Help drawing comb

[Smudger55]

I have a colony on a brood & 1/2 plus two supers(lots of uncapped honey) and hive is bursting I want to add another brood box of foundation for queen to lay in and then have frames drawn for splits . how would others go about getting foundation drawn in this scenario ?

many thanks in advance

 

[Finman]

.
I would put the foundation brood above brood and half = between brood and honey. To split brood area with foundation box is not a good idea.

Hive draws the box in a week, and look then what is going on in the hive, how much bees, brood, space for nectar....

 

[Smudger55]

Thanks , the hive has about nine frames brood and lots of stores at the moment , but the hive is bursting at the seems , so I will need to split soonish hence the extra brood box so hopefully that will work

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I put a brood box between brood super and brood box last year to do the same. I was following advice in the 'Making Increase . .. . ' publication by Wally Shaw on the Welsh BKA website. Appendix 2.

5 beekeepers, 8 different opinions.

. . . . Ben

 

[Poly Hive]

I would put it underneath the brood box and use excluders to get the queen out the half. Brood and a half is a PIA as it seems you are now finding out.

PH

 

[Swarm]

.
I would put the foundation brood above brood and half = between brood and honey. To split brood area with foundation box is not a good idea.

Hive draws the box in a week, and look then what is going on in the hive, how much bees, brood, space for nectar....

This way you will get nice, evenly drawn combs.

 

[Amari]

I have a colony on a brood & 1/2 plus two supers(lots of uncapped honey) and hive is bursting I want to add another brood box of foundation for queen to lay in and then have frames drawn for splits . how would others go about getting foundation drawn in this scenario ?
many thanks in advance

Putting on a BB with foundation now will reduce the honey crop because the bees need food to make and draw wax.
Why not put on more supers where honey can be stored and space given for the bees.? Then when you are ready to take off your honey crop (2 -3 weeks time?) put the new BB with foundation below the QEx then clearer boards between each super above that.
The outcome = cleared supers ready for extraction and an empty BB full of bees to draw the foundation.

 

[Smudger55]

yes brood and half is a PIA , I normally don't like to prolific queens put this is how she is the bees are lovely temperament though..... I have noticed play cups with eggs in nothing else YET .... hence trying for more room before (swarm control ) so POLY HIVE you are saying put empty brood box under existing brood box? (the half brood is full of brood and store)

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

Given the brood area expands downwards it seems logical to put the 2nd box beneath the 1st - or am I missing something? I ask as I've just done this, yesterday.

 

[Finman]

I put a brood box between brood super and brood box last year to do the same. I was following advice in the 'Making Increase . .. . ' publication by Wally Shaw on the Welsh BKA website. Appendix 2.

5 beekeepers, 8 different opinions.

. . . . Ben

I have nursed 55 years bees and I have used many styles when I add space to hives.

One basic idea is that I do not split brood nest. Wally Shaw may say what he wants.
.

 

[Finman]

Given the brood area expands downwards it seems logical to put the 2nd box beneath the 1st - or am I missing something? I ask as I've just done this, yesterday.

It is very good advice too.

If the hive is very full of bees, and lots of brood will emerge, I add 2 boxes at same time: One to lowest and one above the brood.

Foundations hinders swarming when it is a good flow.
.

 

[jeff33]

I tried it once (splitting brood nest with an empty bb) and noticed the hive weakening a fair bit. Not done it again.

 

[Poly Hive]

Its what I do myself. I put my 2nd BB under the first and as I am expanding a bit they often are full of foundation. Not a problem as the bees need it they build it.

PH