What frame sizes and number of frames best in a long hive - just asking

[Garry R]

I have been looking at long hives (NOT top bar hives) and wondered from experienced folk who have tried these what is the best frame size (National, commercial, 14 x 12" and what frame numbers are the most suitable for this style of hive. Solid or open mesh floor? I realise that the working length of these hives can be adjusted with a dummy board but obviously one wants to be able to accommodate as many frames as MIGHT be needed - within reason! A straw poll would be most useful with possibly the key property you think it gives you. Thanks for any info.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I made mine double the size of a national box to take 23 standard frames. I am able to put supers above for ease of taking honey but if I didn't have that option I'd have probably gone for 14x12's. You would, of course, need the capacity to extract from 14x12's.

 

[pargyle]

Mine is 25 frames long and 14 x 12 frames .... I've seen 18 frames of brood in mine. Most of the time with 14 x 12 you will not be used the full width of the hive but it's really useful to have the extra space for swarm management. If you site the top of the hive at a comfortable lifting height then even stuffed 14 x 12 frames are manageable lifts. If you want to put supers on there is no problem - look at how Dartington hives are supered.

 

[hemo]

My PIR model uses 27 BS deep in the brood and has 2 brood supers of 11 frames with dummy board, it can also be configured for two colonies.

 

[drex]

I use double brood National on my standard hives, so I made my long hive to take about 30 frames. I use DN4 frames in my standard set up, so it made sense to use them in the long hive. I find 14x12 too unwieldy.

 

[Murox]

So as you can see folks tend to use whatever size frame is common. If you were not in the uk then perhaps it would be langstroth sized frames. Just to add quirkiness to this response - I have a long hive that uses Dadant sized brood frames but turned on end making a deeper narrower hive, it can hold up to 21 frames.

 

[hemo]

Yes agree with Murox, use the same frame type as already used in other hives to keep the compatibility. Need to rob a frame or two of stores or brood no problem, likewise if you need to add the same.

 

[Buzby]

Depends on the design of the long hive. My Dartington long deep hives use 14 x 12 as does the plastic Omlet beehaus, both have double brood size. There are Layens, Hives, Zest hives which use bespoke frames and lots and lots of others.

 

[oliver90owner]

Depends on the design of the long hive. My Dartington long deep hives use 14 x 12 as does the plastic Omlet beehaus, both have double brood size. There are Layens, Hives, Zest hives which use bespoke frames and lots and lots of others.

Do the omlette crowd still make the ridiculous claim that a beehaus is a two colony hive? Any basic Dartington design is of a single colony hive with the ability to a) extend the basic hive lengthways, by several frames if necessary - both for brood or honey storage - and b) for colony multiplication (horizontal demaree) or A/S.

Nothing more than that but one can use a timber Dartington for nucs by having side entrances. Extra frames (so extra length, at build, is preferable).

 

[Murox]

Depends on the design of the long hive. My Dartington long deep hives use 14 x 12 as does the plastic Omlet beehaus, both have double brood size. There are Layens, Hives, Zest hives which use bespoke frames and lots and lots of others.

Calling Layens hives/frames “bespoke” is a bit rich. British Standard frames/hives were only dreamt up around 1946 by the British Beekeepers Association committee. The french botanist Georges de Layens died in 1897 and had written extensively with Bonnier. Perhaps its the uk which is out of step and uses 'bespoke' frames, most of the world uses Langstroth.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

British Standard frames/hives were only dreamt up around 1946 by the British Beekeepers Association committee.

Nope, earlier than that - 1946 was just the year that it was registered as a 'british standard' (BS 1300) the same frame dimensions and hive inside dimensions (the boxes we have now with the fiddly rails etc are the result of the 'modified' National hive, brought about due to the scarcity of timber in the 1930/40's) have remained the same since the 1920's when it was initially called the simplicity (!) hive

 

[oliver90owner]

I wonder whether the WBC hive adopted British Standard frames or whether it was the other way round

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I wonder whether the WBC hive adopted British Standard frames or whether it was the other way round

Seeing that the original WBC was invented in the 1890's, with different manufacturers building them in different sizes and even shapes, and the National, or 'simplicity' hive came on the scene around 1920 I would say the former.