Booming hive, what next?

[Cobbydaler]

It’s my first year and have two hives, one of them is absolutely booming and is full to the brim. What is best to do next with them??? Make a split? Add a second box? Or leave them? Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Erichalfbee]

More info.
size of box type of bee frames FULL of brood frames of stores is there a super.

 

[Cobbydaler]

They are in a national brood box. Came from a five frame nuc in June seem to have plenty of stores and brood. No supers on

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They are in a national brood box. Came from a five frame nuc in June seem to have plenty of stores and brood. No supers on

Yes, but how many frames of brood? and when we say brood, frames full of it not just a bit in the middle.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. sorry a bit more info.
Likely a June nuc is not strong enough to split and at this time of year you would be adding a mated queen if you were making a nuc to over winter

 

[REDWOOD]

If the hive is crammed then I would add a super. The last thing you want is a hive swarming this time of year as you need strong colonies going into winter. Split is an option and buy a mated queen but you can do that next year in swarm season

 

[Cobbydaler]

I’ve just been into them to have a look so I can answer the questions better there are 5/6 full frames of brood and they are very full. There’s a few what looked like queen cups. Hope the pictures help. I also have a second colony that has been hives around 5 weeks that still has plenty of work left to do, could I strengthen that hive with some from the other?

 

[Cobbydaler]

Some more pictures

 

[drex]

that "cup" looks a bit more developed than a cup. Is there a larva or jelly in it, in which case it is a queen cell. Further advice depends on your answer

 

[Cobbydaler]

There didn’t look to be any jelly in it, certainly no larvae

 

[enrico]

I would add a brood box under the present one. If they need to use it they will do. Do not add a queen excluder. In spring they will have moved out of the bottom box and you can take it off again. It may even leave you with some spare drawn brood frames. It is a bit dependant on what forage you have at this time of the year but that brood box may well save a swarm
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[Cobbydaler]

Forgive my ignorance, but why will they have moved out of the bottom box by spring? Sounds a good idea in theory, possibly having some drawn frames would be very handy next year

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Good idea to add a brood.... Let them boom in spring and split

 

[drex]

Forgive my ignorance, but why will they have moved out of the bottom box by spring? Sounds a good idea in theory, possibly having some drawn frames would be very handy next year

They move up as they eat through the stores and it is warmer nearer the top. Not a theory, works in practice.

 

[enrico]

Forgive my ignorance, but why will they have moved out of the bottom box by spring? Sounds a good idea in theory, possibly having some drawn frames would be very handy next year

The basics are as follows. Bees will put their stores at the top of the hive and lay immediately below. As the stores increase the brood will go down the hive. When winter comes and the brood has gone the bees will start eating from the bottom up. Heat rises to the top of the hive so as stores get low they need to use less energy, therefore consume less stores as they move up the hive. So....... The bottom boxes will always be vacated first and the top box will be the last one they use. The queen will start to lay below any remaining stores. Hope that explains the reasoning!
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