Double brood +

[bjosephd]

Do you think by doing so, the bees fatten the comb and draw skinny combs on the foundation.

So is this a general argument against chequerboarding?5060151482631
9781785150296

(those numbers are bar codes... I am at work in a bookshop and forgot to change screens when I scanned someone's purchases in... don't tell my boss I am on the beekeeping forum at work behind the till!)


Anyway... chequerboarding causes fat comb and skinny comb?

B

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you think by doing so, the bees fatten the comb and draw skinny combs on the foundation.

They do the same in supers.

I think the difference is, with supers, they don't rally care as it's just a place for storing food so no matter how deep the cells are - with brood frames they are self constrained by the cell depth required to rear brood and the fact they need double beespace to work it.
I have witnessed in a really strong 'bouncing' colony with loads of stores coming in, the 'food arch, double beespace over the brood above the brood being so deep that there is hardly (or no) beespace between the stores cells but when you pull the frame out there is double beespace over the brood, when they use up those stores they work out from directly next to the brood cells and at the same time reducing the cell depth to that required for brood rearing.

 

[Michael Palmer]

So is this a general argument against chequerboarding?

Well, I hadn't thought about it, but I would say, yes. Checkerboarding should be done with drawn comb. And, I have to disagree with the founder of the Checkerboarding dogma. Mr. Wright, R.I.P., claims 100% reduction in swarming after checkerboarding. I have to disagree. I also disagree with his nectar management/swarming theories posted online.

But that's another huge conversation.

 

[pargyle]

Sometimes you get a really interesting thread .. lots to think about in this one. 5*'s from me ...

 

[snelgrove]

A larger brood box is more preferable to double brood or brood and a half, I have a number of hives on brood and a half and when cells are found the tedious business of checking 22 frames is required. Double brood in this part of the world just results in the honey being stored in the top brood box. Even checking for cells under the top box carnt always be relied on. Go 14 x12 is my answer.

 

[For want of a better word]

Sometimes you get a really interesting thread .. lots to think about in this one. 5*'s from me ...

pity some of the thread has been deleted!

Nos da

 

[pargyle]

pity some of the thread has been deleted!

Nos da

'It's not unusual ......'

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

'It's not unusual ......'

we know a song about that don't we

 

[Erichalfbee]

A larger brood box is more preferable to double brood or brood and a half, I have a number of hives on brood and a half and when cells are found the tedious business of checking 22 frames is required. Double brood in this part of the world just results in the honey being stored in the top brood box. Even checking for cells under the top box carnt always be relied on. Go 14 x12 is my answer.

I got fed up checking 22 frames, especially with cranky bees!

 

[Hivemaker.]

pity some of the thread has been deleted!

Nos da

'It's not unusual ......'

Your trolling knows no bounds, Dave....nothing has been deleted in this thread, afraid you might up and leave if it was.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

nothing has been deleted in this thread, afraid you might up and leave if it was.

 

[Millet]

Your trolling knows no bounds, Dave....nothing has been deleted in this thread, afraid you might up and leave if it was.

Obviously the Viagra has kicked in..

 

[For want of a better word]

Thanks peeps...

Actually working with Langstroths

Seems like above or below or between all seem like acceptable options.

B

Thread should have ended there................

Yeghes da

 

[Obee1]

I run my hives on double brood nationals and it is a pain checking 22 frames - especially as the top box has to be moved aside and wait patiently while I check through the bottom one.

My buckfast colony is a large one..So... HM when I bought them off you I seem to remember you saying they needed a double brood set up. Do you think 14 x12 is too small for your buckfast bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

My buckfast colony is a large one..So... HM when I bought them off you I seem to remember you saying they needed a double brood set up. Do you think 14 x12 is too small for your buckfast bees.

I have had queens from Pete since 2010 and have kept all the colonies in 14x12s.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I run my hives on double brood nationals and it is a pain checking 22 frames

No need - just tilt the top box and look at the bottom bars of it's frames - no need to go any further unless you find something untowards.

 

[snelgrove]

No need - just tilt the top box and look at the bottom bars of it's frames - no need to go any further unless you find something untowards.

Had years of experience checking for cells this way, many times the bees don't read the books and cells are constructed further up the frame. Result loss of a swarm. Not to be recommended, if bees need more room a larger hive is the answer

 

[Hivemaker.]

No need - just tilt the top box and look at the bottom bars of it's frames - no need to go any further unless you find something untowards.

Yes that system works really well with prolific bees, especially when large numbers of hives are concerned and speed is important, not infallible, but then few systems are when swarming and bees are concerned, plus as mentioned earlier other quick and easy swarm control options are already in place if needed.

 

[Swarm]

It's just personal preference, a larger hive won't stop swarming. An inspection of the upper box is all I do, unless I find charged cells, never had swarm cells in only the lower box.

 

[snelgrove]

A larger hive , prevents inspection of 22 frames checking for cells below the top box is not a reliable way of swarm control. I did run 120 hives in my earlier days the amount of losses was not worthwhile