Hi, just purchased nuc to go into new Flow Hive.
Weather cleared today here in NSW, Australia, and I have installed. But…am confused. Have installed the 5 frames from the nuc, and 3 more frames into the brood box and I have a gap that I assume shouldn’t be there, but is too tight for another frame? Any ideas, apologies if it’s a stupid question!
Hi Jon.
There was a recent question (and answers) on a similar thread. Try search with magnifying glass icon (top right) for…
“Setting up brood box”
Sorry - not sure how to link it…
Edit: Here’s a link -
Hi Jon, this is normal just push the frames tight together and towards the centre leaving an equal size gap on the outer edges.
This the space you can use for inspections by levering each frame towards that space making it easier to remove frames when they are fully drawn. Make sure you push all frames back together when done.
Jon,
Hey bro … that gap has puzzled more than one new n old beekeeper ! 
. Looks like couple people have you filled in here.
Don’t sweat the space … Your right space but not wide enough for a nineth frame. Don’t even try that. Just take your hive tools n squeeze the 8 frames to the center leave no wide gaps between them … Centering leaves equal gap at each outer wall frame. Bees 
don’t seem side or bridge comb those two outer gaps. So not an issue.
Curious about your frames … I know the Nuc frames are filled out. Did you get a very mature (extreme full), average or lean Nuc ? And are you using foundation or foundationless outer frames.
Just a thought … if foundationless I’d might slide the Nuc frame with food/honey to the outside giving your girls a guide one both side for at least one side. Not sure 
your Nucs would be strong enough to do on both outer sides. That might be pushing their bee nunber recsourse.
If those extra frames (lighter color/New) are foundationless … inspect about once a week to check n correct creative honeycomb building. Using this sandwich method I’ve been able to greatly reduce or stop much sideways comb bullding which can be a pain or cause lots of grief down the line trying to maintain!
Here’s several pix’s n a drawing 
for you ! Hopefully these are helpful.
Good luck n Happy beekeeping.
Gerald
Sorry Jon for a silly question but what do you have on top of the frames?
Hi Carolyn, do you mean Gerald?
Thanks Dan, that helped!
Perfect, thanks, very useful!
Great, thanks for the help, much apprecated!
Carolyn,
If your referring to me (Gerald) n not Jon … There is plain granular white sugar forward that I pour on top of waxed paper n sprinkle bit of water to harden up. The Carmel colored pattie to the back is a winter food for my bees should they run out of honey.
Up here in the Northern Hemisphere near Seattle our bees will usually consume 60 to 80 lbs of amber gold. Some winters our bees don’t down size from 80,000 down to maybe 15-20,000 workers they eat too much to fast thus the top frame emergency food supply.
There are other type of winter bee foods. But this is what I use out here in the Cascade Mtn foothills each winter so my girls safely survive out long, wet, cloudy winters. Hope that answers your question.
Cheers n Happy beekeeping,
Gerald
Thanks Gerald. We get cold winters here with occasional snow. I am thinking of running two honey supers left full for winter is this ok or do I need to feed too?
Carolyn,
If it’s chilly enough there for winter snow a double medium or double deep might not be a bad idea. I’m on the west coast (inland near the Cascade Mtn foothills) SE of Seattle 25 miles. Our winters are long wet n cool so my bees use up a lot of supplied before Spring flowers. Some years they even use up the emgency winter patties I add on top the upper box.
Here’s my winter setup … we have a short moisture cushion on top under the inner board n roof. It helps us greatly reduce the condensate the can collect under the inner lid. The cloth n wood chips inside collect n dispensate the extra wetness !
Cheers n good luck,
Gerald
