Commercial v 14x12

[Monsieur Abeille]

Guys and gals - many thanks for your opinions, must admit I'd not expected this many.

Intersting arguments all round, swaying me to 14x12 as a) I dont make my own boxes, b) like Oxford I have no desire to hunt for a queen across 22 frames and c) don't yet know enough about the polys to commit myself in that direction (no doubt the topic for a future question)

Thanks again for all comments

 

[Rosti]

GW, one view not posted here yet.

bespoke 14x12 brood boxes are not cheap (supply and demand?) Making an eke to take a std nat BB to 14x12 is pretty simple (mine are all bottom fitted). If for some reason you want to switch back to std nat BB / 2BB you can. Never say never!

 

[OXFORDBEE]

You can always use/make a Hamilton convertor to fit 16"*10" frames in a Standard National Deep.....

 

[OXFORDBEE]

I think the Commercial is an excellent hive. It hasn't got top bee space, but then you can use a framed queen excluder.

I've got some top bee space national nuc hives and getting that first frame out can be a real chore due to the raised sides at the top of the brood box. I've got chubby fingers so having a bottom bee space hive means I can grab the frame lugs with my chubby fingers more easily which saves time; expecially when wearing gloves for those "awkward" inspections...

 

[Black Comb]

I've got some top bee space national nuc hives and getting that first frame out can be a real chore due to the raised sides at the top of the brood box. I've got chubby fingers so having a bottom bee space hive means I can grab the frame lugs with my chubby fingers more easily which saves time; expecially when wearing gloves for those "awkward" inspections...

I use J type hive too for this.

 

[Onge]

Guys and gals - many thanks for your opinions, must admit I'd not expected this many.

Intersting arguments all round, swaying me to 14x12 as a) I dont make my own boxes, b) like Oxford I have no desire to hunt for a queen across 22 frames and c) don't yet know enough about the polys to commit myself in that direction (no doubt the topic for a future question)

Thanks again for all comments

Split the boxes leave them for a minute the box with the queen will be a lot calmer. Go through a few frames till you find eggs, the queen will usually be there.

So you never have to go through every single frame in the box.

Thats just one of many ways to find a queen.

 

[mark s]

i was intending to go down the 14x12 route but after a chat with a wise old sage on here ive decided to go double nat bb we will see how it goes,

 

[OXFORDBEE]

I use J type hive too for this.

I've found that the J type hive tools can break bits off of the side of frame lugs when getting frames out.

I don't use the J end any more as a result. I find it easier to move the frames about to free them up and then lever up the first frame using the flat blade.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Split the boxes leave them for a minute the box with the queen will be a lot calmer.

If the bees have reduced the size of the brood nest and slimmed down the queen, she can be anywhere. On the sides of the hive; at the bottom of the brood box; hiding tucked away somewhere on the floor in the dark or on a comb of stores.

I don't have the time to split boxes and then wait for the bees to start searching for the queen. I want to open the box and find the queen in less than 10 minutes. I also have to be able to find the old girl in poor weather when maybe quite a few foragers are at home....

 

[Onge]

As I said this is just one of many ways to find a queen.

(and it always takes me less 10 mins to find her).

 

[Haughton Honey]

i was intending to go down the 14x12 route but after a chat with a wise old sage on here ive decided to go double nat bb we will see how it goes,

Oooooh....you've made me feel all gooey!

Come on....what were his wise words and why have you plumped for double National BB?

Spill!

 

[m100]

That gap comprising top bar - bee space - bottom bar in a double box system is plain bad, and the bees will often starve rather than move across it in a prolonged spell of cold weather.

Mine are mostly on 14 x 12, but I've currently got bees on nationals, some on double brood, and three monster colonies on a 14x12 and a bit (my new term for a 14x12 and super!)

Bees seem in general to be too prolific for a single national box, In a good year, as this one has been so far, a 14x12 can occasionally be too small, double brood might be ok, but in really good areas you might even need triple brood

I've lost bees overwinter in 14x12's due to isolation starvation, I've lost them in single nationals for the same reason, I've had problems oxalic trickling when I had manley supers (10 of them over 11 brood frames) on brood and a half and laying in spring in the supers is a PITA. My double brood colonies appear to overwinter the best, but I detest double brood for inspections especially if you need to find the queen rather than just do a split and check at a later date) yet double brood seems an almost ideal size for reducing the tendency to swarm, and offering good overwintering ability.