Double Brood versus Brood and Half

[BILL.HEARD]

I used to run a number of hives with D.B's, there is more labour involved looking through two sets of combs however when checking for swarming just splitting the boxes and looking at the underside of the top box you could usually see if Q.C's were present.
If the season was bad we would take as much honey as we could from brood combs and replace with syrup.
Supers were always used for honey never brood.

 

[luckydunny]

Thanks

Thanks to everyone who has posted a reply to my original post.
As always lots of views and all help a novice like me to review my practice after first 6 weeks.

Hey does that mean that all the worker bees present have hatched since I started!!!!

 

[oliver90owner]

Emerged, possibly but not too likely; 'hatched' - no.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Good for you. I am sure there will be beginners out there that would not consider using a spirtit level as the secret of good comb drawing - and how many absolute beginners start with artificial swarms?

Quite a few start with swarms...

BBKA News: page 11. Like many new beekeepers my first colony was a prime swarm given to me by a member of my local association sortly after completing an introductory course in beekeeping....(Richard McRae).

Similar principle I think...

 

[Haughton Honey]

Don't forget the Commercial box.

70,000 cells as opposed to the 50,000 in a BS National brood box.

I'm running both double National brood and the Commercial brood at the moment and am enjoying the Commercial experience to date

However, I'm also using BS National brood boxes as supers too, irrespective of whether they're double National brood or Commercial.

Ho hum.

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

//

 

[Mike a]

In my humble opinion the aggressive / arrogant tone of certain "contributers" is making this forum less appealing than it would otherwise be. Experience does not justify a lack of basic manners.

I agree.

But don't worry just like the bees when the main flow stops they get tetchy, once the flow picks up again they will calm down and behave or suffer the wrath of he who must be obeyed....

The all powerful Admin

 

[luckydunny]

Don't forget the Commercial box.

70,000 cells as opposed to the 50,000 in a BS National brood box.

I'm running both double National brood and the Commercial brood at the moment and am enjoying the Commercial experience to date

However, I'm also using BS National brood boxes as supers too, irrespective of whether they're double National brood or Commercial.

Ho hum.

Thanks White Park Cattle.
You have got me thinking that I could use my spare National Broon boxes as Honey supers and then run brood and a half using my National supers, (of which I have less).
I appreciate weight issues but does appear a sensible use of existing kit.
Or am I missing the point?

 

[Crg]

Nothing IMO Steve. Plenty manage perfectly well with single BS brood boxes. One beek I know runs over 200 all on single BS boxes.

The particular bees you have might only require a single BS brood box, but there are other bees and other climates in the UK, and I'd certainly recommend trying your bees with more brood space and seeing if they do better.

Having too little space is worse than having too much space if you want your bees to perform well.

A single national brood box would certainly be far to small for my bees in my area.

 

[Skyhook]

I seem to recall reading that, if using double brood, the boxes can be swapped over as a swarm control method- I think the idea being that the honey arch gets moved and creates extra space. Can anyone throw any light on this?

 

[Black Comb]

Here's my 2 penneth.

In my short time in beekeeping I have used national double brood, national brood and a half and single jumbo L/s box.

Single jumbo - easier to manipulate and I usually run 9 frames + dummy giving the approx. cell equivalent of 14 x 12/commercial. Also only 9 frames to inspect but they are heavy to manipulate. I can increase to 10 if a prolific queen.

Double brood. As stated disadvantage of lifting a full b/b each inspection. However, it does have advantages, esp if you use the a split board when you can demaree, horsley or snelgrove. I know several who snelgrove last week in may each year (before if queen cells) and run 2 queens until autumn and then unite down to 1 b/b + super for overwintering. A simple management system. Also do this for going to heather.

Brood and a half is not as bad as some make out and someone said earlier (Hopit I think) you can transfer the laying super for winter feeding underneath.

 

[DontWorryBeeHappy]

Admin, Well intervened.

Manners cost nothing. Some of the "frank" replies on this sight are a little too "frank."

 

[kazmcc]

A beginners opinion. After a year of using a national brood and super as brood and a half, I find it messy, and I am always snapping brood apart. I just know one day I will cover my queen in stickiness and lose her.

Dunno what I would change it too. I've been too busy learning about keeping bees with what I've got, I've not quite grasped the different hive types as yet.

 

[OXFORDBEE]

Kazmcc,

If you lean one edge of the top brood box on the bottom brood box (like a hinged door before you close it) and puff smoke along the top bars (bottom box) and bottom bars (top bars) then you will push the queen away from the top bars and bottom bars before you close up the boxes. If you are really worried then you can always use a wedge to keep the boxes apart and puff smoke in the gap before withdrawing the wedge. I do hope this paragraph makes sense!

To be honest, its more probable you will clunk the queen when pulling out a frame rather than squishing her when you close up the boxes.

Don't worry; with a bit of care you'll be fine..!