Double brood decision

[its.only.money]

Hi.
I'm in my third season, running BS Standard nationals and for the first time just made a decision to double brood a colony.

Background... last year I obtained a nuc locally which was only my second colony. The bees in this colony seemed much harder working than the previous one I had. After giving the nuc it only took a week to fill the brood box with drawn comb. Previously colony this had been much slower. This second colony has come through winter really well.

Today I inspected and the super I had put on a couple of weeks ago was full and largely capped. When inspecting the brood chamber that had 1 frame of stores and 9 of BIAS. Eggs just about in every available space. Even had eggs in the holes of capped patches where bees had emerged. No swarm cells were found. So I have added a second brood box with undrawn frames, but just left the one full super for now with QE in between 2nd brood and super.

I have read about brood and a half but not found many who say good things about it, hence decision for 2nd brood.

I've not managed double brood before so 1) does it sound like I've done the right thing. 2) Any suggestions /advice/hints on running double brood gratefully received.

Many thanks!

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[Ian123]

All looks good to me, I will often have a brood box full of foundation as super on 1 hive at a site and pull any honey bound frames when doing inspections. Once colonies are a decent size you can pull a frame of stores from the edge and slip a frame of foundation straight into the middle, its normaly drawn and laid in well before your next inspection.

 

[enrico]

In my opinion yuou cant go wrong with a double brood but brood and a half can be a right pain. I have two on brood and a half at the moment. I have vowed that I will never do it again. It makes splitting too difficult when double brood would make it so easy!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

It amazes me how many end up with brood and a half despite all the info on here sayings its a PIA.

Double brood is simple and efficient. I have one that may be going to triple.

PH

 

[Millet]

In my opinion yuou cant go wrong with a double brood but brood and a half can be a right pain. I have two on brood and a half at the moment. I have vowed that I will never do it again. It makes splitting too difficult when double brood would make it so easy!
E

X2..

 

[jeff33]

They will need food to draw the 2nd bb and with the weather going back to its normal self this week, nectar may come in slow. Keep an eye out on their store. Did you put the 2nd bb below or above the existing one?

As above, dble bb makes sense as you have lots of options for managing the hive. I transferred today a dble nuc in a full hive and had to put it in dble straight away due to the lack of space for the queen to lay.

 

[its.only.money]

They will need food to draw the 2nd bb and with the weather going back to its normal self this week, nectar may come in slow. Keep an eye out on their store. Did you put the 2nd bb below or above the existing one?

As above, dble bb makes sense as you have lots of options for managing the hive. I transferred today a dble nuc in a full hive and had to put it in dble straight away due to the lack of space for the queen to lay.

They currently have a full super, and I was guessing that some of that would be used to draw the frames.
I just put the 2nd bb above the existing one, and the super above that.
Does that make sense?

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[jeff33]

I tend to put mine below the existing one so I don't separate brood nest from stores and bees tend to move downward. It's my preference though.

 

[Curly green fingers]

I tend to put mine below the existing one so I don't separate brood nest from stores and bees tend to move downward. It's my preference though.

I agree putting the second brood below is a better option they move down in spring and up in the winter but no worries you have done the right thing either way works perhaps putting it above you will get more stores than brood just keep an eye on what there doing good luck.

 

[jeff33]

And joys of dble brood, if this happens you can move frames around and it's no headache!

 

[its.only.money]

Many thanks All. Just a bit of reassurance is sometimes all that's needed.

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[Poly Hive]

I add my 2nd BB under the first, and quite often that coincides with supering.

PH

 

[SteveG]

It was suggested when I asked same question.

While OSR flow is on add 2nd super when ready, drive both supers down into 2nd brood box, giving you double brood and 2 supers of honey.

 

[SWEET]

Out of interest, when is the latest you could add a second BB, end June?

Thanks

 

[Poly Hive]

I wouldn't consider that late at all, if they are expanding give them the space.

PH

 

[SWEET]

Thanks, up till now I've used single brood so will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Modern queen's need double brood... I made mistake of putting a brood above old one got filled with osr honey lol

 

[eltalia]

Modern queen's need double brood...

There is the first of any reason given in this thread so far as to _why_ one
would build 2xBrood - just a shame such a statement is total garbage..!
Where on earth has this "modern queen" line sprung from?


Bill

 

[SWEET]

Modern queen's need double brood...

They seem to have faired fine the past 3 years on a single BB, did you make this up?

 

[Poly Hive]

No.

Since the 50's and before then bees have needed bigger brood boxes than a single national which being honest is pretty small. The Glen hives I bought some of which were made in 1941 (date was on them in pencil) took 24 Nat brood frames so basically its a case of (again) outmoded books and teaching. Usual suspects involved: the hidebound BBKA.

It's not your fault you were taught rubbish.

PH