Bee space is 1/4" to 3/8". A 9 5/8" deep box uses frames 9 1/8" tall. This provides 1/2" space between the frames above and below. This is 1/8" more than bee space. How is this supposed to work?
I guess I'll say my 2 cents worth since no one else is.
Your measurements are correct. However, ideal bee space is 3/8" and anything over or under that by 1/8" seldom makes much difference. You will end up with this variation just from buying frames from different suppliers and wax and propolis buildup on the frame ends and frame rest. I measure around 1/2" space between frames in my 1st and 2nd hive bodies. I've never had the bees build burr comb attaching the frames together. I would rather err on the wider space than the smaller one. Bees will also continue building comb below the bottom bar if they feel the space it too great. If the space is too small for them to use it is far more likely that they will fill it in than leave it alone.
Hello Lance & Barry
I was always bothered by the closeness of the combs within the broodchamber . I also suspected to have rolled a Queen at the first outside comb when attempting to inspect. A lot of bees were killed at the attempt to make space for moving the rest of the frames.
This closeness made me leary of the effctiveness of the miticide strips since there was hardly any space for the bees to contact the fluvalinate on the combes for distribution.
As a remedy I was able to spread the combs somewhat to allow more space for the strips.
That in turn fostered the idea to utilise in the broodchamber the 9 frame metal spacing strip sold for honeysupers.
Apparently this method is used somewhere, otherwise they would not produce and sell these spacers.There also spacers with 8 frame per super spacing.
How this all works out I will see this year since I installed these strips in all my hives.There are all kinds of arguments about this feature, but One has to experiment to know.
Catfish
I know I am a 'newbie' but I believe an 8 or 9 frame set-up is for the bees to make the combs deeper to hold more honey. I can't see a reason to use them in a brood chamber.
Correct me if I am wrong, I don't want to step on anyones toes. Regards, Glen.
You are correct. Although a 9 frame spacing for brood frames is done by some beekeepers (myself for a year or two), 10 is the standard. I think I wasn't clear enough when I said, "I measure around 1/2" space between frames in my 1st and 2nd hive bodies." What that means is the space between the top of the top bars and the bottom of the bottom bars in the chamber directly above, not between frames that are side by side.
Regards,
Barry
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