going to double national brood and supering up

[CliffDale]

Last year I lost a lot of bees to swarms, I think mainly because lack of room.

This year I'm going to double brood box system.

Is it best to add a super first and then double brood when the brood frames look full?

Bees are so busy at the moment I thought I should add a super now and then go to double brood after the first inspection.

Cliff

 

[Mike a]

Are you planning to add a super above and the second brood chamber below?

 

[CliffDale]

Add above the second brood box

 

[MuswellMetro]

Add above the second brood box

why not try a demaree

http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/demaree.html

http://www.twickenham-bees.org.uk/tedstip-demaree.html

 

[CliffDale]

Thats the plan to go Demaree method. Swarm control and splitting hives.

Original question, should I super first to give room then add 2nd brood box.

bees here going mad!

Dandelion
gorse
hawthorn
hedges with yellow flowers
Cow parsley i think its called

Cliff

 

[MJBee]

Assuming your second brood box has foundation only. I would go 2nd brood only and feed 1:1 at 1 pint/week until it is drawn and occupied, then super. Super first would split the colony when you add the 2nd brood box.

Keep an eye on your local weather forecast though and make sure it is warm enough, you are doubling the space they have to heat!!

 

[keithgrimes]

supplementary question - as bees in the wild build downward, should the second brood box be placed under the original?

 

[rae]

Having never done a demaree, I have to ask....

If you need to move all (apart from one) of the frames of brood to the top box, with no bees attached, you have to knock all of the bees of about 9 brood frames, including (probably) the queen.

Now one thing guaranteed to drive the bees nuts is knocking them off brood frames. We gave some eggs to our "troubled" hives last weekend, and clearing two brood frames was bad enough. Also, unless you know where the queen is, you're in danger of knocking her
off as well.

How does this method not turn into a bloodbath of angry bees? I only ask because apart from this, it looks like an attractive way of doing it.

 

[Teemore]

supplementary question - as bees in the wild build downward, should the second brood box be placed under the original?

Remember: Heat rises. Put the second brood Box on top. Think about putting some dummy boards in so that the colony doesn't have as much space to heat in the new BB.

 

[Skyhook]

Having never done a demaree, I have to ask....

If you need to move all (apart from one) of the frames of brood to the top box, with no bees attached, you have to knock all of the bees of about 9 brood frames, including (probably) the queen.

Now one thing guaranteed to drive the bees nuts is knocking them off brood frames. We gave some eggs to our "troubled" hives last weekend, and clearing two brood frames was bad enough. Also, unless you know where the queen is, you're in danger of knocking her
off as well.

How does this method not turn into a bloodbath of angry bees? I only ask because apart from this, it looks like an attractive way of doing it.

First I've heard of it. I would have expected the bees to sort themselves out, ie the nurse bees will stay with the brood, while the flying bees will have to exit via the entrance, ie through the bottom box. After that they are free to move where they want anyway. Can anyone tell me if that's wrong?

 

[Pete Nicholson]

I doubled up on my brood box two weeks ago - foundation + three frames from lower brood box with brood on. Lost around 50 or so bees thrown out of hive but with the warm weather have built up and drawn foundation to 2nd. and 10th. frames already. If warm weather coming am going to add queen excluder and super with foundation only (I have none drawn). Amazed by the numbers of bees on a warm day - just like last july. Hopefully is a good sign but am keeping a close eye on queen cells so hope to be ready for a split in around a month. As a newbee am probably doing it all wrong but it seems to be working at the moment. - comments please.
Pete.

 

[richardbees]

It looks like you're doing fine....!

 

[MuswellMetro]

none of the methods suggested to me seem like the demaree I do


new brood box of foundation +1 frames of brood and HM on stand
QE
at least two supers depending on flow in middle
QE
old brood box + one foundation at top


kill QC and cycle capped brood frames from bottom to top and emerged brood from top to bottom


you can also make a new queen cells from best stock in top brood and split or combine later

 

[richardbees]

mm

As far as I can see he's still just building up a double brood box.....

rich