Frames of BIAS

[Hivetool2021]

Hi All

Just driving back from the bees and my mind started wandering abd wondered how other beekeepers are doing this year. Justcwondering what's the average size of colony you all have with frames of bias, mive range from 6 to 9.
But of a strange question but just wondered

 

[masterBK]

I keep most of my colonies on a double brood system and select queens that can handle my way of working the bees. Therefore by end of April I would expect to find between 12 and 15 frames of brood and this will increase during May to about 14 to 17 frames of brood. My bees are local mongrels that I have been developing over many decades by rigorous selection and culling ( I rear twice as many queens as needed). They are mainly black bees but I don't select for colour or other physical characters but mainly look out for what I consider to be favourable behavioural characteristics. Like many beekeepers I want heathy hygienic bees that work hard producing good crops of honey, that aren't too defensive, don't follow, that are steady on the comb and not prone to excessive swarming.

 

[Sutty]

Less bias than there was in most of mine as requeening!
Still plenty though as they are on double brood.
One big colony on triple brood, from memory last Friday must have had mid-20s frames of bias, and was packed with bees!

 

[ericbeaumont]

range from 6 to 9

Do they produce the goods with that limited nest size? If so, nothing to worry about, but at least twice that is routine for me on double or triple brood, without buying queens but benefiting from background prolificacy.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

My bees will have typically 14 - 16 frames of brood in a usual year. Definitely one National box is too small.

 

[madasafish]

Average 9 on Lang Jumbo = 18 National frames
Nucs on 5 frames (National) except 3 x 11 frames

(I sell nucs and these are results of this year's splits and are fed daily.

 

[Antipodes]

Definitely one National box is too small.

How many cells are there in a National Brood Box?

 

[Antipodes]

I've found this actually, so I'll look at that. It seems right?

https://dorchesterandweymouthbka.com/hive-sizes/

 

[jarmo henttu]

Hi All

Just driving back from the bees and my mind started wandering abd wondered how other beekeepers are doing this year. Justcwondering what's the average size of colony you all have with frames of bias, mive range from 6 to 9.
But of a strange question but just wondered

They are so many dize.
With average number you ho nothing.

And then if you limit laying with excluder.

 

[ericbeaumont]

seems right?
https://dorchesterandweymouthbka.com/hive-sizes/

Numbers differ at East Devon BKA, but that is not the issue: I sensed that both sources expect modest brood nests, because they both recommend brood+a half to accommodate prolific queens. East Devon BKA go further, and state definitively that the 14x12 is adequate for a prolific colony.

These timid volumes are often seen specified in beekeeping catalogues, but are inadequate for prolific queens and will lead to an increase in swarming, esp. for novices. The sooner double brood National is recognised as the default volume, the better.

Couldn't resist: East Devon describe the 14x12 as a Deep National; it is not. A super is sometimes referred to as a shallow and a brood box as a deep. A 14x12 is just that, 14x12.

 

[Amari]

Average 9 on Lang Jumbo = 18 National frames

I started beekeeping on Lang Jumbos - beginners' course at Sparsholt Ag. College, Hants,1972, theory sessions alternated with building our own hive in the college woodworkshop. There's no way I could manage to lift a jumbo lang nowadays!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

East Devon describe the 14x12 as a Deep National; it is not. A super is sometimes referred to as a shallow and a brood box as a deep. A 14x12 is just that, 14x12.

idiots - just about sums up their beekeeping skills really.
a 14x12 can also be called a jumbo or extra deep

 

[Antipodes]

Numbers differ at East Devon BKA, but that is not the issue: I sensed that both sources expect modest brood nests, because they both recommend brood+a half to accommodate prolific queens. East Devon BKA go further, and state definitively that the 14x12 is adequate for a prolific colony.

These timid volumes are often seen specified in beekeeping catalogues, but are inadequate for prolific queens and will lead to an increase in swarming, esp. for novices. The sooner double brood National is recognised as the default volume, the better.

Couldn't resist: East Devon describe the 14x12 as a Deep National; it is not. A super is sometimes referred to as a shallow and a brood box as a deep. A 14x12 is just that, 14x12.

Just on the differing numbers, the Dorchester and Weymoth article says 93500 for a Deep Nat. 14x12, and 85000 for a Dadant.
The East Devon one says 80000 for a 14x12 and 93000 for a Dadant.

Am I reading them correctly and if so, which one is correct or most correct please?

 

[fian]

Just on the differing numbers, the Dorchester and Weymoth article says 93500 for a Deep Nat. 14x12, and 85000 for a Dadant.
The East Devon one says 80000 for a 14x12 and 93000 for a Dadant.

Am I reading them correctly and if so, which one is correct or most correct please?

The usual cell size is 5.4mm.
For a quick count, the area of a hexagon with a circumscribed radius of 5.4mm is 25.26 mm2. Divide the total area by this number and you will obtain an upper bound of the value since incomplete hexagons will remain at the edges.
If you want to calculate the exact integer, proceed as follows.
Longitudinal is calculated as the whole part of dividing the length of the frame by the circumscribed diameter (5 cells per inch in classical beekeeping literature).
B.calculation of the inscribed diameter by dividing the circumscribed diameter by the sine of 30°. Calculate the number of excess rows as the quotient between the height and 4 part of the inscribed diameter.
C. Subtract 4 from the value of the number of rows and divide by 3.
The integer part of that quotient will be the number of rows of integer hexagons.
D. The product of the longitudinal n and the number of rows will give a tighter number since for the exact number it depends on whether the number of rows is even or odd.

 

[fian]

The usual cell size is 5.4mm.
For a quick count, the area of a hexagon with a circumscribed radius of 5.4mm is 25.26 mm2. Divide the total area by this number and you will obtain an upper bound of the value since incomplete hexagons will remain at the edges.
If you want to calculate the exact integer, proceed as follows.
Longitudinal is calculated as the whole part of dividing the length of the frame by the circumscribed diameter (5 cells per inch in classical beekeeping literature).
B.calculation of the inscribed diameter by dividing the circumscribed diameter by the sine of 30°. Calculate the number of excess rows as the quotient between the height and 4 part of the inscribed diameter.
C. Subtract 4 from the value of the number of rows and divide by 3.
The integer part of that quotient will be the number of rows of integer hexagons.
D. The product of the longitudinal n and the number of rows will give a tighter number since for the exact number it depends on whether the number of rows is even or odd.

where it says sine of 30° it should say cosine of 30°.

 

[jarmo henttu]

My bees will have typically 14 - 16 frames of brood in a usual year. Definitely one National box is too small.

Bees need store space for pollen too.
Otherwise they store pollen into honey combs.

 

[user 819]

Double brood national deep anything from 11 - 16/17 brood inclusive of two or three drone laid frames and pollen.
Large brood is a double edged sword, last year with the fantastic spring forage was very good as was storing it, this year the opposite and lots have been feeding or like mine getting by with few being able to put anything to talk about in the supers. Only now am I seeing a little extra in the supers.