One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Tyler811 · Apr 9, 2023

Hi, let me start off with I apologise I have no pictures to hand. Also please forgive my attempt to make this clear.

I brought a hive just before December which would be our second addition. Upon opening the hive yesterday I noticed a few things. The previous owner of these bees have used nation frames and make shifted them to fit in the langstroth brood box. Now this wouldn’t be an issue in itself if there was also a crown board which came with the hive. There is burrcomb in the roof which is not a biggie for now.

My question is, what would the most logical way to go around fixing this? I would need to get the frames into langstroth frames and give the whole brood box a clean out.

Erichalfbee · Apr 9, 2023

TGet the roof cleared of comb and put a crown board on. Replace the National frames with Langstroth ones gradually. Are there frames empty of stores and brood? If there are move them to the side and replace gradually with foundation

blackcloud · Apr 9, 2023

Get a second brood box -very handy to have anyway.
Transfer your frames ,clean the old box if you think it's vital.
There is a recent thread on frame transfer here that suggests ideas that you could use

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...o-standard-national-frames.54881/#post-863387
I once had a langstroth that had been converted to take national frames
Whoever did it was either in need of a quick fix or just hadn't thought it through-the national frames were shallower as well as shorter -the reason you get so much brace comb.

Poly Hive · Apr 9, 2023

This is very simple to sort out and needs one bit of kit. A board the same size or larger than the BB the bees are in. Put the board on the BB (when they are up to a good 8 frames of brood as this is a big move for them, cut a largish hole so the bees have plenty of access up and put the BB of your choice over the hole. When there are eggs to be seen in the top BB slip in an excluder between the board and the top BB. Check in a few days to make sure there are still eggs and wait three weeks. Nice and simple no stress or drama. KISS

I have done this many times so I know it works. Sticky this maybe Admin?? I've written it out times now.

PH

jenkinsbrynmair · Apr 9, 2023

Poly Hive said:
I've written it out times now.

so have many others, although in this case it wouldn't be necessary as the box in question is a Langstroth and the OP wants to continue with that format so there are two choices
a) As @Erichalfbee recommends - gradually replace the national frames with Langstroth
b) a modified Bailey - get another Lang box, put it over the existing one and let the bees migrate up onto the new frames make sure the queen is up there then insert a QX and let the brood emerge from the National frames before removing them.
I'm guessing your issue is there might be brood in the brace comb in the roof?

Tyler811 · Apr 10, 2023

Tyler811 said:
Hi, let me start off with I apologise I have no pictures to hand. Also please forgive my attempt to make this clear.

I brought a hive just before December which would be our second addition. Upon opening the hive yesterday I noticed a few things. The previous owner of these bees have used nation frames and make shifted them to fit in the langstroth brood box. Now this wouldn’t be an issue in itself if there was also a crown board which came with the hive. There is burrcomb in the roof which is not a biggie for now.

My question is, what would the most logical way to go around fixing this? I would need to get the frames into langstroth frames and give the whole brood box a clean out.

Just

blackcloud said:
Get a second brood box -very handy to have anyway.
Transfer your frames ,clean the old box if you think it's vital.
There is a recent thread on frame transfer here that suggests ideas that you could use

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...o-standard-national-frames.54881/#post-863387
I once had a langstroth that had been converted to take national frames
Whoever did it was either in need of a quick fix or just hadn't thought it through-the national frames were shallower as well as shorter -the reason you get so much brace comb.

It seems the exact same thing was done by the previous owner. And the burr comb makes it worse as I’m worried about hurting the queen whilst going through it. Thank you so much for this information.