Maintaining colonies of oriental honeybees in box hives is an improved and often less expensive version of loghive beekeeping. In view of current wood prices in many parts of Asia, the cost of building hives from good solid logs can be prohibitive. In some coastal areas of tropical Asia, coconut bark is frequently available for log-hive construction. Where such bark is not readily available and good lumber is expensive, box hives can be built of discarded wooden crates and boxes, or even from scrap lumber. FAO's publication Beekeeping in Asia provides some useful information and general guidelines on A. cerana beekeeping.