changing from castellations to runners

[buckfast]

I have modified a French dadant hive to have frames with self spacers and runners rather than frames which rely on the castellations for spacing - How do I transfer my existing colony in a hive with conventional French dadant frames to my modified hive?

I cant do any artificial swarms or any other divisons as the frames in each hive are no longer interchangable.

I have read about the Bailey change, is this the best option?
(After the old hive is vacant I would like to convert that too)

I would welcome any advise

Buckfast

 

[Poly Hive]

You can get frame converters which will give you Hoffman shoulders.

Investigate Thomas. http://www.beekeeping.com/thomas/download.htm

PH

 

[drstitson]

this may be a silly question but why do the frames no longer fit both hives? surely all you've done is remove the castellations and wire guides?

 

[buckfast]

No - I have modified the actual frames to now be self spacing, so the frames of the old hive and the new hive are no longer interchangable

 

[drstitson]

i can understand how the new self spacing frames can't go into the old box BUT surely old frames can go in the new box - you just need to space by eye, surely.

 

[buckfast]

All I would like to know is how I can transfer a family of bees from from physical hive to another.

I basically have 2 different designs of hives which are not interchangable, and I would like to get the bees from one and into the other.

( it doesnt really matter what the ins and outs of what I have done with my particular frames, I only explained it to help with the answering but it has only served to confuse and get people talking about irrelevelant issues)

It probably is a Bailey change as I have noticed others are doing the same thing this week in order to change bees from one design hive to another.