Deep Hive Body Dimensions

BEEKEEPERSTIPS.COM

When it comes to beekeeping, getting your deep hive body dimensions right is critical to getting a Langstroth hive to work properly. 

A beehive is a piece of precision agricultural equipment. The box is built around the principle of bee space. If you get a measurement wrong, it will work less well.

1.Bee Space

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Every part of the hive must employ bee space in its design. This means that a Langstroth hive will be built around a standard set of dimensions. Frames need to employ bee space.

2. How We Use Bee Space In A Deep Brood Box and Other Parts Of The Hive

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A Langstroth Like Box – A Disaster

These were the worst beehives I have ever seen. They were horrible to use, and they taught me a lot of important lessons.

3.

Lesson One – Do Not Use Second-Hand Wood

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Lesson Two – Cumulative Error

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Lesson Three – What Happens When You Get The Dimensions Wrong

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Lesson Four – Do It Once, Do It Right

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Buy Boxes

I would strongly recommend that your first hives are bought boxes. If you plan to make your own, rather use bought, high-quality hives. 

4.

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ADVICE

Be very wary when buying old second-hand boxes – take an accurate measure – I actually use a digital caliper to measure the bee space gaps and a steel ruler. Check the measurements against a drawing of a hive.

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