In New Zealand we have frosts but not as harsh and super cold as in the USA. 35mm spacing between frames is the standard for brood in the US...
In New Zealand we have frosts but not as harsh and super cold as in the USA. 35mm spacing between frames is the standard for brood in the US as it allows 2 layers of bees between frames. In New Zealand the spacing is 33mm as there tends to be only 1 layer of bees for most of the year but a need for 2 when clustering during cold nights.
In the Philippines where there is never a reason for 2 layers of bees the bee space between frames should be reduced from 9mm to 6mm ( a decrease of 3mm)? Therefore should not the optimal efficiency be achieved at 30mm?
4 Nucs that I purchased here in the Philippines have Hoffman frames with 35 spacing. The brood area is very small with the bees able to store honey in about half the comb.With narrower spacing I think the brood area would be larger and the honey more likely to be stored external to the brood area. Hoffman frames do not seem to work in Philippine conditions. My observations point to 50% loss of brood area compared to the bees potential.
In New Zealand, with natural comb drawn in foundationless frames, after a few generations, the brood comb thickness regresses to 22mm. Adding a bee space of between 6.5 and 9.5mm would get the spacing to between 28 mm and 31mm.
For Philippine conditions the bees are likely to be smaller due to the thinner air in the tropics. My thoughts are to space at 28mm at the center of the brood box and 38mm at the outside allowing for honey and some drones. The 28mm will enforce a single layers of bees, worker cells only and should achieve a larger brood cluster.
In the Philippines where there is never a reason for 2 layers of bees the bee space between frames should be reduced from 9mm to 6mm ( a decrease of 3mm)? Therefore should not the optimal efficiency be achieved at 30mm?
4 Nucs that I purchased here in the Philippines have Hoffman frames with 35 spacing. The brood area is very small with the bees able to store honey in about half the comb.With narrower spacing I think the brood area would be larger and the honey more likely to be stored external to the brood area. Hoffman frames do not seem to work in Philippine conditions. My observations point to 50% loss of brood area compared to the bees potential.
In New Zealand, with natural comb drawn in foundationless frames, after a few generations, the brood comb thickness regresses to 22mm. Adding a bee space of between 6.5 and 9.5mm would get the spacing to between 28 mm and 31mm.
For Philippine conditions the bees are likely to be smaller due to the thinner air in the tropics. My thoughts are to space at 28mm at the center of the brood box and 38mm at the outside allowing for honey and some drones. The 28mm will enforce a single layers of bees, worker cells only and should achieve a larger brood cluster.
