Jambage® Frame

When you open the hive in spring and see the bees building their own comb on a Jambage® frame, without foundation or wires, you realize something has shifted. You’re giving them back control over their inner structure—and that shows in the colony’s balance, harmony and organization.

The Jambage® frame is made of wood, with no wax foundation or wires, and includes a diagonal bar that reinforces the comb and divides the space into two zones. This encourages a balanced construction, with bees working from both sides and meeting in the middle. The result is a symmetrical, stable and 100% natural build.

This frame isn’t meant to replace standard frames, but to complement them. Ideally, you should add one (maximum two) per hive, placing them only in the brood chamber and keeping them separated—never side by side. It’s best to position them at the edges of the brood nest, next to a reserve frame, and avoid placing them in the center at first.

When given the freedom to build naturally, bees tend to produce a higher proportion of drone cells. This isn’t a flaw—it’s a natural way to rebalance the genetic structure of the colony. The typical result is around 30% drone and 70% worker cells, which improves thermal regulation and stimulates worker activity.

Once drones emerge, the larger cells are often reused to store pollen or honey, which frees up space in the worker cells and helps prevent brood nest congestion. Additionally, the Jambage® frame can be used as a biotechnical tool to control varroa: simply remove the capped drone brood before emergence to eliminate many reproducing mites.

What makes the Jambage® frame truly valuable is that it enables natural wax renewal, since the bees build everything from scratch. With no reliance on possibly contaminated foundation sheets, the resulting wax is pure and healthy. That’s why it’s recommended not to keep the same frame for multiple years: ideally, it should be removed after the season, and if it contained a lot of drone brood, melted down. This makes the Jambage® frame an effective tool to renew old wax and maintain a healthy hive environment.

Usage tips:

• Attach a 1.5 cm wax strip to the top bar using hot liquid wax.
• Place it at the edges of the brood nest, next to a food frame.
• Avoid placing it in the center during first introduction.
• Do not place two Jambage® frames side by side.
• If there was significant drone brood, consider removing it at the end of the season.

Designed by Bernard Nicollet in 2005, the Jambage® frame supports a more natural and intuitive approach to beekeeping. When used properly, it improves colony organization, prevents brood blockages, supports healthy wax renewal, and strengthens overall colony health.