Brood box - 1 or 2?

[fionastennings]

This is my first year with 1 hive,
should I have 1 or 2 brood box per hive,
someone told me with 2 brood boxes they have plenty of room & don't tend to swarm.
whats every ones thoughts on 1 or 2 brood boxes?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

someone told me with 2 brood boxes they have plenty of room & don't tend to swarm.

'someone' isn't much of a beekeeper then.
all depends on type of bee - and type of hive really. When bees want to swarm, you can give them all the room in the world, and they will still go. It's all about managing your colony and preempting their moves.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Swarming should not be an issue at this time of year - something for 2020. Therefore the immediate concern is getting the colony ready for winter. Firstly with varroa treatment and secondly to give them enough food for winter. A 'full sized' colony may need more than one brood box - say a super of food. A colony that has hardly drawn a full brood box of comb from a nuc this year, will probably be OK with a full brood box. You can give fondant in late winter, but your aim should be that you don't need to.
In Spring, you may need to use 2 brood boxes but this depends on the bees and forage and something to decide upon at the time.

 

[drex]

If they have got to this time of year on one box, then keep them on one, but ensure that any cells not being used for brood are full of stores when you shut them up for winter. Next year if they are running out of space for brood come late spring/ early summer, then add another brood box. Let the bees tell you what they want rather than a book or an " experienced" beekeeper. If you added what type of hive you are using to your profile you could get a more detailed answer.
Most of my colonies need double brood, but some are happy on single.

 

[fionastennings]

'someone' isn't much of a beekeeper then. LOL - this was from a beekeeper in Canada where I used to live, all her hives (about 30ish) were all double brood boxes. Her hives were Langthroth - probably spelt that wrong!!
my hives are national - Ive had them about 3 months, they don't seem to be doing much, still a few frames not even pulled out yet. (compared to my friend in Canada - her bees were incredible strong, used to get about 4 supers full of honey per hive and as vicious as hell!! mine seem very placid (and lazy) compared to hers.

 

[Poly Hive]

Can we start with the basics which is the UK and Canada have very different climates? I have seen bees in Canada in late September at a stage utterly impossible in the UK. Then we have the not so minor issue of microclimates.

Please forget anything from North America and start learning from competent local people. My timings up here some 300 miles north of you are of no use and so on....

Welcome to the forum there are some very knowledgable people on here and some no so.... like all forums.

I should add I run doubles and most of my colonies will offer to swarm due to the bee I keep not the hives.

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

'someone' isn't much of a beekeeper then. LOL - this was from a beekeeper in Canada where I used to live, all her hives (about 30ish) were all double brood boxes. Her hives were Langthroth - probably spelt that wrong!!
my hives are national - Ive had them about 3 months, they don't seem to be doing much, still a few frames not even pulled out yet. (compared to my friend in Canada - her bees were incredible strong, used to get about 4 supers full of honey per hive and as vicious as hell!! mine seem very placid (and lazy) compared to hers.

It all depends where you are and what bees you are keeping
They need to stay in one brood if they haven’t even drawn all their frames?
Have you had a super on?
Any beekeeper who suggests, especially to a beginner, that giving bees more room will stop them swarming is vastly mistaken.
You’re in Lincolnshire. You will be swamped with oil seed rape honey next year. Patience