Adding double brood NOW? Pls advise

[Clemcook]

Hi guys,

Advice greatly appreciated!

Right here is my dilemma, I finally figured that no matter how much I try the girls need to be on double brood I've got one of my hives on double brood and doing absolutely fine no issues.

I have another one which I am concerned about and could perhaps be getting a little too packed. I've learnt from past experience that if they don't have enough space they will swarm! I haven't been able to do proper inspections because of the weight of the supers and the effort it takes for me to get down to the bottom they end up utterly annoyed. the last time I had a good look in the brood box was probably about 3 1/2 weeks ago and at that point there was plenty of space.

My question is based on experience would between now and the winter be enough time for them to comfortably fill enough of a second box to get through the winter? The Queen's are pretty prolific? Or would having a second brood box not what effect the overwintering?

The option that I was also thinking of would be just to give them a super to lay in?

I've only ever taken the one hive through a winter on double brood I haven't been in the fortunate enough position to have three until this year.

Thanks in advance

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would give them a drawn super under the QX.
Next year I might think about moving to 14x12

 

[Clemcook]

I would give them a drawn super under the QX.
Next year I might think about moving to 14x12

Thanks, I was worried about the full bb.

I'll give them what I currently have which is freshly made supaframes I'm sure they will draw them out in time and they certainly don't have any problems laying in them!

 

[enrico]

Whereas..... I would add a second brood box below the first. They will use it if they need it but it won't create heat loss later in the year if they don't. I added one six weeks ago to one hive and they just haven't used it. No problem. I will take it off before winter if it is still empty. But it is there just in case! I am really going off brood and a half!
E

 

[Clemcook]

Thanks,
if it was partially filled for example by the winter and I left it on would they just move to the upper brood box to conserve heat?

These guys are quite busy and I've already lost one through a swarm this year so I'd rather be on the side of caution without causing any deliberate issues by adding the extra box

 

[Swarm]

Give them a second brood as Enrico says and use insulated partition frames to dummy them down a bit. Maybe six to eight frames?
It's how I run my doubles.

 

[Clemcook]

Give them a second brood as Enrico says and use insulated partition frames to dummy them down a bit. Maybe six to eight frames?
It's how I run my doubles.

Thanks good ideas, what do you use to insulate your dummy frames, please?

 

[Swarm]

Make up brood frames minus the wax and cut a piece of 25mm recticel to fit inside. Tape up the edges with aluminium tape. I put these outside a normal dummy board and provide whatever number of frames they need, mine are usually 16 - 18 frames.

 

[Clemcook]

Make up brood frames minus the wax and cut a piece of 25mm recticel to fit inside. Tape up the edges with aluminium tape. I put these outside a normal dummy board and provide whatever number of frames they need, mine are usually 16 - 18 frames.

Brilliant tip! Thank you, I'll certainly be using this idea.

Thanks again
Clementyne

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I would give them a drawn super under the QX.
Next year I might think about moving to 14x12

Or double brood.

 

[For want of a better word]

Brood plus 1/2 ( as others have said) most of mine overwinter nicely that way, and gives the option to nadire the super* if you wish!

* the box that takes SN4 sized frames.

Chons da

 

[Erichalfbee]

Or double brood.

I hate having two brood boxes. I suppose it’s a personal thing.
I’m quite happy with 14x12. You just have to be careful with the brood frames in the heat.

 

[roche]

I'm not fond of large frame sizes for overwintering - I prefer brood and a half, as it seems to decrease opportunities for isolation starvation. I seem to remember Polyhive saying something about Dadants in Scotland which seems to bear this out.

 

[enrico]

If it was partially filled they would move the stores up and in the spring the queen would start laying under any stores that are left. Think about it, if they move all the stores to the top of the hive before winter then as they eat it they need less and less food to keep the reducing space warm. That is why, on a cold day, if you can see the cluster at the top of the hive then you know stores are probably low.
Easy to remember, they store stores from the too down and eat stores from the bottom up.
E

 

[Poly Hive]

Craibsone had a Dadant and it was never a success due to several factors. The wood was very thin, the frame size and despite insulate dummies it never thrived.

National double broods work very well and there is no risk of isolation starvation if you put fondant on the topbars under an eke with good insulation on top. If the bees don't want the space below they just move up. Just as they do in the proverbial tree.

I wouldn't hesitate to add another brood box at this time, if the bees need it they will use it and if not there's no harm done.

PH