12 frames per side in the BeeHaus ?!

[Somerford]

I might be mistaken but I think I can fit 12 frames in a BeeHaus each side if you don't use the follower boards, although they come with fewer than that.

This would make the broodnest far bigger than most other hives as a comparison ...

 

[Hivemaker.]

You can fit 12 hoffman frames in a national.

 

[Black Comb]

Somerford, do you know the number of worker cells in the beehaus bb?

 

[jezd]

You can fit 12 hoffman frames in a national.

squeeze

 

[Hivemaker.]

Agree,but then it might be so in the behaus,and it still won't be bigger than a dadant or glen hive.

 

[oliver90owner]

Totally irrelevant. You need to read a bit before you keep harping on about this plastic hive, for 'hype' advertising. Bees won't use it.

RAB

 

[Somerford]

eh ?

 

[peteinwilts]

Totally irrelevant. You need to read a bit before you keep harping on about this plastic hive, for 'hype' advertising. Bees won't use it.

RAB

why not Rab??

It is fair to say it is not 'natural' for bees to swarm into Plastic hives.... maybe because there are not many in the wild.

On the farm in my pre-beekeeping days when the neighbours kept bees we would often get swarms. Rather than going for holes in trees or the stone walls and roof's of the house they would also take up residence in the hay in the barn every time... but we don't makes hives out of bales.

It could be very interesting to conduct tests with swarm's and give them a choice. I guess we need a commercial bod to help out with that though...

 

[oliver90owner]

Sorry, might have misread the post - do you mean you can squeeze in 24, or 12 on each side of a division board?

I can still build a Dartington for less than a hundred quid which would hold more than that without squeezing them.

Regards, RAB

 

[Somerford]

I meant 12 each side of the central divider. Indeed a dartington is still cheaper

s

 

[Finman]

This would make the broodnest far bigger than most other hives as a comparison ...

I use 3 brood boxes in my Langstroth hives and I do not use queen excluder.

The biggest advantage in the hive is that it has good insulation and spring build up is good. What happens after that, hive does not help you.

 

[JCBrum]

I use 3 brood boxes in my Langstroth hives and I do not use queen excluder.

Finman, do you mean all your hives in winter have 3 BB's ? or only some of them ?

I think your hives are all poly ? yes ?

JC.

 

[Finman]

.
My colonies winter in 1 or 2 box polyboxes.
Never in 3.

My brood boxes are poly but honey boxes are over 40 years old pine wood boxes.

In main yield season they have 3 brood boxes, and it means practically that the lowest is so cold that it has only pollen. It is nectar buffer store too in great flow and a rest place for foragers.

 

[JCBrum]

Thank-you Finman, that is very interesting.

Do you have wood floors, or wire mesh ? Do you use the same floor in winter and summer ?

JC.

 

[Chris B]

Totally irrelevant. You need to read a bit before you keep harping on about this plastic hive, for 'hype' advertising. Bees won't use it.

RAB

I don't think I'll ever become a BH fan but I don't think bees care much about hive materials. In 2008 I was called out to 3 swarms that had arrived in plastic composters - all 3 were identical bins. Then another one this year in an identical bin.

 

[Finman]

Thank-you Finman, that is very interesting.

Do you have wood floors, or wire mesh ? Do you use the same floor in winter and summer ?

JC.

Yes, I have same floors. I do not say that they are wooden because ply is coated with plastic like rain cover.

I cannot imagine what bees think about me or my materials. I do not ask.

 

[JCBrum]

Thank-you Finman, I asked about floors to enquire whether they were solid or omf.

I think you are saying they are solid. - yes ?

So, where is the ventilation hole in your hive in winter ? and how big is it ?

JC.

 

[m100]

I might be mistaken but I think I can fit 12 frames in a BeeHaus each side if you don't use the follower boards, although they come with fewer than that.

This would make the broodnest far bigger than most other hives as a comparison ...

Twelve 14x12 frames will fit in a 14x12 brood box, particularly if like most of them seem to be they are slightly undersized. 420mm brood width in the box with 12 x 35mm spaced hoffman frames is an exact fit.

But as the actress said to the bishop, bigger isn't always better. Bees work vertically, not horizontally, and twelve 14x12 frames is more than any queen will fill and just gives more space for honey in the brood box and less in the supers. On the bright side you can always stick wheels on it and convert it into a portable skip.