Double Brood Box

[Finman]

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If you have dadant brood box, give next normal super.

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[farbee]

You don't have to ....leave them on a double bb, at the end of the winter...about January ( depending on what winter has been like) lift the top brood box and remove the one underneath it. It will definitely be empty of brood and will probably be empty of food. If it is cold the bees will all be in the top bb. You can then clean it, look at the frames and re use again the next year if necessary.
E

Hi Enrico,

Mind did not do this!! For some reason they stayed in bottom box. Will be trying to reduce to one brood box to overwinter this year.

 

[peteinwilts]

I have experimented a lot over the last couple of years. Not saying I this method is best... just have not found one better that works for me.

Last year I did some double broods, but when they start filling the top box with honey, it is a real killer on the back.

My 'current' preferred option is to go brood and a half, then if need be, 1/2 again. mid-late August, encourage HM to go downstairs (timing dependant on amount of brood!). If flow is sufficient, upstairs brood will hatch and be replaced with honey....

Naturally, if there are too many bees, you leave a half on.

 

[enrico]

Hi Enrico,

Mind did not do this!! For some reason they stayed in bottom box. Will be trying to reduce to one brood box to overwinter this year.

Maybe i should have used the magic word.....usually!

 

[Haughton Honey]

I often overwinter on double brood if the colony is very strong going in to the autumn.

Generally, I've found that they do very well indeed and can be split the following year and have a new Q introduced to the Q- brood box.

 

[Finman]

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Basics of wintering are missing:

reduce the bee room as small as possible beforer winter feeding.

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[beeno]

I have experimented a lot over the last couple of years. Not saying I this method is best... just have not found one better that works for me.

Last year I did some double broods, but when they start filling the top box with honey, it is a real killer on the back.

My 'current' preferred option is to go brood and a half, then if need be, 1/2 again. mid-late August, encourage HM to go downstairs (timing dependant on amount of brood!). If flow is sufficient, upstairs brood will hatch and be replaced with honey....

Naturally, if there are too many bees, you leave a half on.

Hi Pete,
Thanks for that info. It was going to be my plan and it's nice to know it has been done before!

 

[itma]

... Last year I did some double broods, but when they start filling the top box with honey, it is a real killer on the back.

Definitely not needed for overwintering 14x12's.

I wonder WHY Haughton Honey thinks it necessary with Commercial BBs, and HOW on earth the things are shifted.

 

[fiftyjon]

If it works for their management then so be it.

Some colonies I over winter on double brood (National) but if the colony isn't very big then single brood but once they start to expand in the spring they have a second brood box very quickly. The double brood colonies will not always have the full compliment of frames in them, usually eight below and eight above with dummy boards at each side.

If the box is too heavy to lift in one go, remove the frames individually then move the box.

I'm not fussy if I have honey in deep frames or shallow frames. I can extract them and the honey is just the same.

 

[yeogi75]

If it works for their management then so be it.

Some colonies I over winter on double brood (National) but if the colony isn't very big then single brood but once they start to expand in the spring they have a second brood box very quickly. The double brood colonies will not always have the full compliment of frames in them, usually eight below and eight above with dummy boards at each side.

If the box is too heavy to lift in one go, remove the frames individually then move the box.

I'm not fussy if I have honey in deep frames or shallow frames. I can extract them and the honey is just the same.

 

[Graham40]

I have one Colony on a triple broodbox 2 14x12 plus a standard then 2 national suppers, all full, I'm going to have to bust it up when I extract the suppers this week. I will produce at least 2 nucs from it. plus 2 box's of honey maybe 3 if the standard box turns out to be honey as well.
14 x 12 big? its big but it won't stop HM filling another 2 box's.

for what its worth Finmans right in what he said about where to put the new broodbox

 

[fiftyjon]

I have one Colony on a triple broodbox 2 14x12 plus a standard then 2 national suppers, all full, I'm going to have to bust it up when I extract the suppers this week. I will produce at least 2 nucs from it. plus 2 box's of honey maybe 3 if the standard box turns out to be honey as well.
14 x 12 big? its big but it won't stop HM filling another 2 box's.

for what its worth Finmans right in what he said about where to put the new broodbox

It is nice to have huge colonies where they will occupy many boxes, it makes it interesting when you might need to do an A/S with it as well.

 

[Graham40]

Very usefull when you need to replace losses, also keeps them from swarming if your raiding them for Nucs, particullarly if they've started drawing out queen cells which its counterpart had done. I've already split that one up. I got five nucs in the end.. well they haven't given up trying to swarm yet so lots more lovely queen cells to collect. Even if they do get away I still have 5 replacements, I would bump of HM but shes given sterling service and is a 2 yearold anyway so if they want to replace her I'll let them have their way.