Beekeeping techniques beehive systems

© FUAL Jeannot Glodé 2014
Beekeeping techniques and legislation on beekeeping

0
The hive
This is an overview of the 4 types of hives most commonly used for beekeeping in Europe.
These are the frame hive, the trough hive, the Dadant hive and the top bar hive.
The frame hive i.e. Zander, Langstroth
Example of a frame hive with 2 brood chambers (orange)
and 2 honey supers (yellow)
The different parts of a frame hive
The different parts are stacked one on top of the other and can be taken apart at any time.
The bottom board
There are 2 different configurations: the closed bottom board and the mesh bottom board.
Closed bottom boards have one continuous board, thus preventing direct contact with the
ambient air and humidity. Mesh bottom boards have a bee-tight mesh, which allows the flow of
air and humidity. This is especially useful in winter, when humidity, particularly condensate from
bees, can be drawn. Mould in the comb can be avoided this way. The open mesh bottom can
also be useful to detect dead varroa mites, which can help to assess the effectiveness of varroa
treatment. The open mesh bottom can also serve as a ventilation grid during transport.
A gate or a wedge can be used to regulate (narrow) the entrance.

1
Brood chamber
Depending on the frame dimensions or the hive system, either one or two boxes are used to
create the necessary brooding space.
Queen excluder
Example of a metal protective grating with round bars
The mesh opening of the protective grating allows the worker bees to slip through. The larger
drones and especially the queen are too big to get through. The advantage of the queen
excluder is the clear separation of the brood from the honey reserve. In nature, there is a
flowing transition between the brood chamber and the honey chamber. If the protective mesh is
installed correctly, the brood nest will not be restricted. The separation between combs and
brood combs facilitates the beekeeper’s work.
The protective mesh is available in metal and in synthetic material. Metal mesh is usually more
resistant whereas synthetic mesh is easier to clean (freeze and bend for the Propolis to come
off).
The honey super
The honey super can be of the same size as or smaller than the brood box. Each colony
required from 2 to 3 honey supers, depending on the dimension and the number of frames.
The comb frame
The frame is the wooden fitting of the comb. It allows the beekeeper to move the comb within
the hive and its removal from the hive.
The cover: inner cover and outer cover (protection from rain)
The inner cover can be made from chipboard of wood. The cover should be equipped with a
permeable wood fibre insulation board to allow excess humidity to evaporate. The frequently
used synthetic layers are not recommended, as they are not permeable.

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In order to protect the hives from the rain, they should be covered with an outer cover made
from waterproof material. Iron sheet covers made from galvanised iron sheets or stainless steel
sheets are well suited for this purpose. Corrugated cardboard sheets impregnated with bitumen
are also suitable. The air should circulate between the inner and the outer cover to keep
humidity from settling in between the two covers.
The outer cover is usually fastened or held in place by heavy objects (e.g. stones) to prevent if
from being carried off by strong winds.
Feeder
The feeder is used to feed the bees during the colder months. The constructions vary according
to the type of the hive. Some can be inserted in the cover, others in the bottom board. The
feeders can contain between a few litres up to 15 litres. An empty super, placed on top of the
brood box, can be used as feeder. A bucket is placed in the empty super. A support for the
bees, such as straw, corks or plastic parts, needs to be placed inside the bucket, as the bees
could otherwise drown in the feeding solution.
Advantages of the frame hive:
 The frame hive is the most popular hive worldwide, meaning that the material is widely
available and good value.
 The extension grows upwards, following the colony’s natural expansion.
 Frame hives do not require a beehive and can be left outside throughout the year.
 Frame hives allow for an easy, quick and adaptable operating method. The colonies can be
attended to from the top.
 Moving the hives (as well as transportation) is easily doable.
 For skilled craftsmen, it is easy to build the hives and frames.
 Few parts are required for the assembly of a hive. Cleaning the different parts is easy.
 The supers can be used for transportation and to store the combs. Transport boxes or comb
storage boxes are not required.
 In comparison to other types of hives, the frame hive is the least time-consuming over the
year.

3
Disadvantages of the frame hive:
 The honey supers have to be taken off and set aside during each inspection of the brood box.
 The operating method is physically more demanding compared to some other hives.
The trough hive
With this type of hive, the bottom board is attached to the sidewalls. The brood box is elongated
and the combs are usually parallel to the entrance. The brood box can be adapted to the size of
the entrance with an asp. Depending on the structure, the brood box can hold up to 20 combs.
Like in the frame hive, the honey super is located on top of the brood box, just above the
entrance.
Advantages
 Easy operating method, similar to a frame hive (adjustable brood box);
 Routine inspections do not require taking off the honey super;
 Small amount of parts, easy cleaning;
 The frames can be used for transportation and storage of the combs and no special
equipment is required.
Disadvantages
 Trough hives require a beehive stand or a beehive.
 Uncomfortable working conditions, for instance during the removal of the honey super.
 Bulky hives, making transportation cumbersome.
 Use of protective grating means that the brood nest has to be extended horizontally, so
against the natural expansion of the colony, which tends to grow vertically.
The Dadant hive
In this type of hive, the bottom board is also attached to the sidewalls.
Advantages
 The honey super is next to, or on rare occasions behind, the brood chamber. Both are
separated by a vertical grating and each comb is accessible after removal of the cover.
 It is easy to operate on the colony from above;
 The work is done on each comb separately, so that lifting heavy supers is not necessary;
 The hive is free standing and does not requite a beehive.
Disadvantages
 Large and heavy hive, making it difficult to move or transport.
 The combs are handled one by one, which makes it necessary to use transport cases.
 The honey is not stored next to the bees (behind the brood chamber is a little better).
 The expansion of the brood next is horizontal, so unlike the natural, vertical expansion of the
bee colony.

4
Rear Access Hive
Until the mid-20th
century, this type of hive was standard in Luxembourg and they were kept in a
special made shed (bee house). It has almost completely disappeared in contemporary
beekeeping.
Example of a 3-tier rear access top bar hive
Advantages
 The hives can be stacked.
 Lifting heavy supers in not required while working with the honey supers.
 Low food consumption;
 The honey produced in these hives usually contains less water than honey from other types of
hives.
Disadvantages
 Bee house is necessary;
 Depending on the structure, the hive is 2-tiered or 3-tiered, which limits the number to a
maximum of 3x12=36.
 2-tiered top bar hives (e. g. Alberti hives) are too small for today’s rather large colonies.

5
Frame dimensions
There are numerous frame dimensions and hive systems in Europe. Only those that are
commonly used in Luxembourg are listed below. The outer frame dimensions are indicated in
mm.
• Deutsch Normal
Until the first trials with frame hive in the 1970s, bees were mainly kept in top bar hives (Alberti)
with German Standard frames. This frame dimension was used also after the introduction of
frame hives.
Deutsch-Normal frame outer frame: 394/370 x 223
Apart from this one, there are:
Halb-Deutsch-Normal frame outer frame: 394/370 x 110
Anderthalb -Deutsch-Normal frame outer frame: 394/370 x 338
Flach-Deutsch-Normal frame outer frame: 394/370 x 159
• Langstroth
Langstroth is the most commonly used frame system worldwide.
Langstroth frame outer frame: 482/448 x 232
Langstroth-Halb frame outer frame: 482/448 x 137
Zander is a type of Langstroth widely used in Germany:
Zander frame outer frame: 475/420 x 220
• Dadant
Dadant-Standard frame (modified) outer frame: 482/448 x 285 (brood chamber)
Dadant-Standard frame (modified) outer frame: 482/448 x 159 (honey super)
Dadant-Standard frame (modified) outer frame: 482/448 x 137 (honey super)
! The length of the frame is identical for Dadant-Standard and Langstroth.
• Dadant-Blatt
The frame dimension Dadant-Blatt is mostly used in France, Italy and Belgium. Over the last
few years, its popularity has increased in Luxembourg.
Dadant-Blatt (brood chamber frame) outer frame: 470/435 x 300
Dadant-Blatt (honey super frame) outer frame: 470/435 x 159

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Double or single brood chamber
There is a debate about whether a hive system with a single, slightly larger, brood chamber
(such as Dadant-Blatt) or a hive system with two smaller brood chambers (such as Langstroth)
is better.
Frame hive with a single brood chamber (e.g. Dadant)
Frame hive with a double brood chamber (e.g. Langstroth)
Advantages of a single brood chamber
 Fewer frames per colony.

7
 Brood chamber is not subdivided, which is better for the bees.
 Fewer combs need to be inspected during swarming inspection and during the search for the
queen.
Disadvantages of a single brood chamber
 For large colonies, the brood is confined by the winter fodder in late autumn and winter.
 Exchanging old combs is more difficult: A box with frames with new wax foundations is placed
on top of the brood. The bottom box with the old comb can be removed at a later point in time
when the brood has hatched and the cells are empty (i.e. the queen is laying in the top box).
 A fully occupied brood chamber with plenty of fodder reserves is rather heavy and
cumbersome.
Hive material
Three different types of material are used to build the hives: Polyurethane foams (PU),
Styrodur and Wood.
Wood is more resistant than the synthetic materials, but PU and Styrodur have better insulation
properties. Regarding their environmental impact, the production of all three materials is valued
equally. Those who see themselves as conservationists or who care about sustainability should
not use any material that pollutes the environment during production or disposal. One should
also remember that the bee’s natural living space is the tree trunk, meaning wood.
Number of combs per super
Langstroth and Dadant Blatt are available in 10 and Dadant-Blatt also in 12 combs per super. In
order to occupy such a large brood chamber, a productive queen is required. Lifting full honey
supers with 12 combs is heavy work.
It is possible to place 9 instead of 10 (or 10 instead of 12) frames (thick combs). These combs
are enlarged by the bees and grow wider than the wooden frame, which is an advantage when
the combs are uncapped with a capping knife or tool. A potential disadvantage is that the honey
will have more humidity because it will be more difficult for the bees to dry the honey.

8
Final observations on hives and frame dimensions
A bee colony naturally expands vertically. Hive systems that can be extended vertically,
so frame hives, are thus better adapted to their nature.
The top bar hive (Alberti hive) doesn’t correspond to the requirements of modern
beekeeping, as it is not extendable and individual combs have to be moved, which is
time-consuming.
Trough and Dadant hives can be extended sideways or at the rear, are counterintuitive
for the bees. The advantage is however that no or very few heavy parts need to be
moved. The use of these systems by disabled or elderly people is justifiable.
The frame hive is standard in today’s beekeeping, with German Standard frame
dimension being the most common.
Because of today’s usual swarming prevention by removing cells and the easy retrieval
of the queen, the tendency is toward a hive with a single, large brood chamber. This
fact motivated many beekeepers to switch to Dadant. Dadant-Blatt is especially popular,
due to the wider offer of colonies and offshoots. Many beginners also choose this
option.
This document was translated thanks to the financial support of
natur&ëmwelt - Fondation Hëllef fir d'Natur.

© Bee Together beetogetherlux@gmail.com
0
Beehive Systems
The following text was written by volunteers of Bee Together and
based on information provided at an event in May 2014 and
November 2014 on beehive systems.
Langstroth Hive
Beekeepers using this system include Hubert von Dewitz, Clement Piette, Francois Kieffer,
Nikos Ververidis and the EIBee Club.
The Langstroth hive is used throughout the world. 75% of all beekeepers use Langstroth. It is
less known in Europe.
A similar system is Zander, just a bit smaller is size.
The Langstroth system:
 Has 10 brood frames per box.
 Has two boxes of brood per hive.
 Allows easy inspection for swarm cells as the top brood box can be tilted to look for
the cells.
 Allows small bee colonies to start in only one brood box and do not need a queen
separator.
 Can be used with half-sized boxes (supers) for honey that weigh 20 kg when full with
10 kg of honey.
 Can also be used with only one frame size.
Langstroth hive - The brown boxes are the honey supers that are half of the size
of the silver boxes that are brood boxes.
photo © Hubert von Dewitz
The silver aluminium paint reflects the sun. This prevents the hives from warming in the winter.
The warmth will encourage the bees to go outside to defecate ("cleansing flights") and they
may die if it is too cold outside. The warmth in spring may also encourage the hive to swarm.

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Deutsch Normal Hive (DNH)
Beekeepers using this system Raymond Kirsch.
In Germany most of the beekeepers use the Deutsch-Normal (DNH) hive system. The DNH is a
modified version of the Alberti hive, which is being worked from the back inside a bee house.
In a bee house, the hives are stacked above each other and next to each other.
Disadvantages
The DNH may be too small for some races of bees because of the selective breeding of bees for
stronger colonies that produce more honey that requires more space.
Zander
Beekeepers using this system: Claude Haan, Björn Lorenzen
Mr. Zander was a German scientist working with bees. He invented the Zander hive system. It
is used in Germany.
Zander is recommended by Dr. Gerhard Liebig and Pia Aumeier. (Ms. Aumeier is a regular
writer of articles in the monthly magazine Bienen-Zeitung.)
The Zander system:
 Has 10 brood frames per box.
 Has two boxes of brood per hive.
 Allows easy inspection for swarm cells as the top brood box can be tilted to look for
the cells.
 Allows small bee colonies to start in only one brood box and do not need a queen
separator.
 Can be used with half-sized boxes (supers) for honey that weigh 20 kg when full with
10 kg of honey.
 Can also be used with only one frame size.
 Proposes now 2 half-boxes with 5 frames each because of weight of the honey
super. See this link to beekeeping equipment supplier Holtermann:
http://www.holtermann-shop.de/popup_image.php/pID/4825&imgID=1
Advantages
These are the advantages of the Zander system:
 You need 20% less frames and boxes than DNH, being a bit bigger in size.
 The longer ends of the frames (ears) allow a better grip.
 The handles on the front and the rear of the boxes allow you to lift them up much
better than the other boxes of the other systems.
Dr. Gerhard Liebig has written a very good book on “Simple Beekeeping” with the Zander
system, but only in German. The Zander system is more or less limited to the German speaking
countries, where the Langstroth hive system is not so popular, which is again a bit bigger in
size.

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Dadant-Blatt beehive
Beekeepers using this system include Marc Thiel.
The Dadant-Blatt beehive is a system suitable for the commercial production of honey. It is the
most common system in Luxembourg used by more than sixty percent of beekeepers.
The Dadant–Blatt beehive consists of a solid floor (called a base
board), a brood chamber (1 or 2), one (or more) honey supers, an
inner cover and an outer telescopic cover. The super is a shallow
super having half the depth of the brood chamber. This makes the
handling of a super easier (a super full of honey weighs 25kg).
Unfortunately, this implies that brood chambers and supers (as well
as corresponding frames) are not interchangeable.
The brood chamber is the lowest box (1 or 2); one or more empty
supers (used for the storage of honey by bees) are added on top.
The Queen is limited to the brood chamber using a queen excluder.
This clear distinction of boxes between brood chambers and supers (honey stores) implies that
supers (and stored honey) are protected from any unpleasant odor that might be added by the
varroa treatment substances (like thymol) as this treatment is restricted to the brood chamber.
The brood chamber is the biggest one - compared to the Deutsch-Normal and Warré systems.
This allows big colonies to be developed in a single brood chamber (in Deutsch-Normal two
such boxes form the brood chamber) facilitating the beekeepers’ inspection work as only a
single brood chamber has to be opened and inspected. In addition, the development of big
colonies in the Dadant-Blatt systems makes it ideal for the exploitation of rich but short
melliferous periods. However, separators in the brood box must be used during the winter
months to reduce the volume of the brood chamber as the colony is becoming smaller; this
restriction in volume makes it easier for bees to maintain an adequate temperature within the
bee-sphere.
The Dadant-Blatt brood chamber has normally ten frames. However, there is also the 12-frame
Dadant-Blatt system that allows the development of even bigger colonies with a reduced
swarming tendency.
The Dadant-Blatt hive is very similar to Deutsch-Normal; the
main difference being that it has a unique brood chamber.
When the colony is growing and the brood chamber is getting
too small for the bees, supers boxes need to be added on top of
the hive so that the bees can store the honey in the upper levels
and therefore free up space in the brood chamber for larva.
In June the brood gets too small, we split it by taking 50% of the
frames and place them in a separate, empty hive.
Although the Dadant-Blatt is designed to be a bee-keeper
friendly hive with man-made foundations within the frames, it is
also possible to opt for natural comb building. In this case the frames will be placed without
Dadant-Blatt hive
Mini Plus hive for swarms

3
the printed foundations; one should expect in this case a less square shaped comb which will
make the manipulation of the frames and the honey extraction more difficult.
Hives must be placed perfectly horizontally as bees are buildings combs vertically regardless of
the hive’s slope.
Honey collection is usually done twice a year: May/June and Mid July. A bee excluder can be
placed on top of the brood chamber one day before the honey collection. This bee excluder is
a one way path that only allows traffic from the honey super to the brood chamber.
Bees must be fed from end of August to mid Sept using a feeder.
Smaller versions of Dadant-Blatt boxes (half-sized) can be used to incite swarming for the
creation of new colonies. Alternatively a separator can divide the hive in two.
Warré Top Bar Hive
Beekeepers using this system include John Park and Massimo Sabbatucci.
This hive is made up of at least 1 box. Additional boxes are added underneath. All boxes are
the same size. The honey super has the same size as a brood box. In fact, as the natural
beekeeping philosophy does not use a queen excluder, there is no concept of a honey super
and a brood box.
The system was developed by a French monk Abbe Warre.
It is thought of a particularly “Bee-friendly” as opposed to “Beekeeper friendly”.
The Concept:
The hive aims to simulate a tree-trunk and is closest to nature. Some purists prefer to use no
metal and no plastic in the beehive.
In this hive all boxes are the same, there is no excluder nor are there supers exclusively for
honey. Some glass windows can be installed to avoid opening and cooling down the hive.
The roof of this hive is traditionally chalet-style to help with ventilation
and internal climate, although flat roofs are also common. A quilt
under the roof allows for additional breathing and straw-sawdust in
winter. The parts of and plans for a Warré can be found here.
The colony starts in one box on a base board. The base board has a
grill that enables the hive to be ventilated. Sometimes a board is fitted
underneath the grill to catch debris that falls, which enables the
inspection of the hive (e.g. varroa).
It can also show where comb building is taking place (based on the wax
debris) or stores being laid down (pollen deposits underneath).
Once comb has been constructed for most of the first boxl, another
box is added underneath (Opposite to most other hive types!).
Warré Top Bar Hive with
Windows
photo © John Park

4
The queen will systematically lay in the top box. The queen then moves down (as it would in
nature) and starts laying in the box underneath the top box. By then, the brood in the first box
will have hatched, the cells will have been cleaned and the bees then start using this box for
honey storage.
Once the second box from the top is full of eggs, another (third) box is added underneath it. By
then, the brood in the second box will have hatched, the cells will have been cleaned and the
bees then start using this box for honey storage (and so on).
When queen moves to box 3, remove box 1 for honey collection.
The suggested maximum number of boxes is 4 to 5.
One disadvantage is that as the hive grows, putting a new box on the bottom becomes
increasingly difficult.
The boxes are stacked with the “barrettes” (top bars, which have the shape of an upside down
Toblerone chocolate bar) pointing towards the entrance in the summer as this aids cooling and
ventilation. In the colder months, the box is rotated by 90 degrees to slow ventilation and
enable the bees to keep the hive warm more efficiently.
As with all hives, the entrance points to the south or south-east (in the northern hemisphere),
ideally it catches the morning sun to wake our friends early so they can start work.
In winter at least one box of honey (12 to 15 kg) is left as food. Ideally no further feeding is
necessary. In the case of feeding, a feeder is installed in the quilt under the roof.
Frames & Harvest
With natural beekeeping, a Warré hive has top bars. Some people also use frames in Warré
hives.
As the top bars have no frames, the honey cannot be extracted using a centrifuge. Instead the
honey is either taken with the comb (comb honey) or squeezed in a press. In the case of
frames, the use a centrifuge may be possible if the honey has not crystallised.
Crystallisation in this type of hive is more likely due to the fact that
the honey stays in the hive longer.
It is thought that using top bars rather than frames may be
healthier as bees produce new comb each time (as the comb is
crushed at harvest).
There are several possibilities for separating frames or top bars to
create the bee space, there can be metal “toothed” spacer along
the top of the box or there can be different spacers on the
bars/frames themselves. A common system is the Hoffmann
system where the wood at near the side of the frame is wider that
the rest, thereby creating the bee space. This is more relevant to
the Deutch Normal and Dadant hive system.
top bars (with queen cage)
photo © John Park

5
Honey is only harvested once (in July – August) and opening of the boxes is kept to an absolute
minimum (although there are varying techniques ranging from purist to more flexible).
Treatment:
Ideally the hive is not opened (inspection through a window only) and some beekeepers do not
treat for Varroa. If treatment is done, it should be a natural product (formic acid and oxalic
acid). As the treatment affects the honey, the honey boxes foreseen for human consumption
must be removed.
Even if only the brood box is treated, this box will eventually become the honey box due to the
rotation of boxes.
Size
This hive is the smallest of the common hive types and consequently easier to handle. The sides
measure only 30cm. Compared to the other types, a box filled with honey is moved more
easily.
The hive can get tall and due to its comparatively narrowness, it is more likely to topple over so
location needs to be considered carefully.
Pollen harvesting
It is possible to add a pollen trap to the base of the hive. Care must be taken to harvest every
day (evening) to prevent moulding and to ensure that it is only collected for short periods as
harvesting is depriving the bees of a valuable resource (protein).
The trap has a mesh with very small holes allowing the bees to squeeze through and causing
the pollen which is attached to their hind legs (in the pollen basket), to fall into the trap. There
are also larger tubes above this which allow for the exit of drones (which would otherwise not
be able to leave the hive).
Warré Summary:
+++most bee friendly system
+++easy to handle boxes due to size
--- Can topple
--- Difficult to inspect
--- Difficult to prevent swarming (though natural beekeeping philosophy is to allow the bees to
swarm)
--- Not most efficient for honey production due to i) size of top bars / frames, ii) honey is for the
bees first as food for the winter and only the extra honey is collected and iii) risk of
crystallisation of honey if honey stays on hive too long
--- Care must be taken with treatment as it may/will affect comb and honey
Beehive Systems
If you would like to see the differences between the various beehive systems, the best thing to
do is to visit a beekeeping equipment supplier or attend a beehive systems event.

6
Broodminder
The BroodMinder is a professional-grade monitor expressly designed for the apiarist. Drawing
on our many years of consumer and scientific product design, we have created a device that
accurately logs hive temperature and humidity every hour for two years.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/broodminder-beehive-health-telemetry#/
Forum on Broodminder
http://www.honeybeesuite.com/broodminder/
Suppliers of Bee Colonies and Beekeeping Equipment
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-prepared-suppliers-equipment-and-bees
Bee Friendly or Beekeeper Friendly
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/beekeeper-friendly-or-bee-friendly-decisions-
decisions
Regulations on Having Bees in the City, Villages and Countryside
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/having-bees-in-the-city-villages-and-in-the-
countryside
Organic labels beekeeping in Luxembourg
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/organic-labels-and-beekeeping-in-luxembourg

7
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beehive
Parts Of A Beehive – A Beginner Beekeeper’s Guide
What are the basic components of a beehive?
Langstroth
Comparison of Warré and Langstroth:
http://mistressbeek.com/2010/09/19/top-bar-hive-vs-langstroth/
At bottom of the link are plans to build yourself a Warré and Langstroth.
http://thebeespace.net/warre-hive/ has some excellent information and illustrations
http://warre.biobees.com/ (includes a free pdf versionof AbbeeWarre’s book)
Varroa
http://www.slideshare.net/BeeTogetherLux/bee-informed-adult-bee-diseases-varroa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varroa_destructor#Varroosis
Varroa "Stop Treating"
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm
Managing Varroa
But any treatment of a colony against Varroa merely hinders the long-term co-adaptation of
bee and mite.
To treat or not to treat is thus a matter of personal choice. At the time of writing this, most
Warré beekeepers are not treating.
http://warre.biobees.com/methods.htm
Varroa - Dr.David Heaf on Treatment-Free Beekeeping
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gCY6EZkgxE

Beekeeping techniques beehive systems

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