[fr0sty]

Hi, I've heard that running 9 frames in brood supers may be easier to work. Less rolling of the bees and chance of crushing the queen.

I'm currently running 10 frames in my brood supers, but it does seem very tight. I know on honey supers, it's recommended to let them draw out 10 frames, but once fully drawn, to convert to 9 frames.

I feel like converting to 9 frames because it sounds like it'll be easier to inspect and take out frames. However, I'm afraid that the beespace will be messed up and end up with more burrcomb/drones in-between.

Opinions??

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

Bees will draw comb to fill the space. If you are removing a frame to make space between frames, the bees will quickly fill the space with comb. If you are concerned with bee numbers or surviving the winter - there are more cells for brood or clustering in ten frames than nine.

 

[honeydreams]

If your hive is a 10 frame run ten in the brood boxes after you have drawn out supers of comb you can run 9 frame supers,

 

[hoodswoods]

DON"T run 9 frames of undrawn foundation in your brood box - the idea is to have enough wiggle room to avoid rolling the queen. I mistakenly did that last year and having to cut between comb-spanned frames to get them out is probably much more dangerous to her and will be an event you will never want to repeat.

Wait until they have established their bee space.

 

[KQ6AR]

I'd say run 10 in the brood box. Once you remove the end frame carefully you'll have plenty of space to work with when inspecting.

I have a frame holder that hangs on the side. We usually remove the first 2 or 3 frames & hang them on the holder. This gives you room to do whatever you might want to do in the hive.

 

[Countryboy]

However, I'm afraid that the beespace will be messed up and end up with more burrcomb/drones in-between.

It's not a beespace violation. It's a comb spacing violation. And BOTH 9 and 10 frames in the brood box are comb spacing violations for brood. You want 11 frames, or 10 frames on 1 1/4 inch spacing.

Worker brood comb spacing should be 1 1/4 inches.
Drone comb spacing is 1 3/8 inches.
Honey comb spacing is 1 1/2 inches or more.

Frame manufacturers decided it was simplest to make a one size fits all frame, so they made frames 1 3/8 inches. This tells the bees they should be making drones in every frame, even when you give them worker foundation.

Trim your frames down to 1 1/4 inches, and put 10 frames in your brood box, with all frames squeezed tightly to the center. I find it easy to remove frames, and rolling bees is minimal. (I often pull frames straight up and out, without moving the frames beside it away from the frame I am removing.)

 

[Cordovan Italian Bee]

I would have nothing but 10,some people shave the sides and put 11. The queen is all most never on the outside frames. You pull about two outside frames first,then slide your next frames over to pull them,you don't roll bees except the first outside frame.
Next,if your up north it's better to have 10-11 frames,it's easier for the bees to keep warm in the winter and keep brood warm. Down south they run 9 frames because it cuts down on crowding and lets the bees move faster to top boxes,but all you need to do is make a top entrance.