A list of beehive sizes and dimensions.

[BKF Admin]

National Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension - 18 1/8" square
Brood body depth - 8 7/8"
14” x 12” brood body depth - 12 ½"
Super depth - 5 7/8"
The brood area is 2200 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 50,000
Bottom Bee Space

Frames sizes
Top Bars – 17” long
Bottom bars – 14” long
Deep side bars – 8 ½” long
14” x12” side bars – 12” long
Shallow side bars – 5 ½” long

Foundation sizes
Deep – 13 7/16” x 8”
14 x 12” – 13 7/16” x 11 ½”
Shallow – 13 7/16” x 5”

How many frames in each box:
11 Hoffman (self-spacing) frames in either a brood body or super. Although it is possible to fit in 12 frames, it is easier for manipulation to use 11 frames and a dummy board.
11 frames on narrow ends in the brood body
10 Manley frames in the super
9 or 10 frames on castellated spacers in the super
8 frames on wide ends in the super

Langstroth Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension – 20” x 16 ¼”
Brood body depth – 9 7/16”
Jumbo brood body depth 11 ¾””
Super depth - 5 ¾”
The brood area is 2750 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 61,400
Top Bee Space

Frames sizes.
Top Bars – 19” long
Bottom bars – 17 9/16” long
Deep side bars – 9 1/8” long
Jumbo side bars – 11 ¼” long
Shallow side bars – 5 3/8” long

Foundation sizes
Deep – 16 ¾” 8 5/8”
Jumbo – 16 ¾” x 10 ¾”
Shallow – 16 ¾” x 4 7/8”

How many frames in each box:
10 Hoffman frames in either a brood body or super.
8 Manley frames in the super.

Commercial Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension – 18 5/16” square
Brood body depth – 10 ½”
Super depth – 6 3/8”
The brood area is 3000 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 70,500
Bottom Bee Space

Frames sizes.
Top Bars – 17 ¼” long
Bottom bars – 16” long
Deep side bars – 10” long
Shallow side bars – 6” long

Foundation sizes
Deep – 15 7/16” x 9 ½”
Shallow – 15 7/16” x 5 ½”

How many frames in each box:
11 Hoffman frames in either a brood body or super.
10 Manley frames in the super.

Smith Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension – 16 3/8” x 18 ¼”
Brood body depth - 8 7/8”
14” x 12” brood body depth - 12 ½”
Super depth - 5 7/8”
The brood area is 2200 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 50,000
Top Bee Space

Frames sizes.
Top Bars – 15 ½”” long
Bottom bars – 14” long
Deep side bars – 8 ½” long
14” x12” side bars – 12” long
Shallow side bars – 5 ½” long Foundation sizes
Deep – 13 7/16” x 8”
14 x 12” – 13 7/16” x 11 ½”
Shallow – 13 7/16” x 5”

How many frames in each box:
11 Hoffman (self-spacing) frames in either a brood body or super. Although it is possible to fit in 12 frames, it is easier for manipulation to use 11 frames and a dummy board.
10 Manley frames in the super.



Dadant Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension – 20” x18 ½”
Brood body depth – 11 ¾”
Super depth – 6 5/8”
The brood area is 3740 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 85,000
Top Bee Space

Frames sizes.
Top Bars – 19” long
Bottom bars – 17 9/16” long
Deep side bars – 11 ¼” long
Shallow side bars – 6 ¼” long

Foundation sizes
Deep – 16 ¾” x 10 ¾”
Shallow – 16 ¾” x 5 ¾”

How many frames in each box:
11 Hoffman frames in either a brood body or super.
10 Manley frames in the super.

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi Admin

That is a very informative post as it will help any beekeeper who is considering taking the BBKA Module 1 exam as they always have a question about hive size and quantity of bees re cells in the hive.
Thanks.

Regards;

 

[FenBee]

Yes, very interesting & informative Admin, should make the list sticky for future reference.

 

[Frisbee]

Any chance of the internal dimensions as well please? Or shall I just get the tape measure out.

Frisbee

 

[beeboybee]

how many bees live in a 12 x 14 national?

 

[Busy Bee]

Could it not be posted in metric meaurements

Busy Bee

 

[JCBrum]

Could it not be posted in metric meaurements

Busy Bee

National Beehive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension - 18 1/8" square - 460mm
Brood body depth - 8 7/8" - 225mm
14” x 12” brood body depth - 12 ½" - 318mm
Super depth - 5 7/8" - 150mm
The brood area is 2200 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 50,000 National, 14x12 = 72,000
Bottom Bee Space

Do the rest yourself, there are 25.4mm in one inch.

You can also calculate the internal dimensions if you know the thickness of your timber.

The sides and ends are supposed to be made of 3/4 inch timber and the rebate for the frame ends is 5/4 inch wide and 3/4 inch deep (to take metal runners) with a 1/2 inch top sidewall, and 1/4 inch bee-space. But in practice you can make it from a mixture of 18mm and 12mm pieces like H. Pete does.

JC.

 

[Busy Bee]

Brilliant Brilliant, I now know the sizes well. I am only used to working with metric. Reading plans etc etc.


Thank s


Busy Bee

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Very hand post Admin - any chance of appending WBC dimensions (internal at least), or are they not standard? Must admit I didn't know you could get deep boxes for WBCs - perhaps I'll reconsider retiring mine next year

Paynes have this :

WBC Hive Dimensions and statistics
External dimension of lifts - 21 ½” square
External dimension of brood body and super –17 ¾” x 16 ¼”
Brood body depth - 8 7/8”
14” x 12” brood body depth - 12 ½”
Super depth - 5 7/8”
The brood area is 2000 sq. ins.
No. of worker cells 45,000
Bottom Bee Space

Frames sizes. Top Bars – 17” long
Bottom bars – 14” long
Deep side bars – 8 ½” long
14” x12” side bars – 12” long
Shallow side bars – 5 ½” long

Foundation sizes
Deep – 13 7/16” x 8”
14 x 12” – 13 7/16” x 11 ½”
Shallow – 13 7/16” x 5”

How many frames in each box
10 Hoffman (self-spacing) frames in either a brood body or super. Although it is possible to fit in 11 frames, it is easier for manipulation to use 10 frames and a dummy board.
10 frames on narrow ends in the brood body.
9 Manley frames in the super
8 or 10 frames on castellated spacers in the super
8 frames on wide ends in the super

 

[viridens]

Bee space in boxes?

Most of my National boxes are pretty old. Some are commercially made, some are home made by old-timers, and a few more by me. Some of these boxes are only slightly larger than the 14" frame length and frames are a snug fit, while others are wider and seem to allow for bee space between the frame sides and hive walls.

Needless to say, the frames are always well stuck in both sizes of box, but Is there a standard for this internal dimension?

 

[Hombre]

In a National box, the internal dimension should be 372mm, That is the bottom bar length plus two beespaces. 356mm + (2 x 8mm). When I make up my boxes I use a template to ensure that I don't encroach upon this in any way.

The other internal dimension of note is 424mm. This will fit 12 x 35mm top bars with 4mm spare, so likely to be a very tight fit with a bit of moisture and propolis build up. It does mean that with 11 frames, that there is 39mm remaining, so a dummy board is a good idea and can be removed to facilitate inspection and replaced at the other end at the end of the box on completion of the inspection.

I make my frame feeders from 12mm door stop material and 6mm plywood. I use these also as dummy boards. I get very few drownings, despite not using a float, because the bees can reach both sides at all times if necessary. Two will fit in the box as well as the eleven frames if required.

At 14x12 frame dimensions each frame feeder contains approximately 1 litre of feed, for spring buildup, use in nucs and other emergency feeding applications.

 

[viridens]

Hombre

Many thanks for the reply and all the useful info. I am answered!

 

[Repwoc]

Assuming that the difference between brood box depth and frame sidebar length is to allow for bee space, why is more space provided with a National 14x12 bb (1/2 in) than a National (standard) bb (3/8 in)?

Shouldn't the difference between sidebar length and box depth be the same for both variants?

 

[RoofTops]

Probably tolerences - if it is bigger it is harder to make it more exact. But this concept dates from pre-history. Best not to pry too deeply into the reasons why beehives are the size(s) they are!

 

[pbp1955]

Hive dimension

The internal hive dimensions are what is important not the external. There only standard for the thickness for material is three quarters of and inch or larger. Therefore the extenal measurements can be misleading. It is the internal measurement that is relevant.

 

[drstitson]

agree probably down to tolerances (where these seconds by any chance - i have 1 off 14x12 from BigT that needs at least 5mm removed from sides before i can build it).

BUT remember 14x12 is likely to be used solely on a floor so the issue of beespace is irrelevent.

brood boxes however are often run as double brood so need to respect beespace.

BTW pbp1955 it's internal dimensions that are being discussed (box depth vs frame depth).

 

[itma]

The internal hive dimensions are what is important not the external. ...

Until you try to fit the roof ...

 

[drstitson]

"Until you try to fit the roof ..."



Have various dadant/langstroths - never find the right roof first time.

 

[justme]

Rose hive (OSB) as National but all boxes 190mm deep.

 

[Queens59]

I agree - please WBC too - the number of times I realise that a WBC box is in a National and Vice versa. Please tell me numbers I understand?!