Do i need to reduce brood boxes

[Swarm]

Let's not take this thread down that route again. I did point out that " three frames of brood and stores" I was reading as three brood frames since the OP described frames of honey in the top chamber.
It could be a single frame of brood and two of stores but I doubt it. So if there are seven frames of brood, personally, I would leave them as they are (as I have in my own circumstance) as I don't see the merit of shuffling frames to make one chamber, with the worry of do they have enough stores later on.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Precisely, I agree with you. Now I'm going to dose myself up with the finest chemical nirvana my doctor has prescribed me and try for a pain free evening

 

[Finman]

It could be a single frame of brood and two of stores but I doubt it..

There are so many kind of brood frames. Impossible to say If I have not seen any.

.However, brood amount is important in wintering. You may allways add sugar to stores.

It is difficult formula, if you try to gather winter stores and at same time to rear much brood.
It is better to extract honey and give syrup for winter. As I said, big amount of brood is better goal than honey stores for winter.

.

 

[ichbinpaul]

There are so many kind of brood frames. Impossible to say If I have not seen any.

.However, brood amount is important in wintering. You may allways add sugar to stores.

It is difficult formula, if you try to gather winter stores and at same time to rear much brood.
It is better to extract honey and give syrup for winter. As I said, big amount of brood is better goal than honey stores for winter.

.

So quite simply put, always try to have large numbers of bees, and dont concentrate on the honey as you can always feed, seems simple enough.

 

[Swarm]

Yes, I agree. Seven frames of brood is very healthy and of course, the honey could be extracted and syrup fed later. In my opinion the current set up as it is sounds ideal for the winter.

 

[Finman]

, seems simple enough.

Capped stores limit the brood area because bees occupy vain capped combs and keep them warm. And to where they put nectar and pollen?

Better to keep simple. One factor, like cold rainy weathers may spoil badly build up of colony. Big colonies are really easy to overwinter.

 

[itma]

Yes, I agree. Seven frames of brood is very healthy and of course, the honey could be extracted and syrup fed later. In my opinion the current set up as it is sounds ideal for the winter.

The double brood sounds fine, but the super of honey as well raises a concern for me.

I'd say get the super off, extract it and enjoy -- unless you have been feeding syrup ...
And get the Queen Excluder off as well.

Now, what has been done about varroa?


/ and for next season, weekly inspections for Queen Cells, and enough spare kit to be able to do an Artificial Swarm by your (pre-)chosen method would be a better idea than simply hoping that an extra box will stop them!

 

[Finman]

The double brood sounds fine, but !

Douple brood over winter is needed, if the colony has 12-15 brood frames before winter feeding.

My hives had in summer 6-7 boxes, but now most of hives have only one wintering box.

Extra room in winter makes only trouples to bees.

 

[drstitson]

Super and QE off.
rationalise brood boxes down to 1 box with all the brood and made up to full complement with some stores frames.
remaining frames either keep til spring or extract to feed back to bees.

 

[Swarm]

post removed

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Better to keep simple. One factor, like cold rainy weathers may spoil badly build up of colony. Big colonies are really easy to overwinter.

Seems like a few of us in the UK suffered from some of the early September weather and are hoping to catch up in late sept/early Oct in terms of winter cluster size.

 

[BCBEE]

Let's not take this thread down that route again. I did point out that " three frames of brood and stores" I was reading as three brood frames since the OP described frames of honey in the top chamber.
It could be a single frame of brood and two of stores but I doubt it. So if there are seven frames of brood, personally, I would leave them as they are (as I have in my own circumstance) as I don't see the merit of shuffling frames to make one chamber, with the worry of do they have enough stores later on.

Hi Guys and sorry to start a row. what I meant by brood stores should have read brood and stores so the brood is in the middle of the frame and the stores around the outside in the "normal pattern" ie on the edges and corners.

I hope that sorts out the confusion
Phill