Editing Langstroth hive (section)

=={{anchor|Bee space}} Bee space==
A dimension of '''7 ± 2 mm''' ({{cvt|7.0|±|2.0|mm|in|frac=64|disp=out|adj=on|abbr=on}} or roughly {{cvt|5|-|9|mm|in|frac=8|disp=out|adj=on|abbr=on}}) is the usual size meant when '''bee space''' is referred to. This setup has been established for the brood chamber, as for honey storage, the comb distance can be different.<ref name="JungelksP_(2021)">{{cite book |last1=Jungels |first1=Paul |title=Imkern Praxis-Handbuch zu einer anderen Imkerwelt : Biene, Beute und Betriebsweise, Auslese, Zucht und Genetik, Varroaresistenz durch Zuchtauslese |date=2021 |publisher=United Bees Verlag |location=Ismaning |isbn=978-3949291012 |pages=42 |edition=1 |url=https://unitedbees.com/verlag/sortiment/pauljungels-imkern/ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> 

Dr. [[Jan Dzierżon]], a Polish [[apiarist]], had determined the correct spacing for the top bars in beehives in 1835. The distance between combs had been described as {{convert|38|mm|frac=16|adj=on|abbr=on}} from the center of one top bar to the center of the next one. In this case, the distance between combs is 
{{convert|14|mm|frac=8|adj=on|abbr=on}}; that is, twice the medium bee space of 
{{convert|7|mm|frac=8|adj=on|abbr=on}}.<ref>Bienen-Zeitung, November 1845 & January 1847, Frauendorfer Blätter (11) 1846</ref> 
Later, in 1848, Dzierżon introduced grooves into his hives' side walls, to replace the strips of wood from which the top bars had earlier been hung.<ref>Bienen-Zeitung, January 1850</ref> The grooves were {{cvt|8|x|8|mm|frac=16|abbr=on}}. 

In Europe, both Dzierżon and fellow apiarist Baron [[August von Berlepsch]] had been focused on side-opened hives. Land resources for beekeeping was limited, and traditionally, multiple beehives had been kept in a single beehouse. The so-called bee space had been incorporated by Berlepsch into his frame arrangement (Bienen-Zeitung, May 1852) following Dzierżon's discovery that grooves added to inner walls remained free of propolis (1848). Thus, the correct distance between frame side bar and hive wall was already understood by some European beekeepers before 1851.

Langstroth's patent of 5 October 1852 adopted {{convert|3/8|in|mm|abbr=on}} as the upper limit of the bee space, slightly larger than optimal, between the side bars of a frame and hive wall, and also reserved rights to use the distance {{convert|1/2|in|mm|abbr=on}} between top bars and inner cover, the latter of which represents a gap larger than optimal. The term "bee space" was coined later than Langstroth's 1852 patent.

Langstroth had been aware of Dzierżon's discoveries before he submitted his patent application. In the summer of 1851, he was introduced to Dzierżon's work by Samuel Wagner, who had visited Dzierżon in his apiaries in [[Silesia]] and subscribed to {{lang|de|Bienen-Zeitung}}, the journal in which Dzierżon published his apiarian works, and who had translated {{lang|de|Theorie und Praxis,&nbsp;...}} from the [[German language]] original (though the translation was never published). Langstroth expressed great respect for Jan Dzierżon, saying, "No words can express the absorbing interest with which I devoured this work. I recognized at once its author as the Great Master of modern apiculture".<ref>"Reminiscences" ''Gleanings in Bee Culture'' XXI, 116-118</ref>