Bit confused

[Brigsy]

Hello,

I visited my associations last(ish) outdoor meeting of the season today. Most of the colonies are nationals on brood and a half. All had a nice arch of stores in the upper half brood, and the nest below.

All were swapped to below the full brood, which I understand is quite a popular option,and I understand why, but isn't it a bit late to be doing this? Surely now the stores are below the bees and they might not be able to re arrange the stores back to above, and if not, they are above their food already?

Or does this sound like the right time of year to do this? Not trying to bad mouth my lot, but I didn't really get a clear answer.

 

[Millet]

Hello,

I visited my associations last(ish) outdoor meeting of the season today. Most of the colonies are nationals on brood and a half. All had a nice arch of stores in the upper half brood, and the nest below.

All were swapped to below the full brood, which I understand is quite a popular option,and I understand why, but isn't it a bit late to be doing this? Surely now the stores are below the bees and they might not be able to re arrange the stores back to above, and if not, they are above their food already?

Or does this sound like the right time of year to do this? Not trying to bad mouth my lot, but I didn't really get a clear answer.

Brood and a half Nadired.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If they are run as brood and a half throughout the summer - bit daft IMHO to be swapping them around just for the winter and yes, it is a tad late to be doing it.

 

[Brigsy]

Hmmm. Thanks.

 

[Millet]

We mere Mortals only put supers below that have store/food in them NOT brood. can you imagine the work the bees would have to do if you pulled the hive to bits and put a super of brood bellow.
I hope you where not mentally offended with my first reply as that was not intended to hurt your Grey matter.

 

[Brigsy]

Not a clue. Anyone?

 

[BeeJayBee]

I visited my associations last(ish) outdoor meeting of the season today. Most of the colonies are nationals on brood and a half. All had a nice arch of stores in the upper half brood, and the nest below.

All were swapped to below the full brood, which I understand is quite a popular option,and I understand why, but isn't it a bit late to be doing this? Surely now the stores are below the bees and they might not be able to re arrange the stores back to above, and if not, they are above their food already?

If the 'half' frames were only honey then there's probably nothing to worry about but it would be an unusual thing to do if those frames were half full of brood and could mean that the brood gets chilled - although, equally, it might not.

The other thing is that you have to read the hives and local conditions. For example, some beekeepers in our area are only just beginning to sort out their hives for the autumn because they've not long finished taking off the heather crop, which makes it a bit later than usual but it is in tune with what the colonies are doing.

There's no harm in your asking the apiary managers why they did what they did, and keep asking until you're happy with their explanation. They should know the local conditions better than we can.

 

[Brigsy]

Hi, thanks. It was only stores that went below. I think I have misunderstood what the bees need for winter or maybe the time scale to get it done by. They are going to have to move it back above them again no?

 

[enrico]

It depends a little on if the brood box was full of stores too. If so then no harm done but if there was brood then they will fill the cells as they become vacant with the stores from the box that is now at the bottom. I have left all my half broods on the top this year, I will sort it all out next spring.
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi, thanks. It was only stores that went below.

Were the cells capped?

 

[Brigsy]

Yes.

 

[Brigsy]

It depends a little on if the brood box was full of stores too. If so then no harm done but if there was brood then they will fill the cells as they become vacant with the stores from the box that is now at the bottom. I have left all my half broods on the top this year, I will sort it all out next spring.
E

Cheers.

 

[Magwat]

Personally, I would only put a box below the brood if the stores were uncapped and if I wanted to be able to remove the box in spring.
Mostly my colonies are on permanent brood and a half and I leave them to overwinter on whatever configuration they have ended up with by the end of the summer.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes.

Then a bit daft to nadir them then - they'd sorted the nest (brood and stores) out for the winter and then some donk comes along and scrambles it all up.

 

[REDWOOD]

The whole purpose of nadir is so the bees can process unripe honey that you find in your supers when you take them off, just like bees move nectar around the hive when there is a flow on and before spring build up the super can be replaced on top of the hive.

 

[Vortex]

I'm going to echo Jenkinsbrynmair and Magwat.
I run brood+half all year round. By mid September the bee have sorted their winter configuration which would now resemble their native habitat in a hollow in a tree .. honey at the top brood at the bottom.
That configuration is how they remain through the winter. Moving the stores below the bees is effectively like cutting a tree in half an re-assembling it in the opposite order - crown below roots).. just plain daft and a recipe for isolation starvation later in the winter.
If you want to nadir a brood and a half, not that I can come up with a reason for doing so, then use an empty super or one that just has foundation or dummy boards in.
If you have honey or excess frames you want them to store put them above the crown board, although it's getting late to do that as well.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks. I have left my personal brood and a half as you do, and for the same reasons. It makes sense to me.

I can't see why my association has done this at this stage.

 

[enrico]

I wouldn't critisice how and what they do, won't make any friends, just watch and learn. the way you keep bees is your own preference and the chances are others will always do it differently. Good to ask here though if you are not sure, that way you get other ideas at the very least.
E

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks yeah, I'm eyes open and mouth shut.

 

[For want of a better word]

Let them alone and they will come home wagging their tails behind them .....
.... the way the bees have been packing away the ivy this late season would dictate the above??

Yeghes da