[nsmith1957]

I am building my own hive bodies and need to know what the standard is for top or bottom bee space in the USA. I want my bodies to work with bodies from other USA sources. Is the bee space above the frames or below them? Have saw it stated both ways on the net. The drawings on this site imply Bottom space with a 5/8" rabbit.

Thanks

 

[Michael Bush]

In theory (a wonderful place) a deep is a 9 5/8" box with a 9 1/4" frame which would leave a 3/8" beespace between boxes. They have a 5/8" rabbet and top bar ends that are 3/8" which leaves 1/4" of that at the top and 1/8" at the bottom. Seems like a lot of manufacturers have cheated that down as small as 9 1/4" boxes and 9" frames with only a 1/4" beespace.

The other boxes seem to be more consistent with a medium being 6 5/8" box with 6 1/4" frame. The same size rabbet and the same beespace top and bottom.

A shallow, on the other hand is usually between 5 11/16 and 5 3/4" with the frame 5 3/8". This leaves a 3/8" beespace (if it's the 5 3/4") and a 5/16" beespace (if it's the 5 11/16").

An extra shallow, is usually 4 3/4" with the frame 4 1/2" and a beespace of only 1/4".

 

[tecumseh]

the question is predetermined by just what kind of a lid you are using. A tradional inner cover-telescoping top cover will provide bee space at the top of the hive stack while a migratory lid provides 'zero' space at the top.

so from the get go you need to decide just what kind of a lid you are using.

 

[nsmith1957]

I will be using inner cover-telescoping top combination. Will also use double bend frame rests from Kelly which raises the frames up about 1/8" from bottom of rabbet.

Hmm... More confusion.

MB is saying 1/4" at the top and 1/8" at the bottom. Which is mostly top space.

T is implying 0" at the top and 3/8" at the bottom. Which would be bottom space.

If you took some boxes from MB and some from T and stacked a hive with them, you would get a lot of frames glued together with burr comb and propolis, in what should be bee space.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I will be using inner cover-telescoping top combination. Will also use double bend frame rests from Kelly which raises the frames up about 1/8" from bottom of rabbet.

The rabbets for use with the raised frame rests will be 3/4". But do you want to create all the 1/8" space for the Small Hive Beetles to hide in?

 

[nsmith1957]

Didn't think of that MB. SHB was not a problem when I had bees about 25 yrs ago. Neither was Varroa. Thanks

 

[tecumseh]

nsmith1957 sezs:
T is implying 0" at the top and 3/8" at the bottom. Which would be bottom space.

tecumseh replies:
I did not really mean to imply 0 at the top, but I think??? you got the message via michael that you need to allow for bee space at the inner lid area or you most definitely will have shb problems. like you suggested mismatched rabbit height will get you a lot of burr comb and will lead to lot of grunting sounds.

the equipment I construct for myself allows for about 1/8 inch space between the top bars and the top edge of the box. The prime reason for this is that it slightly elevates the bottom box's bottom bars from the hive's bottom (floor) to limit wax worm problem in new starts (although I have also experience similar problems in established hives). at the top of the hive I use a modified (it has a /4" lip around the inside edge) migratory lid, which provides adequate bee space at the top of the stack. the current modication of this top also accomadates a boardman (quart jar) feeder.

good luck...