----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Juanse Barros"

> This is a matter for Geof M, Trevor W or Peter D or any other Aussie in
> the
> list to answer.
> I am just rising the question.
>
> Ah, and I am talking about 8 frames boxes with 8 frames. Not 10 frames
> boxes
> with 8 frames.

OK I take the hint.  Trevor is no doubt busy with Brisbane show.  I will
see him on Saturday.

Both ten and eight frame are certainly used.  My guess
would be that 80% or more are tens, but it is only a guess.  Generally
eights are favoured in the (comparatively) colder areas, but not
exclusively.  In some cases it is no more than that the first hives the
beekeeper bought were eights and they have stuck with them.  Personally I
don't like them.  Working the bottom box seems harder to me, it is more
crowded, bees spilling out around the feet, but the main reason is I find
that they are more likely to be knocked over by cattle.  Not a problem on
pallets.  These days with mechanical equipment weight is not so much of a
problem, but did influence beekeepers in the past.  I have never heard the
'feral' reason given.  Both sizes are used by successful beekeepers.

A single brood box is almost totally standard here.  Eight framers will have
eight in them.  Tens on the other hand are mostly run with nine frames in
both the brood box and the supers.  If one uses ten frames in our standard
size ten frame box the frames are difficult to remove, especially in the
damper areas (where I live).  As well the outside of the wall combs is not
used much as there is not the proper bee space.  In the days of hand
uncapping some operators did run eight in the super, but a real pain to
space the frames in every super.  Manleys of course have eight as a matter
of course.  A few beekeepers use shallower honey supers of various depths.

I have never seen any work done on the subject, but suspect that both sizes
average the same amount of honey in a super, in that the eights when I still
had some, were filled better on the outside of the wall combs most of the
time.

Geoff Manning

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