Auto-harvesting honey frames are engineered specifically for the standard Langstroth hive infrastructure. They are designed to fit directly into the honey supers—the upper boxes used for surplus honey storage—while the lower boxes remain unchanged for the colony's brood and food reserves.
These frames function as a modular upgrade to the industry-standard Langstroth hive, replacing only the frames in the upper collection boxes rather than requiring a completely new hive system.
The Standardized Platform
Built for the Langstroth Configuration
Auto-harvesting frames rely on the precise dimensions of the Langstroth hive. This is the most widely used hive type in commercial beekeeping, characterized by vertically stackable rectangular boxes.
Because these frames are designed as a modification to this specific standard, they are generally incompatible with other hive styles, such as Top Bar or Warré hives, without significant customization.
A Modular Approach
The technology is designed to be retro-fitted into existing setups. You do not need to replace the woodenware (the boxes themselves); you simply swap the internal frames within specific sections of the hive.
Strategic Placement Within the Stack
Targeting the Honey Supers
Installation is focused exclusively on the honey supers, which are the upper boxes of the vertical stack.
This placement allows the auto-harvesting mechanism to extract surplus honey without disturbing the colony's core living quarters.
Preserving the Brood Chamber
The lower boxes, often referred to as deeps or brood chambers, continue to use standard Langstroth frames.
This ensures that brood rearing and the colony's primary food storage remain on traditional foundation. The queen and the developing larvae are kept separate from the mechanical harvesting components in the upper tiers.
Understanding the Trade-offs
Hybrid Management Requirement
Adopting this technology results in a mixed-infrastructure hive.
While the extraction of honey in the upper supers becomes automated, the lower brood boxes still require traditional manual inspections. You must still physically manipulate the standard frames below to check for disease, queen health, and swarming intent.
Dependency on Vertical Stacking
This system reinforces the vertical expansion method inherent to Langstroth hives.
If your apiary management style prefers horizontal expansion (long hives) or non-standard dimensions, these frames will likely not fit your infrastructure requirements.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
- If your primary focus is equipment compatibility: Ensure you are using standard Langstroth boxes, as the frames are dimensioned specifically to fit this hardware.
- If your primary focus is colony health: Continue using standard frames in the lower boxes to maintain traditional, rigorous inspection protocols for the brood nest.
By utilizing the Langstroth standard, these frames allow beekeepers to modernize extraction while maintaining familiar husbandry practices for the colony's core.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Auto-Harvesting Frame Compatibility |
|---|---|
| Primary Hive Type | Standard Langstroth Hive |
| Installation Location | Upper Honey Supers Only |
| Brood Chamber | Standard Langstroth Frames (Manual) |
| Box Compatibility | Retro-fits into standard woodenware |
| Incompatible Styles | Top Bar, Warré, and non-standard horizontal hives |
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