spacing of 9 frames

[ayyon2157]

Probably a dumb question, but when using 9 frames when there is room for 10, are the 9 frames placed tightly together and the extra space divided on eash side, or are they placed against one side of the hive with all the excess space on the other?  I am talking about the hive itself and not supers for honey.

    thanks. bill m

[Finsky]

If space is for  10 frames, box have extra 10 mm space, or in some model 15 mm.  In brood champer is meaning to use 10 frames in 10 frame space.

[romduck]

Spacers will keep the frames at the distances that finsky refers to.

Don't forget that you have to start with drawn frames or the bees will muck the whole thing up on you.

[Apis629]

The only place I'd recomend using 9 frames in a 10 frame box is as a honey super.  The cells are drawn deeper so more honey is stored than would be in 10 frames.  In the brood chamber 9 frames will just give you fewer bees.

[Michael Bush]

>The only place I'd recomend using 9 frames in a 10 frame box is as a honey super. The cells are drawn deeper so more honey is stored than would be in 10 frames. In the brood chamber 9 frames will just give you fewer bees.

And then I'd only use the 9 in the supers when they are already DRAWN comb, not foundation.  Then you evenly space the 9 to get fat combs.

[bassman1977]

I didn't know about putting already drawn comb in a 9 frame super.  I put a 9 frame super on last week and they haven't touched it yet.  I am not using an exluder so would it be acceptable to make a swap with one of my brood boxes?  Once the brood emerge out of those frames, then they would use the drawn comb in the 9 frame and draw out comb in the empty frames which would then be a 10 frame.  I hope I explained that well enough.  :?  Thanks.

[Michael Bush]

>I am not using an exluder so would it be acceptable to make a swap with one of my brood boxes?

That depends on several things.  What depth are your brood boxes?  How heavy a box do you want to lift?  Do you use chemicals of any kind?  Not a good idea to put chemically contaminated combs in an area you expect to get honey from.

>Once the brood emerge out of those frames, then they would use the drawn comb in the 9 frame and draw out comb in the empty frames which would then be a 10 frame.

Are you talking about simply putting an empty frame in a 10 frame box?  That works anytime if the combs on each side are drawn.

[bassman1977]

The brood boxes are mediums as are the honey supers.  I do not use chemicals either.  Weight isn't a factor.  I would be moving 9 of the brood frames into the box with the 9 frame spacers.  The current brood box (a 10 framer) would then contain 9 empty frames with foundation and 1 brood frame (since that brood frame will have no other place to go).

[Michael Bush]

>would it be acceptable to make a swap with one of my brood boxes? Once the brood emerge out of those frames, then they would use the drawn comb in the 9 frame and draw out comb in the empty frames which would then be a 10 frame.

Then the other issue is that the queen will go where there's brood.  If you move all the brood to the top, the queen will most likely go there and that will then be your brood nest.

[bassman1977]

I think what I will do is swap the 9 frame box out for another 10 frame and let them build up that comb. Once completed, then drop it down to 9.  Seems to me that is the option that makes the most sense.