Dadant hives for 10 and 12 frames – which is better and why

The main goal of beekeeping in the overwhelming majority of cases is to obtain honey. Only strong, that is, large and healthy bee colonies can provide good honey harvest. And there should be many such families in the apiary.

It is possible to compare twelve-frame and ten-frame hives only on the basis of the tasks and factors listed above.

The content of the article

  • 1 Using two types of hives
  • 2 Disadvantages of houses for 12 frames
    • 2.1 Elimination of defects
  • 3 Content in 10-frame constructions
    • 3.1 Lonin’s method
  • 4 In conclusion

Using two types of hives

Twelve-frame Dadans are a well-known and widespread system of keeping honey bees among beekeepers. In the classic version, it is a single body and a store extension. In such a bee house there are 12 nesting combs and 12 semi-frames. The standard sizes of which are 435 by 300 and 435 by 145 millimeters.

Nowadays, this design has the following modifications:

  • building and two stores (improved classic Dadan);
  • two housings with standard nesting frames (full-fledged double-hull system).

Ten-frame Dadans appeared in the USSR only since 1983. They are used less often in beekeeping practice.

Nowadays, under this name, a two-body structure is produced, equipped with three store extensions.

Disadvantages of houses for 12 frames

The design of the 12-frame Dadant has several disadvantages:

  • there is no free space under the frames or, as it is often called, a basement;
  • nesting cells are not high enough;
  • the body has a relatively small volume.

All of these features affect the technology of insect care – the beekeeper has to work harder on the formation of layers. After all, it is imperative to select the brood to avoid swarming.

Dadant hives for 10 and 12 frames - which is better and why

At each inspection of the nesting frames, one has to invade the lower part of the 12-frame Dadan, and this always causes bee discontent and aggression – the guard bees attack a person. For this reason, a store is installed under the body, which does not have to be entered when inspecting the hive.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the weight of the bee house. The more frames, the heavier it is.

During the swarming period, the shops constantly on top interfere. It is also inconvenient to put a frame to indicate the structure of the honeycomb.

There are not enough brood frames in the nest to build up the strength of the bee colony up to 5-6 kilograms of insects. Usually a family comes out of wintering, occupying 6-7 streets. She is given two frames and 10-12 kilograms of honey. Very little space is left for the uterus to lay. As a result, by the second decade of May, it is necessary to remove the brood and organize the layering.

If the “queen” is not stimulated to lay eggs, the family weakened by the selection of brood will quickly come to a swarming state. The beekeeper’s job in this case is to constantly support the foundation, rearrange and remove the printed brood. In a 12-frame design, this is a laborious and thankless process.

After all, it is well known that a strong bee colony rebuilds up to 15 honeycomb frames per season, on which the uterus willingly sows. Fresh combs allow for the rearing of large individuals, which ensures a healthy nest and good nectar collection.

Another problem is difficulties with wintering. To prepare the nest for cold weather, it is necessary to leave the insects up to 10 honey frames – this is what the well-known recommendations say. But by the time the nest is formed, the brood is still in it. Therefore, it is necessary to compensate for the lack of feed already after its release by feeding honey or sugar. Autumn feeding is shifted to September. As a result, bees wear out faster and die in winter.

In winter, nests often die out from hypothermia and disease – according to statistics, up to 10-40%. This is due to the low height of the hive. The formed club is almost pressed against the bottom and the tap hole. Cold air blows around the bees, and moisture concentrates on the combs.

Elimination of defects

To improve the microclimate in the bee house, it is recommended to increase the volume under the frames – to arrange a basement there. This part of the structure will be detachable. It can be used both in summer and winter.

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The basement is assembled according to an arbitrary drawing. Required elements:

  • in the upper part there is a retractable anti-war mesh (in the spring, a dead bottom is inserted here);
  • the back part in the form of a hinged door (this makes it easier to remove podmor, install drinkers with medicine or feeders);
  • a mesh window for additional ventilation in the back flap of the basement;
  • a front notch for removing garbage with a special wire poker.

If you take out the netting, the bees will start building tinder combs in the basement. Here it is convenient to cut them together with the brood. This is one of the most common anti-combat techniques.

And to combat crowding in the nest, a store is installed under the case… Here in summer, fresh nectar is stored, flight bees rest at night, and in autumn beekeepers dry out low-copper frames.

Putting the store down the structure of the hive is a laborious undertaking that is beyond the power of one person. You have to use a lift. But there is also an easier way – installing the cassette in the basement.

The basement of the house is made higher (up to 170 mm). A cassette is assembled from metal corners or wooden slats, containing from eight to eleven store semi-frames. For its free movement, guides are mounted (the principle of a desk drawer). The cassette is inserted into the basement. The distance between the half-frames and the socket is 0,8 cm. The rear side of the cassette is lifted to create the necessary gap using a bar.

Content in 10-frame constructions

Note: Keeping bees in 10-frame Dadan hives is practically no different from breeding bees in a twelve-frame structure.

bees in front of the entrance

But at the same time, do not forget that a 10-frame house is best suited for a young brood that has not yet wintered. For strong families, you will need a larger volume that can hold up to 14 frames.

The ten-frame house is favored by the lighter weight of the case and stores. Beekeepers joke that from a 12-frame spinal hernia forms faster. And this is not far from the truth. To facilitate the work, you have to work with an assistant or use a lift.

Interesting nuances:

  1. Small volumes of the nest allow keeping honey bees in two buildings. There is no need to reduce such nests for the winter.
  2. When dividing by half the summer, the queenless part of the family is easier to plant in a small hive – development will begin here faster, and the nest will fill the entire provided volume.
  3. The ten honeycomb body is cramped for a strong bee colony. Indeed, for such a nest and 8 brood frames are not the limit.

On the other hand, the ten-frame frame is ideal for a strong colony with a two-box nest. In such a hive there will be approximately:

  • honey-peg stock (extreme honeycomb);
  • up to 12 brood honeycombs;
  • two frames for building new cells;
  • reserve space for 2 more frames (you can strengthen the nest with a printed brood or put an open brood for growing and hatching).

Lonin’s method

shop

This technology of keeping honey bees was developed and tested in the Moscow region on the Dadanov hives. It is suitable for both twelve-frame and ten-frame structures.

General scheme of work:

  • in early March – late April, nests expand (in width);
  • at the end of April – beginning of May, a dividing grid is installed and an expansion downward is performed at the expense of a store or a housing (they do not invade the brood part of the hive until the end of honey collection!);
  • in the first half of May, the queen cells are cut off in the upper section of the bee house (or they are used to raise the “queen” and quiet change, which increases the honey yield by an average of 7%);
  • before the start of the honey collection, shops (buildings) are installed at the top;
  • after pumping out marketable honey, preparations for wintering are carried out.

In conclusion

Deciding which hive is better than a 10- or 12-frame hive will be easier if you consider:

  • the physical strength of the beekeeper;
  • breed of bees;
  • peculiarities of a particular area, of the current year – a lot depends on the ability to predict the strength of a bribe, which comes with experience.

In ten frames, the full body is slightly lighter, and the relatively small nest is suitable for weak or short-term bribes. When traveling on a trailer, more of these bee houses can be accommodated.

If there are ten-frame Ruta hives in the apiary, all elements of the houses will be compatible with each other, which greatly simplifies the work.

The twelve-frame design is in the shape of a square. If desired, the store can be installed perpendicular to the nesting combs. The store top is installed two weeks later than in the 10-frame house. The nest will be slightly larger, which makes life easier for the beekeeper during the period of large bribes.

Note: According to a survey on beekeeping forums, 48-50% of beekeepers prefer 10-frame Dadans. The rest practice breeding bees in twelve-frame huts. Therefore, in the matter of choosing the best option, it will be easier to focus not on someone else’s opinion, but on your own preferences and capabilities.

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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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