I switched to using all 8 frame medium boxes for both brood and honey supers.

2. I switched from
the traditional
double-deep brood
boxes to all
8-frame mediums
with a top
entrance.

3. BushFarms.com/bees.htm

4. If you look at
the catalogs,
it seems to
take a lot of
equipment to
keep bees

5. Even this can be simplified. . . .

7. Free hive stand
* Consider
flooding issues

11. I switched to all
8-frame mediums:
– lighter
– all equipment
interchangeable
– easier to manage

13. I only need to stock:
– one size frame
– one size foundation
– one size box
When I buy these, I
get a better price
than if I were to
spread my order over
different sizes.

14. Oops! Someone put a medium frame in a deep
hive body.

15. Often brood frames in deeps don't get completely
drawn out and filled.

16. Medium fully drawn
Brood isn't chilled by bottom entrance and SBB.
Queen can lay all the way to bottom of hive.

18. In 10 frame hives, the outer frames are often
ignored.

19. Management:
– taking a medium frame from a hive has a smaller
impact (1/32 vs. 1/20)
– splits are easier
– by the box
– pulling frames from multiple hives to make up a
new hive

28. The bees
seem to like a
top entrance
just fine . . . .

30. To deal with heat:
-- offset bottom box
Excessive heat didn't seem to be a problem;
I saw little bearding, and no more than with
a bottom entrance.

31. Top entrances don't get blocked
by snow, ice, or dead bees

32. Top entrances are less prone to
pests such as mice and skunks

33. Feeding with quart
and half-gallon
mason jars

39. 8 frame
equipment is
treated as a
“specialty item”--
but this is
changing

41. My hives consist of
three pieces of
wooden-ware.