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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
B Farmer <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 23 Jul 2013 00:01:10 -0400
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> In a northern climate perhaps the largest effect will be in spring build-up
5% difference in linear dimension (5.44 vrs 5.2) makes a 10%  difference in area
So 10% more brood in the same volume, brood that must be kept warm
As well, the brood makes some heat, I don't know if this is  significant

>Some reduce the comb spacing to the minimum that bees can manage by
shaving the frame shoulders, but this requires extremely flat combs.

>That said, we ran both nine and ten frame spacing for years and never
could see any difference in performance.  The nine frame spacing was
easier to manipulate and required fewer moving parts per hive, but also
meant that two storey brood chambers were necessary.  We were running 
doubles at that time anyhow.  (Funny how fashions change).

Cell density on the frame and shaving frame shoulders are two variables.  Don't forget that wood frames have a lot of dead space where the wood is, and the cluster has to cover the wood too.  Plastic frames allow brood to be raised all the way to the edges, which allows plastic frames to hold a much higher total number of brood than a wood frame.

Crunch the numbers for a brood box.  Trim frames to 1.25 inches which allows 11 frames, use plastic frames with brood to the edges, and use 4.9mm foundation.  Compare those numbers to a brood box of large cell, 9 frame spacing, with wood frames.  The numbers are shocking when you look at cell density by volume, instead of only looking as cell density in a given area.

You may find that if you trim 4.9mm plastic frames to 1.25 inches you can run 8 or 9 frames in a single deep, with a frame feeder thrown in, and a prolific queen should never run out of room to lay.  It may no longer be necessary to run doubles to prevent swarming.  

Bees seem to prefer a cluster width of an 8 frame box, so there is unused combs in a ten frame box.  (Although if you run singles you will see brood wall to wall.)  I like to put a frame feeder in every brood box, and by using plastic 4.9 and 5.2 frames I can run singles without swarming problems.  Winter as doubles, and run them as singles in the summer.

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