Double brood +

[bjosephd]

Hello all...

So if going double brood some say put fresh brood box on top, others say put fresh brood box below.

What say you... and why (or why not)?

And for those who go triple brood/no excluder, do you put your 3rd brood box top, middle, or bottom... and why (or why not)?

Let battle commence...

B

 

[domino]

Double I add a box on top.

Triple and put a box in between, making sure there is drawn comb connecting them.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Go 14 X 12 and avoid all that tedious messing about.

Dusty.

 

[Tom Bick]

I prefer the bb on the bottom so the bees expand down in their own time and only occupy the space they require. I also believe this reduces swarming.

If I wanted to push the bees to expand and not to early in the year I would go for placing the brood box on the top as this will push the bees to build comb and move up into the warmer part of the hive.

 

[For want of a better word]

Go 14 X 12 and avoid all that tedious messing about.

Dusty.

( should add ..if you keep bees that expand and contract rapidly in brood size and built like an ox to pick them up)

Yeghes da

 

[Erichalfbee]

Go 14 X 12 and avoid all that tedious messing about.

Dusty.

( should add ..if you keep bees that expand and contract rapidly in brood size and built like an ox to pick them up)

Yeghes da

Not if you have poly

 

[bjosephd]

Thanks peeps...

Actually working with Langstroths

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

B

 

[pargyle]

Go 14 X 12 and avoid all that tedious messing about.

Dusty.

Yeah that man ... spot on ...

 

[bjosephd]

Double I add a box on top.

Triple and put a box in between, making sure there is drawn comb connecting them.

What happens if the 3rd box between is not drawn, but foundation or even foundationless?

Too much work for them to connect the split brood? Carnage?

B

 

[Tim.S]

Depends on the time of year - if it is cool go under and keep the brood at the top warm. Later in the season go up if you want.

 

[wessexmario]

Hello all...

So if going double brood some say put fresh brood box on top, others say put fresh brood box below.

What say you... and why (or why not)?

And for those who go triple brood/no excluder, do you put your 3rd brood box top, middle, or bottom... and why (or why not)?

Let battle commence...

B

If expanding a single brood to a double brood, then another method which I prefer is to split the existing brood between the two boxes:

Take alternate frames from the existing brood and put in the centre of the new brood box, and slide the remaining brood frames together in the centre of that first box. Then pack the sides of both boxes with frames of new foundation, so that the two sections of existing brood are vertically above one other in the centre of each box. Which box goes on top of which then doesn't really matter.

This keeps the brood nest in a narrower, more vertical configuration, rather than being wide in a single box, and there is continuous comb in use vertically so no gap between the brood area and the stores above.
With the brood nest more vertical than wide, there will be fewer seams in the brood nest, so it should then be easier for the nursery bees to traverse the brood, and to keep the fewer number of seams warm.
The brood nest can then expand to fill sideways across both boxes, the four new frames next to the existing brood frames being within much easier reach than if they were above or below the existing brood.

 

[B+.]

So if going double brood some say put fresh brood box on top, others say put fresh brood box below.

What say you... and why (or why not)?

And for those who go triple brood/no excluder, do you put your 3rd brood box top, middle, or bottom... and why (or why not)?

If your objective is to draw out extra frames of deep foundation, you could alternate drawn comb with foundation, or, put a few foundation on the outside with drawn comb in the middle. It doesn't have to be a full box of foundation (which a single brood box would be slow to occupy anyway).

 

[BrianO]

Hello all...

So if going double brood some say put fresh brood box on top, others say put fresh brood box below.

What say you... and why (or why not)?

And for those who go triple brood/no excluder, do you put your 3rd brood box top, middle, or bottom... and why (or why not)?

Let battle commence...

B

Never again, did that last season , to much hassle checking all those frames, do yourself a favour and go single brood larger.. Jumbo 14*12s , Commercial or Langstroth.

I'm gonna bite the bullet this year and switch from National to probably Langstroth before I get into this " Obsession " even deeper !

To much stress on me and the Bees facing around with Double Brood or even Brood and half !!

 

[domino]

What happens if the 3rd box between is not drawn, but foundation or even foundationless?

Too much work for them to connect the split brood? Carnage?

B

I don't know, I use drawn comb.

 

[Michael Palmer]

So if going double brood some say put fresh brood box on top, others say put fresh brood box below.

And still others say new brood box of comb on top with two or three frames of brood moved up from below.

 

[Hivemaker.]

To much stress on me and the Bees facing around with Double Brood or even Brood and half !!

Double brood is really good for very fast checks for swarming preparations when large numbers of hives need to be inspected, about a minute per inspection, if nothing found, and hardly any disturbance to the bees, and if needed everything is in place to do a Demaree or an artificial swarm, preferably a reverse one, just need to keep a few simple flight boards available.

 

[bjosephd]

And still others say new brood box of comb on top with two or three frames of brood moved up from below.

This sounds like makes most sense.

 

[bjosephd]

Double brood is really good for very fast checks for swarming preparations when large numbers of hives need to be inspected, about a minute per inspection, if nothing found, and hardly any disturbance to the bees, and if needed everything is in place to do a Demaree or an artificial swarm, preferably a reverse one, just need to keep a few simple flight boards available.

This also makes plenty of sense.

Just googling demaree now. As likely to split a box of tentop of one of my hives asap as it's near the house and I don't want it too strong.

Reverse what what now? Reverse artificial swarm? Reverse demaree? Sound innnteresting. Tell me more!

Thanks for your input people!

B

 

[Michael Palmer]

If your objective is to draw out extra frames of deep foundation, you could alternate drawn comb with foundation,

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

 

[Swarm]

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

They do the same in supers.