Reducing to single Brood Box

[BeeJuice]

So far my first year bee keeping is going OK. I began in the spring with four colonies and still have four colonies ... and a little honey. So I'm happy with that.

All four of my hives are double brood box - one of them has a full super which the bees seem to be slow to cap.

I'd like advice on how to reduce to one brood box (assuming this is what's recommended) I've not done a full inspection for nearly four weeks but I assume the amount of brood must be shrinking.

What's the best plan - remove empty frames and combine the full frames of honey in one BB? Is it as simple as that?

What should I do with the super of honey? It passes the shake test but I'm happy to leave it for the bees. Is it an issue just leaving it sitting there? Would they be better having the BB closer to the insulated roof?

Thanks for any advice..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

extract the super, leave as double brood if you intend to keep them on that format - at least you'll have plenty of room for them to put stores if you need to feed.

 

[enrico]

Dont worry too much. If you are coping ok with them on double then leave them like that. If you WANT single brood then in early spring simply remove the bottom box. The bees will probably have migrated to the top one by then unless it is a very mild winter. The good thing about removing one box is that you can renew all the comb and give it them back when they need it, that way you can renew the frames regularly although not necessarily annually.
As far as the super goes, they don't need it if they have food in double brood, extract it. Honey is more expensive than sugar!
E

 

[masterBK]

I winter all my colonies on double brood but they are all strong colonies. Not wise to winter weak ones on doubles.

 

[BeeJuice]

Thanks ,

The colonies are all strong. I'll be very happy to leave them with the two BBs. One concern I had with doing that was that come next year if I need to do a split to avoid swarming, it could be more complicated than necessary having two boxes with brood. But as pointed out, by the spring I should be able to move the lower BB which should be empty of stores by then and not yet needed for brood.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks ,

The colonies are all strong. I'll be very happy to leave them with the two BBs. One concern I had with doing that was that come next year if I need to do a split to avoid swarming, it could be more complicated than necessary having two boxes with brood. But as pointed out, by the spring I should be able to move the lower BB which should be empty of stores by then and not yet needed for brood.

Thanks for all the replies.

No different to doing an A/S in a single brood - you have the choice of double brood so more room before they run out of space and decide to swarm or single brood and conducting an A/S earlier or adding another brood box to delay the inevitable.

 

[BeeJuice]

No different to doing an A/S in a single brood - you have the choice of double brood so more room before they run out of space and decide to swarm or single brood and conducting an A/S earlier or adding another brood box to delay the inevitable.

Thinking about it (again), you're right.. As I recall, every time I split a hive to avoid swarming it was after I had already added a second brood box.

 

[beeno]

Hi BeeJuice,
I usually overwinter my double broods as single broods. However, one colony last year had the bottom brood box stuffed full of pollen stores which I did not want to look after over winter, so I left it on. I was concerned that a load of mouldy pollen frames would greet me come spring, but the frames were in tip top condition. I can see the same happening this year!

 

[shazzer]

I am on Single Brood Langstroth then QX then Shallow then Deep Super.

Thinking of winter now and leaving Brood Box QX and Shallow all insulated.
Going to extract Super remove it and feed till Shallow is fully drawn and capped with honey.
Just wondering if this would be enough to see the girls through a winter that should not be too cold in our area.

Of course I will also have the option to feed occasionally as well.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

with a lang I should think there would be enough room for stores in the brood box - forget the shallow.
But if you are intent on leaving a super of stores on - take away the QX or risk losing your colony.

 

[B+.]

I am on Single Brood Langstroth then QX then Shallow then Deep Super.

If I understand correctly, you have a deep(brood), Queen excluder, shallow super then another deep.
I over winter in double deeps if possible. This allows me to feed as much as necessary and still have room for brood as long as the queen wants to gon laying. It also means that she has space in the spring to lay without restriction and I don't have to rush around feeding because they already have plenty in the combs.
I would say you have more favourable weather in Cornwall than I have up here in Bedfordshire so this will undoubtedly be adequate storage space for you too.
The only element that I would consider unecessary going into winter is the shallow super, so, I suggest that you extract it and put it into storage for next year now. Remove the queen excluder too (of course).

 

[Michael Palmer]

I don't get it, about the desire or need to reduce a colony to a single brood. When I was in Bucks, an older gentleman asked me at the dinner party, "Do you have problems with isolation starvation?"

I didn't really know what to say. I feel that colonies that starve out within inches of honey are compromised by some other issue, and have lost a large portion of their winter cluster for some reason. At least that's how I see it with my boomers in a double brood and a super. I feel that a colony in a single brood could easily get stuck on one side of the hive, and starve. I asked him what not winter in a brood and a half? With honey above the cluster, the incidence of "Isolation Starvation" would be greatly reduced. IMO. He didn't have a reply.

 

[shazzer]

I was thinking to leave the shallow as there are stacks of bees and was worried about their amount of space. How much in general does a colony contract coming into winter? or is this a how long is a piece of string question.

Its my first year and first winter so trying to err on the cautious side.
Will the colony contract so much that just the brood box will do. I was hoping not to have to feed too often hence thinking to leave the shallow on.
If I do leave on the shallow I will be sure to remove the QX. I am assuming that they will move up in a cluster if need be to access the stores above.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

If you overwinter on doubles you MUST keep the varroa insert out or condensation will destroy the lower comb, as I have found the hard way.