Small problem

[Wombat2]

Because it is too big!

My new hive was struggling a bit because I added a 4 frame nuc into a 10 frame deep and the bee space was too much to keep warm. To help them consolidate I was advised to put them back into a two high nuc with a winter mat to keep the heat in a bit.

All was going well transfering the frames till I got to two home made frames that came with original nuc - they are a smiggen too long and won't fit in the box - can't even force them. They have brood on them so went into the bottom box with one end up and the top box overlapping one end and not quite there the other - there is about. 1 mm gap which I peresume the bees will plug.

Any ideas on tactics to work them out of the system ?

[amun-ra]

you live on the sunny coast they'll still will be warm enough in the big box for a few weeks.??
 

[Lone]

Put the brood frames on the wall of the hive.  Might not work in a nuc with a good laying queen, but it's usually the last place used for brood.  Remove when brood hatches.

Or else find where the frames are too big and maybe give them a quick shave with a chisel or dremel.

A double 8 framer is really not much larger than a 10 framer.  You could put in a board to reduce the space in the 10 framer as it sounded like the big frames fitted into the 10 framer? 

Too much space might not just cause cold trouble, but also sets the bees back.  They don't seem to build as quickly, as if the prospect of filling lots of empty frames is too daunting and they just give up.  It is also not good to have too many unprotected frames.  When bees cover frames it is harder for shb and wax moth to take over.  If you do have extra frames that bees are not covering, maybe put in plain foundation which is not appetising to those pests, until the numbers increase.  Keep the brood and built up frames together, and they will slowly work outwards when they are ready.  If you truly are having cold weather now, then you should move them up north  :)

Lone

[Wombat2]

It's the length of the frame that's the problem - won't drop down into the rebate - I've got some parts lined up for new boxes I think cut a wider rebate on one and swap the box

[rawfind]

I suppose the moral of this story is to run everything standard to make sure everything can be interchanged.

[jayj200]

put them back into the 10 deep
fashion a divider board plywood, masonite, even heavy cardboard
done
jay

PS yes you will need to block the ears or not how much heat could be lost from those little openings then they could defend against wax moth and SHB