{"product_id":"oz-armour-painted-brood-box-wax-dipped-mesh-bottom-board","title":"OZ ARMOUR Painted Brood Box with Lid - Wax-Dipped Mesh","description":"\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Right First Box for a Nuc, a Package, or a Split\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA common mistake with a first colony is giving it too much room. A five-frame nuc dropped into a big multi-level hive has to heat, patrol, and defend a space it is nowhere near big enough to fill. The bees spread thin, the brood nest cools at night, and every empty corner becomes somewhere for small hive beetle to settle in unnoticed. What a young colony actually wants is a snug, well-built single box it can fill out at its own pace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat's what this is. One full-depth \u003cstrong\u003eOZ ARMOUR brood box\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003e22mm New Zealand pine\u003c\/strong\u003e, assembled, painted white and ready to use, with a lid on top and a \u003cstrong\u003ewax-dipped mesh bottom board\u003c\/strong\u003e underneath. It comes in 8-frame or 10-frame Langstroth sizes, with or without wax-embedded frames.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy One Box Is the Right Place to Start\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNucleus colonies, package bees, and splits all begin the same way: a modest population, a queen, and a lot of comb still to draw. Kept in a single box, that population stays dense enough to hold brood temperature through cool spring nights, and bees can cover every frame, the best defence against beetle and wax moth. Once outer frames are drawn and the box is getting crowded, add a super on top, growing the hive as the colony does, not ahead of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e22mm NZ Pine, 3mm Thicker Than Most Imports\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost imported hives use 19mm timber. Thicker walls buffer the brood nest against hot afternoons and cold nights, and the timber is far less prone to warping through wet winters and dry summers. Kept painted and up off the ground, this box should last \u003cstrong\u003e15 to 20 years or more\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWax-Dipped Mesh Bottom Board: Beetle Control and Varroa Monitoring\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBees chase beetles toward the floor. On a solid board, beetles hide in corners. On this board, they \u003cstrong\u003efall through the mesh into a removable tray\u003c\/strong\u003e and can't climb back out, dust it with diatomaceous earth for a trap that works every day of the season. The same mesh supports a natural varroa mite-drop count, coat the tray lightly with petroleum jelly, leave it 24 to 48 hours, then count, no opening the brood nest required. The board is dipped in hot beeswax rather than painted, sealing it against moisture for life with nothing to recoat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's In the Box, and What's Not\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou get the brood box, lid, and wax-dipped mesh bottom board. Choose the frames option for a full set of wax-embedded frames included. A second box, smoker, hive tool, and protective gear are not included, this is a hive, not a starter kit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e8-Frame or 10-Frame\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e10-frame\u003c\/strong\u003e is the Australian standard, giving the queen the most laying room, though a full box is heavy. The \u003cstrong\u003e8-frame\u003c\/strong\u003e is noticeably easier to lift and manage, useful for balconies or tight suburban blocks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single full-depth Langstroth brood box, assembled and painted\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTimber:\u003c\/strong\u003e 22mm New Zealand pine (3mm thicker than standard 19mm imports)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExterior:\u003c\/strong\u003e Painted white; interior unpainted natural pine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLid:\u003c\/strong\u003e Included\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBottom board:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wax-dipped mesh with removable tray for beetle trapping and mite counts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSizes:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8-frame or 10-frame\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFrames:\u003c\/strong\u003e Optional at checkout, wax-embedded\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExpected lifespan:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15 to 20+ years with basic care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"OZ ARMOUR","offers":[{"title":"8 Frames \/ No Frames Required","offer_id":40389158830165,"sku":null,"price":169.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"8 Frames \/ Wax Embedded Frames","offer_id":40389158862933,"sku":null,"price":229.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Frames \/ No Frames Required","offer_id":40389158895701,"sku":null,"price":169.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 Frames \/ Wax Embedded Frames","offer_id":40389158928469,"sku":null,"price":244.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0062\/5029\/9477\/files\/Newfolder_2_-2.webp?v=1780116985","url":"https:\/\/www.beekeepinggear.com.au\/products\/oz-armour-painted-brood-box-wax-dipped-mesh-bottom-board","provider":"Beekeeping Gear","version":"1.0","type":"link"}