Additional brood box - above or below existing brood box

[Etton]

Straight forward question. Thinking of giving Q more space to lay, should new brood box go above or below existing?

 

[Excession]

Below.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

drawn comb or foundation?
Get it above, move a few frames from the middle of the bottom box up to the top box, move the rest of the bottom frames to the middle and the foundation an the edges.

 

[Tom Bick]

There is no standard way. Personally I like to place on the bottom. Bees naturally move down during the season and if the empty box is on the bottom they tend to only use the extra space they need. I would be careful placing an empty box on the top at this time of year as it could get very heavy and full of honey.

 

[For want of a better word]

Neither or either... move the frame around as JBM rightly reccomendicates!

Nos da

 

[Arfermo]

I always have done as Tom Bick says for the explicated reasons he gives. Faffing around per others unnecessary.

 

[Etton]

It would have to be all foundation as no available drawn comb

 

[Finman]

.
If I looked right place's forecast, next week day temps are in Yorkshire 15-10C. It is cold.

For weather reasons box is better to give down. So brood area's heat does not escape up, or here and there.

Last week we had 26C but now this week it is 11-14C. And almost storm.


.

 

[Eyeman]

If you want new drawn frames from foundation then its best above the brood box. All that extra heat help them draw it out. Best way to get fresh newly drawn comb.

 

[jeff33]

drawn comb or foundation?
Get it above, move a few frames from the middle of the bottom box up to the top box, move the rest of the bottom frames to the middle and the foundation an the edges.

You can do half and half with brood but keep them next to each other with stores on the outside.

 

[Poly Hive]

The first question is how many frames of brood has the colony at this point?

PH

 

[Vortex]

If you want new drawn frames from foundation then its best above the brood box. All that extra heat help them draw it out. Best way to get fresh newly drawn comb.

 

[Excession]

Which direction do bees draw wax naturally? Up or down?

Don't fight it, go with it.

 

[Finman]

If you want new drawn frames from foundation then its best above the brood box. All that extra heat help them draw it out. Best way to get fresh newly drawn comb.

The heat is meant to brood. Bees surely draw foundations when colony expands.

Comb drawing is not so important under 15C day temps. Probably they do not draw them until they get nectar from nature..

If bees are not able to keep 36C temp in brood nest, they reduce the area of brood and eate part of brood.
I have seen, how they rise up to upper box and they killed 1/3 of brood.

But I have never met a colony, which does not draw new combs.
Question is, that if you demand them to draw combs, when their instincts say, NO, you only harm the hive,

.

 

[Finman]

.
[look forecast and think, what you are doing

 

[Etton]

Went in today and have 4 undrawn frames in brood box, so have not added another. What is half and half ( sorry to sound thick!) does it mean half deep brood frames and half honey frames in same box?

 

[Finman]

does it mean half deep brood frames and half honey frames in same box?

If you leave empty space into the box, bees love to fill it with dronecombs.

 

[Finman]

Went in today and have 4 undrawn frames in brood box, so have not added another?

4 empty frames is much space in the hive.
If you have mesh floor, close it.

 

[wessexmario]

Went in today and have 4 undrawn frames in brood box, so have not added another. What is half and half ( sorry to sound thick!) does it mean half deep brood frames and half honey frames in same box?

If you have 4 undrawn frames in the brood box I wouldn't add another brood box yet.


Half and Half.

Start with your existing brood box and an empty brood box.
Move every second brood frame into the new box, keeping them in the same order.
Now you have half of the frames in each box.
In each box, slide all the frames together in the centre.
Add new frames with foundation (or drawn comb if you have it) to each side of each box to fill.
Now you have a central column of brood, with the spare laying space on each side of both boxes.
The bees will use it as they need it.

 

[Poly Hive]

Etton? How many frames have brood in them please?

PH