Managing brood and a half

[Do224]

My colony ended up over wintering on brood and a half. I think I’ll keep this configuration for now as I hope it will delay swarm preps. Also, I think the shallow will be contaminated with sugar from autumn feeding.

Are there any considerations I should be aware of when dealing with this setup as opposed to just a brood box?

 

[Jules59]

Yes there are.
Have a read of Wally Shaw's articles on using a Brood and half.
For instance
https://silo.tips/download/how-do-you-keep-your-bees-alternative-hive-configurationsand
https://www.ec-bka.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Keeping-Bees-on-a-Brood-and-a-Half-submitted.pdf

 

[Do224]

Thanks for the link. So it sounds like the shallow box will probably need moving to beneath the brood box when the first super goes on. Is that how most people configure their brood and a half hive through the summer months?

 

[oliver90owner]

Thanks for the link. So it sounds like the shallow box will probably need moving to beneath the brood box when the first super goes on. Is that how most people configure their brood and a half hive through the summer months?

No - well I doubt it. Deeps are heavier than shallows

 

[enrico]

I always put the half at the bottom and just check the top box. 99% of swarm queen cells will be made between the two boxes and rarely in the bottom box. Saves splitting the boxes which really upsets them and moving a box with the queen in is never a good idea!

 

[Parsonage Bees]

I'm not convinced about brood and a half but I worry less about winter starvation and early swarming. Still not done first full inspection and given no fondant this winter.
To avoid mixing in super frames with syrup I mark them to avoid extracting for honey. If they are emptied or extracted to feed back I strike out that mark. They can be moved around into extra supers to encourage those supers to be used.
Yes, even explaining this I realize it's a huge faff but I'm not a commercial beekeeper.
. . . . . Ben

 

[The Poot]

I'm not convinced about brood and a half but I worry less about winter starvation and early swarming. Still not done first full inspection and given no fondant this winter.
To avoid mixing in super frames with syrup I mark them to avoid extracting for honey. If they are emptied or extracted to feed back I strike out that mark. They can be moved around into extra supers to encourage those supers to be used.
Yes, even explaining this I realize it's a huge faff but I'm not a commercial beekeeper.
. . . . . Ben

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