Super above or below on Brood + Half

[philsadler]

Just starting my second year as a 'Beeker' having brought both my hives through the winter on Brood and a half. We live at about 1,000 ft so winters can be tough and Summers short!!! Fed them well before mid Sept and checked last week to find still have plenty of stores left (and bringing in Pollen by the load). A Beeker neighbour has lost her hives through Starvation (frames devoid of stores and dead bees head into empty cells).
I like the concept of Brood and half but am not sure which way to stack the Brood and Super Box - Super below or above the Brood????
Do I reverse the stacking for Winter??
Am thinking of trying to manage my Swarming using a Snelgrove Board???
Any thoughts or advice would be very welcome (am still very much a novice)
Phil

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

I like the concept of Brood and half but am not sure which way to stack the Brood and Super Box - Super below or above the Brood????
Do I reverse the stacking for Winter??
Am thinking of trying to manage my Swarming using a Snelgrove Board???
Any thoughts or advice would be very welcome (am still very much a novice)
Phil

If using brood and a half then you want to keep the shallow box on top for ease of inspection. Worth considering a larger box such as 14x12 or Commercial though if you haven't already. No need to reverse for Winter.

 

[susbees]

If using brood and a half then you want to keep the shallow box on top for ease of inspection. Worth considering a larger box such as 14x12 or Commercial though if you haven't already. No need to reverse for Winter.

Interesting topic - our NDB keeps nat brood and a half and has done so since WWII: half box goes from top (overwintering) to bottom (last week April in Shropshire) every year.

My bees are in one commercial box (pluses and minuses like everything else).

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Interesting topic - our NDB keeps nat brood and a half and has done so since WWII: half box goes from top (overwintering) to bottom (last week April in Shropshire) every year.

Interesting indeed, perhaps I shouldn't have been so quick off the mark, though I'm pretty convinced of arguments having the shallow on top during the season.

Any idea of his reasoning?

 

[george]

Perhaps he enjoys lifting heavy weights before going through the bottom box !

 

[enrico]

Without wanting to bore you and as I have said before, put the half at right angles to the brood to stop them sealing the frames together, otherwise you can find when you lift the top frame out you also pull up the one below it. It ALS makes it easier to take the half off the brood if you need to separate them quickly.
E

 

[Poly Hive]

The usual way to run them that I have seen is super on top. And yes good tip to put the two at right angles, saves a lot of grief...

PH

 

[DanBee]

I like the concept of Brood and half but am not sure which way to stack the Brood and Super Box - Super below or above the Brood????

Hmm. Assuming the brood nest extends across both boxes, you'll end up with brood in shallow frames and in deep frames, and will not be able to reorganise them freely across both boxes. Much better to have two brood boxes of the same size so that frames can be reorganised freely; you will have no more frames to inspect than brood and a half, and can still move boxes around to your heart's content.

 

[DanBee]

our NDB keeps nat brood and a half and has done so since WWII

Who's that then? In my experience the NDBs keep bees on a wide variety of hive types - Commercial, National, 14x12, WBC(!) - and regardless of hive type may or may not use double brood.

 

[susbees]

Any idea of his reasoning?

Works with his swarm control and queen rearing system. And in his 89th year is sticking with it!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[philsadler]

Thanks to Monsieur Abeille, DanBee, susbee, Poly Hive, enrico and george. All replies very much appreciated and helpful!!! Thanks.
Phil

 

[MuswellMetro]

The usual way to run them that I have seen is super on top. And yes good tip to put the two at right angles, saves a lot of grief...

PH

I got told off by the Association Apiary manager for putting brood boxes at right angles on a bailey change with beginners around but I agree it had stopped the brace comb being built.....might secretly turn it back

I assume is does reduce the airflow through the combs though

 

[Arfermo]

I have never seen the point of putting the super under - and I've never bothered doing it either. Bee seem quite happy to adjust to suit themselves. You worry too much.

 

[oliver90owner]

Maybe read this recent thread on the same topic?

http://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15808&highlight=Super+Brood+Half