The honeybee has been associated with humans for a long time. The association probably started with pre-humans robbing nests for the larvae

and getting the additional sweets with their protein. During man's pictoral and written history, the relationship has developed to the point of humans

keeping bees in natural and manufactured structures. Hollow logs became long hives in some cultures. In others, unintentional swarms taking up

home in holes in structures and clay pots, evolved into people making a variety of clay structures specifically for housing honeybees and for moving the

established hives to other locations around the Mediterranean. Today, a standard box and wood frames are manufactured specifically for housing

honeybees. Man has gone as far as making entire hives; including boxes, frames and comb foundation, from plastic. Some swarms will actually build

a nest in these structures. See my link to more detailed sites on honeybees.