Different Size Hive Bodies
By ekpeach in Education,General | 3 comments
There are people who believe that the only way to raise bees is to put them in a 10 frame hive. There are some people who believe that a 9 framer is the best. Then there are those people who cannot physically maneuver 9 or 10 frame boxes. It is the latter that I am going to discuss this time.
If you are unable to pick up a 10 frame brood box, then you might want to think about an eight frame box. It has been cut down to fit only eight frames into it. The weight has been reduced so one can pick it up fairly easily. You can also get supers the same size so they will fit the deeps. I have several friends that have gone that route and have been very pleased with it.
You can put eight or nine frames in a 10 frame box, but the weight will be heavier than using 10 frames. The bees will pull the combs out further and this allows them to put more honey in them. The extra honey is what will add to the weight.
At the next bee meeting, you can ask some of the beekeepers to help you in understanding the mechanics of the weight of honey.
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Doug C. | Jul 31, 2008 | Reply
I know of several beekeepers that only have 6 5/8 (Illinoise box)equipment. They use 2 or 3 for the brood area, then excluder and add suppers. Think of how easy it is for maintaining equipment.
Regarding 10 over 9 or even 8 frames in the brood area. Bee Culture wrote an article that the essentually said that with the less frames in the hive that the beekeeper would need to monitor for winter honey stores.
Most 8 frame equipment I have seen. The queen will lay from wall to wall. 8 Frames of brood. Very seldem does a 10 frame box have brood wall to wall.
The 5 3/4 (Shallow) box will weight about 28 lbs. with 9 frame of honey. My preference.
ekpeach | Jul 31, 2008 | Reply
Doug,
Thank you for your comments. You are absolutely correct on the brood area. There is no room for the honey in the brood area. That is the only drawback to using undersized equipment. But with an extra super of honey left on the hive, the colony should be able to stave off starvation during the winter. It is good to check the bees during that time anyway no matter what size of boxes you use.
Using only one size of boxes is a plus in as much as any of the supers will work for everything. Just remember that the comb that the bees use for the brood area is really not good to use for honey that you want to sell. But you can replace them with good clean comb and keep the brood comb to use in the next brood box.
Peaches