Brood box terminology

[DanBee]

The only thing that slightly worries me is whether this is what happened when I 'lost' the queen before - that she's a little bit smaller than the average and had already slipped from the brood box through the QE into the super before I removed it

Not sure if I read you right, but that wasn't what I was alluding to Assuming the queen cannot pass through the QX, but the rest of the cluster can, there is a risk with a QX in place over winter that the cluster ends up nice and warm on one side of it, the queen cold and stiff on the other side.

 

[nelletap]

At a slight tangent, the man I got my bees from was explaining he uses two normal brood boxes but he adds a wide dummy at each end. My mentor did encourage me to go for a 14 x 12 national brood box as I am in the 'M4 corridor' but I was worried about lifting them and have stayed with a normal sized brood box. Having two normal brood boxes would mean extra lifting of a box larger than a super, but it would be lighter with fewer frames. I could see other advantages. For example, could the wider dummies be good insulation? Would removing one dummy at the beginning of an inspection meake it slightly easier to move frames?
Something else that suits me is to have a 'spare' stand or I guess a double width stand so that I am not having to move the boxes through such a height - it is more of a horizontal movement. For real newbies, the increase in weight when the cells are full of honey is quite significant.
It might sound I am obsessed to the extent that perhaps I should not be keeping bees. I am just trying to make sure that I can continue as long as possible.
Tricia

 

[steve_e]

Thanks Dan - I know what you mean about leaving the QE between deep and shallow brood, having done this with one hive and been corrected over new year (fortunately in time to avoid a disaster).

No, back in October and November, before removing the QE and settling them down for winter I'd found no brood and no Queen over almost two months, and was worried I'd lost the Queen - but I think that during this period she must have escaped through the QE and I didn't think to look for her or brood in the shallow BB (or super as I was regarding it back then).

As I said, a catalogue of errors really. I had to move my four colonies for a large part of the summer due to some building work at our home, lost one in the temporary place to a massive wasp attack, medicated them late due to all the moving, left supers and a QE on that I ought not to have done, and various other panicky newbie stuff. So I'll be looking to improve in their eyes this year.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

.
It might sound I am obsessed to the extent that perhaps I should not be keeping bees. I am just trying to make sure that I can continue as long as possible.
Tricia

Haha! Quite the opposite, as an obsessive I think you're in the right hobby

 

[Hombre]

Something else that suits me is to have a 'spare' stand or I guess a double width stand so that I am not having to move the boxes through such a height - it is more of a horizontal movement. For real newbies, the increase in weight when the cells are full of honey is quite significant.

It makes very good sense and saves a lot of stress from bending to lift heavy boxes from ground level. Anything reasonable to give you an advantage and extend the years that you can effectively continue manage your bees.

I am of course hoping that you are thinking well into the future. You sound very sensible, to me.

 

[nelletap]

As you say, hopefully continue well into the future. Got my first sting over last week and so excited to see the spring activity of the bees.