8 Frame Hives

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Comment by Brett Rimer on September 24, 2014 at 4:58pm

All of my 8 frame medium foundationless hives made it through last winter. The smallest was a single box with a Carniolan queen and they built up to four boxes of brood nest now. I like Michael Bush's site and follow basically his model, top entrances and solid bottom boards I build myself with no entrance.

Comment by Rhett Renoud on September 24, 2014 at 4:01pm

I've been getting my 8 frame screened bottom boards and cedar hive bodies from BeeThinking.  They sell 8 frame bottom boards, brood boxes, mediums, and supers and top bars.  They also subscribe to the foundationless philosophy.     

Comment by Chris Specter on September 24, 2014 at 3:20pm

Michael Bush (Bush Bees) is one of my favorite websites.  He is converting (converted) his hives to medium 8 frame and is going foundationless.  Almost like Warre hives all things considered.  The Russian beekeepers use an empty box on top stuffed with a pillow or quilt to keep their bees warm in the winter but many winter over with screened bottoms.  Like the pillow of Warres.  Foundation less means frames without foundations so all equipment is standardized and the bees have a model to follow in building comb, minimizing wild comb.

Comment by Rhett Renoud on September 24, 2014 at 10:33am

I'm using 8 frame Langstroth hives, some with foundation and some foundationless.  My hives are kept at 7,000 feet.  It is my belief that the bees can more easily winter in a 8 frame Langstroth versus a 10 frame.  In specific, the winter cluster is more likely to move up before they move out in a 10 frame, which leaves the outer frames full of untouched honey stores.  I still have 10 frame Langstroth hives, but I'm replacing the outer boards with dummy boards (follower boards).  I have also discovered that some variety of bees eat a fraction of the food that is needed by other bees.  Now, if someone made a Langstroth box out of 1" inch cedar, like the Warre, then that would be an ideal setup.               

Comment by Taylor Horst on February 26, 2013 at 3:44pm

Hello.  I am converting over to 8 frame equipment over the next couple of years, unless I can get it all done this year (I run about 45 hives total).  I have lots of 8 frame equipment should anyone need to get ahold of something fast.  Deeps, mediums, frames, foundation, bottoms, lids.

Comment by Ed Costanza on January 28, 2011 at 5:29pm

Please add me to your group.  I have some thoughts on 8 frame hives.