how many frames in brood box?

[always weeding]

apologies if this is a silly question but i would like to know how many frames to use in a brood box,as you can see i am a complete new bee.
some are sayin 11 with a dummy board and some are saying 12.

what is the difference please

would it be possible for someone to explain please

thanks

 

[Nellie]

My personal preference is for 11 with a dummy board.

The brood box will take 12 frames and when it's brand new and full of foundation it all seems fine. Give it a few months and you've got 12 frames of comb, with a bit of propolis going on, covered in bees and it can be a struggle to get them out nicely without rolling the bees on one frame against the other. Take the 12th Frame out and use a dummy board instead and you've got a lot more room to play in, there isn't enough room behind it to get up to any shenanigans and they can't do anything with the board itself.

Some people do get on with 12 frames fine but I think as a new beekeeper especially you make your beekeeping a lot easier going with 11 frames and a dummy board to start with.

 

[drstitson]

11 Hoffmans (with wide top AND bottom bars) and dummy board.

 

[Luminos]

My first colony built comb all over the dummy board

 

[MuswellMetro]

most books say 11 plus dumy in a BS national or 14x12, this is based on 36.5mm or 37mm spacing, so as the national is 422mm wide this is 11x37= 407mm plus a dummy board gap of 15mm

However Hoffman frames are now commomly used and the most sold size by the main retailers is 35mm

so in a 422mm wide box you have 11x35= 385mm and a gap of 37mm

so techincally you can get 12 x35mm NEW hoffmans in a box without a dummy board......Dont

becasue you will role bees on the side of the box removing first frame, also after a few months the frames are covered in propolis and wax ( amount depends on type of bee),

so if this build up is 1mm then 12x(35+1)=432 and the box is only 422mm wide SO even 35mm Hoffmans will not fit without a lot of tears and pushing and will be difficult to come out

 

[oliver90owner]

My first colony built comb all over the dummy board

But you learned that the thickness of the dummy board is important, for your second?

OP is a bit short on specs. WBC, National, Langstroth, Dartington(?!!), etc.

Nellie has about got it right. It is simply that the dummy is removed first and then the rest of the frames are easy. With the extra frame the first removed can be difficult.

Simple system is to alternate the end the dummy board is fitted on each inspection, so no need to be shoving frames along the runners to replace the first frame removed in it's original position. The dummy does need to be the correct thickness or problems such as Luminos experienced can occur. Bee spaces have to be observed.

 

[scuttlefish]

Ditto most of the above, I use a dummy board plus 11 (Hoffman) frames in my National brood boxes, purely because being able to take it out and give myself some room to work with at the start of an inspection is easier.

 

[New Bee 2]

- 11 plus a dummy board. Looks like a big gap to start with but once the wax has been built out, its fine. 12 frames are too snug and its impossible to get the last one back in without a strain once the box is full.

 

[always weeding]

excellent responses and thank you and not one of you have told me that i am a fool for asking such a simple question that i really should have known the answer to.

thanks again
ade

 

[nosmoking]

excellent responses and thank you and not one of you have told me that i am a fool for asking such a simple question that i really should have known the answer to.

thanks again
ade

I made the same mistake but I'm not telling anyone, lol.
And....... Don't ever feel foolish by asking.