Conversion from Brood-and-half to DBB?

[Paulypaul]

My first year keeping bees. I have 2 colonies, both now strong. One larger than the other.
The larger colony is in a hive consisting of a National brood and half (a super box) set-up, with a QE and then a super for honey, on top.

The situation
Brood box: Bees covering every frame. a couple of semi-drawn frames, which I just chequerboarded.
Half-brood box (super box): Bees covering every frame. 3 frames of brood, in various stages, rest is capped and uncapped stores.
Honey super (separated by QE): Most frames are full of uncapped honey.

I have plans to expand to 5 hives, in the spring. So, an overwintered DBB would be very useful.

How do I..
Switch from brood-and-a-half to a double brood box? - the bees are thriving, they will fill 2 brood boxes - or is it too late in the year?

Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's too late in the year, I would stay as you are for now, then put a QX between the brood and the half in spring, once all the brood has emerged (In the half) I would then give them a second brood box on top of the existing one and use the previously brooded shallow as your first super

 

[enrico]

..

 

[ericbeaumont]

is it too late in the year?

Agree with JBM.

No harm in leaving them on B+half over winter, but watch how the nest contracts during the next few weeks, and if you reckon they would fit one BB better, remove and extract the half (if no brood present, of course).

 

[Ian123]

If there’s brood in the half simply place under bb now, feed and treat as normal. In the spring bees should hopefully have vacated the super, I’ll also often reduce space on the first inspection if bees aren’t filling a bbl box but I’ll inspect early! Then as soon as needed add second brood.

 

[Paulypaul]

Agree with JBM.

No harm in leaving them on B+half over winter, but watch how the nest contracts during the next few weeks, and if you reckon they would fit one BB better, remove and extract the half (if no brood present, of course).

Do you think I should put the top half-filled super on my 2nd colony, which has filled their brood box?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Do you think I should put the top half-filled super on my 2nd colony, which has filled their brood box?

That's a decision only you can make, with the proviso that the colonies enter autumn as strong as you can make them.

If you go for it, unite it on top with newspaper, but make sure you don't transfer the queen!

 

[JamezF]

It's too late in the year, I would stay as you are for now, then put a QX between the brood and the half in spring, once all the brood has emerged (In the half) I would then give them a second brood box on top of the existing one and use the previously brooded shallow as your first super

Having made sure the queen is below the QX, I assume?

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Having made sure the queen is below the QX, I assume?

James

of course

 

[ericbeaumont]

put the top half-filled super on my 2nd colony?

Did you go for it, Paul?

 

[Paulypaul]

Did you go for it, Pa

Did you go for it, Paul?

Thanks for asking.

Inspected at the weekend, bees are packing out the 2 supers, which was an unexpected situation. We're now back in a heavy flow here. So, I left as is.

I also noticed the Queen is back into heavy laying; so 3 shallow frames are now packed with eggs. This weekend, I'll move the QE down over the single BB, hopefully forcing laying into the full available BB space.
If I play my cards right, I may end up with nearly 2 supers of honey, from a May swarm. Would be excellent to get a decent number of jars of honey to gift neighbours, friends and relatives.
Next year, they're paying.