How do I separate a double brood with chimneying brood comb?

[Anduril]

Finally if this is a problem that is really troubling you put the boxes at right angles to each other. They will not build brace comb and it has little effect on the bees. Some say it stops ventilation but never having been in a beehive as a bee I wouldn't know. It works for me and it will work for you.

When you look into a wild colony or if you have standard frames in a 14x12, or a forgotten bait hive, the comb will be all over the place, bees aren't uniform, so it won't stop ventilation.

 

[Beth]

@Anduril do you find that it alters their pattern of usage on the combs because they're having to jog over to go up to the next level?

 

[Anduril]

@Anduril do you find that it alters their pattern of usage on the combs because they're having to jog over to go up to the next level?

Bees are doing what bees do naturally, stores above and work their way down with brood. But I have seen bees fill the lower box with stores and brood in the upper brood chamber.

 

[enrico]

When you look into a wild colony or if you have standard frames in a 14x12, or a forgotten bait hive, the comb will be all over the place, bees aren't uniform, so it won't stop ventilation.

I know that but I get slated every time I suggest boxes at right angles so I was just trying to deflect the flack

 

[Anduril]

I know that but I get slated every time I suggest boxes at right angles so I was just trying to deflect the flack

Ah but have the nay sayers put your beehive in a wind tunnel.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

put the boxes at right angles to each other. They will not build brace comb and it has little effect on the bees.

but it does - refer to one of ITLD's posts on here not long ago - after years of observationhe has found it does have a negative impact - as well as affecting honey yield.
I'm sorry, but in my opinion (and many others) it's a daft idea.

 

[enrico]

but it does - refer to one of ITLD's posts on here not long ago - after years of observationhe has found it does have a negative impact - as well as affecting honey yield.
I'm sorry, but in my opinion (and many others) it's a daft idea.

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist it. Is the negative impact larger than the the anxiety caused to a new beekeeper who is struggling to separate the frames? I merely suggest it as another alternative and once again say, if this method of keeping bees might suit you better then there is little lost trying it. If not then don't try it. Little is right or wrong but it may be worth a few jars of honey to try a different approach.

 

[enrico]

Ah but have the nay sayers put your beehive in a wind tunnel.

Doubt it, but they read it somewhere that someone might have done

 

[Anduril]

I knew you wouldn't be able to resist it. Is the negative impact larger than the the anxiety caused to a new beekeeper who is struggling to separate the frames? I merely suggest it as another alternative and once again say, if this method of keeping bees might suit you better then there is little lost trying it. If not then don't try it. Little is right or wrong but it may be worth a few jars of honey to try a different approach.

The quote was from the perspective of a commercial beekeeper who understandably want to maximise profit. For beginners and others who deem it less important then it is just another method to utilise or perform a demaree. It is about trying various methods and finding one that suits your needs for the here and now. Plenty of future play dates to come and expand the knowledge you have gained.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

it is just another method to utilise or perform a demaree

how on earth can you can compare putting two brood combs/frames at right angles to a Demaree.

 

[Anduril]

how on earth can you can compare putting two brood combs/frames at right angles to a Demaree.

Instead of double brood, change to a demaree and see if that helps (the normal way, not at right angles).
Anyway, my background was as a sports coach in a previous life, holding amateur and professional qualifications. More specialist as it was swordfencing, I've had to coach left and right handers, they had to be able to adapt a technique against a left or right hander, while training or competing, if they struggled with one technique, then I had to show them a different way to achieve the same technique or use an alternative. I find everyone is different and I adapt to their way of thinking when mentoring. I want to leave them in a positive light and not feeling hopeless.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

while training or competing, if they struggled with one technique, then I had to show them a different way to achieve the same technique or use an alternative. I find everyone is different and I adapt to their way of thinking when mentoring. I want to leave them in a positive light and not feeling hopeless.

but I bet you tried to resist giving them bad advice.
I remember on my training season on the boats, my training officer couldn't understand why the second officer was struggling to teach me certain knots etc until it dawned on him (and me) that he was left handed, but trying switch to right handed to teach me - not realising I was ambidextrous with a father who was left handed and who taught me most things practical.

 

[Anduril]

but I bet you tried to resist giving them bad advice.
I remember on my training season on the boats, my training officer couldn't understand why the second officer was struggling to teach me certain knots etc until it dawned on him (and me) that he was left handed, but trying switch to right handed to teach me - not realising I was ambidextrous with a father who was left handed and who taught me most things practical.

I'm left handed and taught both as a left and right hander, while some right handed coaches struggled.
I still remember taking my son and daughter to get lace up shoes and snow boots. They had both decided on the items they wanted and I told them I would buy them if they quickly learned how to tie laces. Half an hour later my son had shoes and my daughter had snow shoes. It certainly stopped me tying their shoes again. Edit.
Forgot to say my son is right handed and my daughter is left.

 

[pete darbyshire]

I have found that turning the 1/2 brood 90° over winter reduces the occurrence of isolation starvation...

 

[Beth]

Another question about separating the boxes - patches of drone brood where the bottoms of the top frames touch the top of the brace comb. Does any harm come to the hive from having to scrape it all off?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Another question about separating the boxes - patches of drone brood where the bottoms of the top frames touch the top of the brace comb. Does any harm come to the hive from having to scrape it all off?

no

 

[ericbeaumont]

leave them alone until the end of then season?

No, Issy, do it now while the main flow is on. If you leave it to the end of the season, robbing of the mess will be spectacular.

There is nothing unusual about the brace comb you must deal with, but is a result of giving insufficient space when it was needed. It may be that beespace between boxes is also incorrect, but my money is on lack of space while they grew while you were on holiday.

no matter which way you turn it, it's going to create double bee space

Not so: a wood-framed wire QX has only one beespace and that should be given to the top bars in the lower box. Beespace above the QX is provided by the 8mm inbuilt in the upper box. Reverse the QX if your hives are set to top bee space.

I have seen wood-framed QXs (made by the unknowing) with beespace on both sides. Do you have one of these confusions? If in doubt, post a photo.

 

[Beth]

It is as you said. They build through the wire either side as if it is foundation. Another thought arises - I have the wires in line with the frames, should the QX be crossways on the frames?

 

[Anduril]

It is as you said. They build through the wire either side as if it is foundation. Another thought arises - I have the wires in line with the frames, should the QX be crossways on the frames?

Since the days when I used the slotted zinc QX, it was always at right angles to the frames.

 

[Beth]

Since the days when I used the slotted zinc QX, it was always at right angles to the frames.

I'll try that next time I'm checking.