How many frames?

[DeeBee711]

At the risk of sounding silly (remember I am a newbee) I was wondering how many frames I should put in my boxes. They are made to fit ten, but it seems too crowded. Sould I put eight or nine, or is ten ok? I want my bees to bee as happy as they can bee 

[Scadsobees]

Not silly at all!

You can run less than 10 in 10 frame brood boxes, but I'd recommend against it.  
In the brood boxes, if you have 9 (and many people do), they will just draw out the honey in the top of the frame thick anyway.  I had just as much trouble with 9 as with 10 -  the frames weren't as tight, but I was rolling as many bees on the honey part.
It does make it tight in there, but that also gives them an extra frame for brood.

As far as honey supers - that isn't such a big deal to run 8 or 9.  Then they draw out the comb any way to fill the space.

Disclaimer: ALWAYS start out new frames/foundation with 10 frames(pressed togather in the middle)  until the frames are drawn out.  If you try spacing 9 frames of foundation in a super, they will draw it out badly.

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfaqs.htm#framespacing

[Shanevrr]

Just keep it simple, 9 frames wont help you, crowded is good and what they want to keep brood warm,  maybe you should check more in middle of day when most bees are gone collecting

[gregted]

I would agree with 10 frames.

I used the logic a few years ago that it would be easier to get the frames out for extraction if I had one less in the road.

Bad idea..

When I went to extract the next time, it was a mess with burr and honey comb in all spaces.

I also have started using an inner lid of ply or masonite that just covers the top of all frames with a gap at the sides to stop the girls building under the lid but if you don't get to it in time they will still build up there.

[ccar2000]

I run eleven 1 1/4" frames in the brood box and ten in the supers.

[gregted]

How does 11 frames work out for you?

 I thought they needed the beespace between 10 frames to do their thing.

Might be a good idea though. One extra frame per box.

[ccar2000]

I believe my hives have a larger population earlier on due to a quicker build up. I also think that my bees are a little smaller than the other bees that visit my property. I am a hobbyist and don't have any scientific data or long term study. I had a discussion thread about 11 frame in the brood box. Try this link
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,32474.0.html
or do a search for "narrow"

[BlueBee]

This summer I ran with frame spacing of 33mm in my brood chambers (vs the 35mm standard).  My foundation is standard sized cells (5.3mm) and not small cell.

I was pleased with the results.  The bees built up great and the combs were built flatter than in the past.  With standard spacing the honey around my brood was getting bulged out more than I liked and that was making frame manipulations a little more cumbersome. 

I’m not suggesting that 33mm spacing is the greatest idea since sliced bread, but so far, I have liked it.  Need more time in them before draw decisive conclusions though.

[gregted]

Interesting reading. Might try that when I get some more hives to experiment with.

[Michael Bush]

http://bushfarms.com/beesframewidth.htm

[gregted]

but if it is desired to prevent the production of drone brood, the ends of every other frame are slipped back as shown at B, and the distance of 1 1/4 inch from centre to centre may be maintained."--T.W. Cowan, British bee-keeper's Guide Book pg 44

Very interesting...

Might have to try this when I get some more swarms..

[SRJ]

I was told once by a beekeeper to use 9 frames in a 10 frame box so they draw out the comb further, so I did. I am only just now getting ahead of the mess the bees made; they have a good idea of the space they want between the combs, and if the frames are too far apart they just build another sheet hanging down from the top bar, parallel with the actual foundation. Makes for a bucket load of burr comb and destruction later on 

[Michael Bush]

9 frames in a 10 frame super makes uncapping easy.  9 frames in a brood nest makes very uneven combs.

[Jim 134]

9 frames in a 10 frame super makes uncapping easy.  9 frames in a brood nest makes very uneven combs.

   and a mess.




         BEE HAPPY Jim 134

[ccar2000]

I have not yet swapped in all 1 1/4" narrow frames. As I open the brood nest I add narrow frames and trim the full size ones down and run the uncapping knife over it to smooth out the comb. As of right now my brood boxes are configured with alternating frames. Some have six narrow ones and some have five. They just about fill the hive body from side to side and I have to use a j-hook hive tool to remove the outermost frame before inspection.

[VolunteerK9]

I run 9 frames (drawn) in supers and 10 in brood nest. If you decide to run 9, in particular with the 9 frame nail-in frame spacers, removing frames with queen cells without damaging them is difficult to say the least. I would go with 10 for brood although this winter Im going to try and fit 11 for a few.