natural habitat and would like to interact with them in a non invasive way in a beautiful cooperation then the Warre Octagon hive is the best way to achieve this. Photos of the beehive assembled are for illustration purposes only, this is an unassembled DIY kit.