Double Brood Mistake?

[irishbeee]

Having made 5 colonys from single to double brood about 3 weeks ago, im after getting a huge amount of drone brood built in the top box.
The boxes were added with frames of worker foundation, on top of the original brood box a week before i moved them to osr.
There was a good flow and most frames were drawn out within 2 weeks,
Theres plenty brood and stores in the top boxes but huge patchs of drone brood, mostly along the sides and bottoms of the new frames, did the bees draw these cells larger for nectar first and did the queen lay drone in them once the nectar was used moved?
Ive clearly made a balls of something along the way im just not sure what it is or how to avoid it next time. They appear to have made a right mess of new foundation, Any thoughts or advice appreciated, Cheers

 

[Finman]

.
Is it same in all 5 colonies?

Colonies need free space in hives that they can do drone cells. Otherwise they situate drone cells here and there and may reformulate foundations to drone cells.

I use langstroth frames. I may cut 1/3 off from comb, that they ha a certain site to draw drone combs. At same time I use two this kind of frames. Then later I cut them off to catch mites. And bees do then new drone combs.

 

[eltalia]

Presuming it is FD (8 or 10frm) boxes deployed yes that there is inviting expansion on a flow where
no QX is fitted. Bees see the twin opportunity of space plus forage to make prep for reproduction.
The drone cell size will be built on 'standard' foundation. Where drawn worker size comb is used
they will tear down sections to rebuild in drone size.
Finny lays out how to accomadate both bees and yourself in providing space for drone comb in the
broodchamber.

You will be handed differing arguements for double brood configs, a wise b'keep will dismiss these
to reduce to a single FD for10frm configs and a single FD plus one medium/ideal/WSP/Manley for
8frm configs.
That there is the dinkum oil.
Help?

Bill

 

[irishbeee]

Yes its the same in all 5.
There all b.s national broods with 11 frames in them, Im not opposed to a bit of drone comb i just wasnt expecting 30 or so percent of the new comb to be drawn out for drone, it seems to be a waste of resources having that many drones, If i break down the drone brood i assume they will rebuild it as drone again instead of worker? Or should i use the combs in question as a deep honey super once they have hatched out instead? Thanks for the input

 

[Redcap]

Too much too soon??

As an alternative to doing 14x12, with one of my colonies I'm thinking of adding a second brood chamber, with foundation,and at the same time place a super above that(separated by an excluder of course)...my aim being to get increase in population and space for honey. BUT, am I asking too much of the bees too soon, or should I just crack on??..

 

[Ian123]

Irishbee youve not made any mistake bees will draw what they want, was the foundation old or damaged they can be a little more creative in that case, by worrying about efficiency you are probably over analysing the situation

 

[Poly Hive]

I run double brood and always put the 2nd box below with no issues.

Try it and see.

PH

 

[Redcap]

As an alternative to doing 14x12, with one of my colonies I'm thinking of adding a second brood chamber, with foundation,and at the same time place a super above that(separated by an excluder of course)...my aim being to get increase in population and space for honey. BUT, am I asking too much of the bees too soon, or should I just crack on??..

On the bottom....ok, right, I’ll give it a go, thanks.

 

[Finman]

.
It has happened sometimes to me, that when I have put foundation against the cold sidewall, bees often tear the worker figure from the foundation, and they make large drone areas. When I have noticed that, I do not put foundations agaist cold wall.

Perhaps low temperature inspires them to make drones.

My bees and brood are now in upper box of the double , and bees go down to first box when they get enough new bees. It takes time because old wintered bees will die first and then colony will expand.

 

[masterBK]

Drones are naturally reared on the edges of the broodnest both in terms of the outer combs of the broodnest and on the edges of the combs within the broodnest.

 

[irishbeee]

the temperature had indeed dropped a bit when the drone comb was built and for the most part it seemed to be on the outer edges of the brood nest, the foundation was less than a year old. thanks for the help