Newbie Dadant questions

[rbaz]

Hi I am a newbee
I live in France (Brittany) and keen to start my new hobby.
I have been doing some research in books and on the net. I have found the common hive here is Dadant. I was going to make my own but after seeing how cheap some of the assembled parts are I purchased a floor and 2 supers (that I will join and cut down to make in to 1 large deep) and 10 deep Dadant frames.
I have lots of basic questions I hope you bare with me and can point me in the right direction.

1. The floor I have is solid but I can alter it to be mesh or is a combination best with a slide so it can be changed from summer to winter?

2. It has an under floor entrance without a landing is this OK as long as I leave enough space under the hive or is it better to add a landing?
Have added photos so can see what its like.

3. I am going to make a chalet style roof that overlaps a little at each side is it best to make an adjustable vent or vents for this and make it accessible for feeding from below?

4. With a Brood space as big as this is that the only space I need for the bees or is it still best to have a food chamber above? and then any extra supers just for harvesting separated with a queen excluder?

5. Do I need to wait until next spring before I populate the hive? or is there any way I can do it this late in the season?

Sorry again for all the basic questions I want to make sure my first colony gets the best start they can

 

[wightbees]

I use dadant but use 2x shallows for Brood, theres a few others that do the same.This way you can use the Boxes as supers or for brood, and 1 size frame through out

 

[rbaz]

I use dadant but use 2x shallows for Brood, theres a few others that do the same.This way you can use the Boxes as supers or for brood, and 1 size frame through out

That makes sense but would you ever need to change them onece a coliny has moved in?
They didn't have any shallow frames in stock so I already have the deep ones.

 

[wightbees]

I think you can use you deeps straight into the 2 shallows .So put your shallows ontop of each other and then put your deep frames staight in.

 

[wightbees]

md brood depth 11 1/4
md shallow depth 6 1/4
Although a little gap at the bottom , i would of thought it would be ok.And save cutting up boxes

 

[rbaz]

md brood depth 11 1/4
md shallow depth 6 1/4
Although a little gap at the bottom , i would of thought it would be ok.And save cutting up boxes

Excellent makes things easier I thought the extra space may cause problems.

 

[Midland Beek]

I would suggest you don't keep bees for a good while yet. I don't fancy their chances with you.

You have mistaken a feeder for a floor. Or you have come on the forum to wind us up.

 

[rbaz]

I would suggest you don't keep bees for a good while yet. I don't fancy their chances with you.

You have mistaken a feeder for a floor. Or you have come on the forum to wind us up.

Sorry not a wind up
As I said I am a newbie and seeking help and advice I know I have a lot to learn first but thanks for the encouragement.
Where would the feed go in it then?

 

[Midland Beek]

In the UK we call them Ashforth feeders, and that section of wood that you have removed, we often use glass. There is a good website for general beekeeping information, put: 'bees dave cushman' into internet.

Beeks the world over now use floors with mesh screens. The practice is to do with the varroa mite.

 

[rbaz]

In the UK we call them Ashforth feeders, and that section of wood that you have removed, we often use glass. There is a good website for general beekeeping information, put: 'bees dave cushman' into internet.

Beeks the world over now use floors with mesh screens. The practice is to do with the varroa mite.

Thanks will check it out

 

[RoofTops]

Is your hive actually what we in the UK know as Dadant or is it Dadant Blatt which is very common in France. If it is Dadant Blatt the brood frames will be slightly smaller than normal Langstroth - the top bars will be about 18.75" long and the frame about 9" deep. Sorry about the lack of millimetres but I am sure you can convert if you don't have a proper Christian, (i.e. Imperial) ruler.

M. Dadant was if my memory serves a Frenchman living in the US at about the same time as LL Langstroth and publicised in France what L3 was up to with movable comb hives. The French being the French of course and being almost as bad at this as the British decided to use a different size hive to Langstroth. Or may be he drew some plans on paper which by the time they reached France had shrunk.

 

[rbaz]

Is your hive actually what we in the UK know as Dadant or is it Dadant Blatt which is very common in France. If it is Dadant Blatt the brood frames will be slightly smaller than normal Langstroth - the top bars will be about 18.75" long and the frame about 9" deep. Sorry about the lack of millimetres but I am sure you can convert if you don't have a proper Christian, (i.e. Imperial) ruler.

M. Dadant was if my memory serves a Frenchman living in the US at about the same time as LL Langstroth and publicised in France what L3 was up to with movable comb hives. The French being the French of course and being almost as bad at this as the British decided to use a different size hive to Langstroth. Or may be he drew some plans on paper which by the time they reached France had shrunk.

Not sure what type it is just said Dayant on the labels.
The Frame top bars on the brood measure exactly 18.5" and overall height 11.8"

 

[RoofTops]

It is Dadant Blatt - I got the depth wrong but the top bars you mention confirm it. Here is a company making plastic hives of this size: http://www.nicot.fr/PresentationAnglais/GBPageCadre.htm If you click on Beekeeping Material you can find their hives. They are clever things but no good for the UK as only made in Dadant Blatt. The company only sell in bulk but there must be suppliers doing items singly.

 

[dpot]

bees in france

Hi i have been keeping bees in France for 10 years now i live in Central britney
we belong to a small holder group and have a open day if you are interested pm or email me for details

i have french blacks but going to introduce buckfast this year i started beekeeping at buckfast 30 years ago

 

[dpot]

you will find most of what you wont in the gamn ver at carhaix
or bretagne apiculture Moulin des salles 29460 daoulas Brest

www.bretagne-apiculture.com

 

[drstitson]

dadant hives

Hi - the Dadant Blatt hives that we use in Italy have brood boxes that are equal to 2 supers high (336 vs 168) so 2 supers can be used as 1 brood. the shorter brood frames just allow for plenty of space for bees below the frames. there is no problem for the bees.

check out http://www.apilandia.com/mondoapi/pagina_sezione.asp?codTesto=20

there is even a comparison of brood vs 2 supers - look for these bits above and below the dimensions table:

L’arnia a doppio melario (the hive with double supers)

&

CONFRONTO FRA NIDO A CORPO UNICO E NIDO COSTITUITO DA DUE MELARI SOVRAPPOSTI (comparison between single brood and brood constructed from two supers superimposed)

listed disadvantage is the groove formed half way up hive reducing thickness of timber (can be filled in with a strip) and advantage as better aeration

 

[rbaz]

Thanks dpot you have a pm.
We have made some progress and made the brood box and a base (under floor entrance open mesh) and am going to make an insulated pitched roof I think.

 

[drstitson]

db vs langstroth

depending upon the tolerasnces to which the hive is made it is just possible to squeeze langstroth frames into some DB hives. tight squeeze both at lug end and side bars. will get heavily propolised i presume. langstroths are of course shallower too so might be good for drone cell production downstairs.

 

[rbaz]

depending upon the tolerasnces to which the hive is made it is just possible to squeeze langstroth frames into some DB hives. tight squeeze both at lug end and side bars. will get heavily propolised i presume. langstroths are of course shallower too so might be good for drone cell production downstairs.

I got the frames from the same shop so I guess they are DB frames they have a reasonable amount of space all around so should be ok.

 

[dpot]

are the frame wired and have foundation in them
if not make sure that you use the small metal insert for the wire it stops the wire cutting in to the frame.
it is a good idea to use the lower frame support bars in the brood box it helps if you move the hive