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Dadant US beehives 

Looking to buy a new beehive? Then be sure to consider a Dadant beehive, such as the Dadant-Blatt or the Frankenbeute Dadant US. A Dadant US or Dadant US beehive, with its spacious design and proven efficiency, can be a valuable investment for any beekeeper, whether you’re just starting out or have kept bees for years.
Hives in the Dadant US size are designed so the colony can be maintained on a single brood box (brood chamber). One or two honey supers are then often added above the colony. The footprint of the brood box (brood chamber) and honey super is 50.9 x 50.9 cm. A Dadant US beehive holds 12 hive frames. You can choose to position the frames using spacing strips, or hang them 'loose' in the hive using Hoffmann frames. (It is also possible to work with 10 frames.)

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Showing 1 - 20 of 20 items

A Cornerstone of Modern Beekeeping

The Dadant US beehive (also known as Dadant US or Dadant US beehive) is renowned worldwide for its practical design and efficiency. Originally developed by Charles Dadant in 1863, this wooden beehive is a favorite among both hobbyists and professional beekeepers. Its beekeeper- and bee-friendly construction makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking to buy a beehive.

The Legacy of Charles Dadant

Charles Dadant, a French immigrant to the United States—hence the name Dadant US beehive, where US stands for United States—transformed beekeeping by improving the design of the Langstroth beehive. With larger brood boxes (brood chambers) and spacious honey supers (supers), he emphasized maximum honey production and a healthy bee colony. Over the years, various models emerged, such as the Dadant-Blatt beehive, which is widely used in Europe.

Innovative design for efficient beekeeping

The design of the Dadant US beehive is characterized by a two-part structure with a brood box (brood chamber) and one or more honey supers. This allows inspections and harvesting honey without disturbing the brood, simplifying colony management. You also don’t need to lift heavy brood boxes (brood chambers) off each other during inspections. A notable variant is the Frankenbeute Dadant US, made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). This version offers excellent insulation and durability. The required hive frames and beeswax foundation for a Dadant beehive are available in various cell sizes to meet the needs of the beekeeper and the colony.

Choosing the right materials

Material choice for a Dadant US beehive is critical to performance. Wood (such as red cedar) is praised for its natural resistance to rot and good insulating properties. Pine is also popular due to its affordability, although it often requires a bit more maintenance. Other softwoods can be used, but generally demand extra care. Expanded polystyrene is gaining popularity thanks to its light weight and excellent insulation, while plastic hives require less maintenance, they are less natural than a wooden Dadant US beehive.

Advantages of the Dadant US

One of the key advantages of choosing a Dadant US (Dadant US beehive) is the large brood box (brood chamber). This allows beekeepers to keep strong colonies without needing multiple brood boxes (brood chambers). It promotes natural colony expansion, increases productivity, and reduces stress on the bees. Due to its larger dimensions and higher capacity, the Dadant US beehive is particularly suitable for commercial beekeeping, where high honey yield is important. Managing one large brood box (brood chamber) also saves time and effort compared with multiple smaller boxes.

Points to consider

Despite the many advantages, there are also some challenges associated with the Dadant beehive. Full brood boxes (brood chambers) and honey supers can be quite heavy, which can make harvesting demanding. Weight is often seen as a drawback—both from the large hive frames and from the hive itself. However, if you keep the hive in a fixed location, choosing a Dadant US beehive is certainly worth considering.

Essential components of the Dadant US beehive

A standard Dadant US beehive consists of several important components, including the brood box (brood chamber), honey supers, bottom board, inner cover, and a roof or outer cover often made of galvanized steel. The queen and brood are housed in the brood box (brood chamber), while the honey supers are used exclusively for honey storage. The bottom board with landing board provides stability and serves as the entrance for the bees, and the outer cover protects against the weather. If needed, a feeder can be added for supplemental feeding after the honey harvest or to boost a colony.

Dimensions and capacity

The standard dimensions of a Dadant US beehive are approximately 509 mm by 509 mm. The brood box (brood chamber) frames are about 48.2 cm long and 28.5 cm high (including lugs), and there is room for up to 12 hive frames. There are also hives that hold 10 frames; these are narrower, and of course there are 6-frame nucs such as our EPS range. These generous dimensions provide ample space for colony growth and honey storage.

Dadant US vs. Dadant-Blatt

Although the Dadant US beehive is used mainly in North America and parts of Western Europe, the Dadant-Blatt is more popular in Europe. The designs are very similar, but differences in the size of the hive frames mean they are not fully interchangeable. The Dadant-Blatt is designed to minimize beekeeper intervention and offers a more efficient way of management, which many beekeepers appreciate.


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