Should I add another brood box?

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I think one thing we all need to be aware of is that while we are all "here", in fact we are in different places. My brood is growing like gangbusters (a frame a week, up to 8 at last inspection on Sunday), with pollen pouring in, because of where I am physically. So I have to take different lessons from those taken by someone somewhere else.

Dave Cushman's piece on the brood cycle, for example, specifies PRECISELY where the observations were taken and over what period.

 

[Finman]

So I have to take different lessons from those taken by someone somewhere else.

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At least bees are same in every place.

UK beeks have a problem, that they want to listen others' advices.
Reason is no in bees. They tend to have first answer, and then they seek for problem.

 

[Black Comb]

Ignore the bit about matchsticks!

If you use an OMF. I assume Ian uses solid floors.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You have a point

 

[Finman]

If you use an OMF. I assume Ian uses solid floors.

Solid or not but matchsticks is a mad idea.

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[TryingToLetThemBee]

In recent days I have noticed my bees gnawing at the OMF. At first I thought they were grooming mites off it but the numbers are large and I now think it looks more like they are trying to gnaw into "rotten wood" to expand downwards as the Red Queen Unseen continues to expand her brood area. Has anyone else observed this and in what circumstances? I THINK they are trying to tell me they want another box, as per the subject of this thread. Any ideas?

 

[user 6228]

In recent days I have noticed my bees gnawing at the OMF. At first I thought they were grooming mites off it but the numbers are large and I now think it looks more like they are trying to gnaw into "rotten wood" to expand downwards as the Red Queen Unseen continues to expand her brood area. Has anyone else observed this and in what circumstances? I THINK they are trying to tell me they want another box, as per the subject of this thread. Any ideas?

bees are burrowing insects... they have strong burrowing instincts to create the void around their nest. I have observed this even when they have "plenty of room" (As a foam hive builder I know this well)

put a brood box under the existing one... bees in the wild expand their colonies down wards.

If they use it fine ... just remember to insulate so that they dont get the dreaded isolation lurgey which is an artifact of thin wooden hives.