Switching from cold-way to warm way

[Norfolkbees]

Hi guys

I want to switch a hive from cold way to warm way. The question does not relate to the relative merit of the methods - I want to do this because of where I stand relative to the hive.

Can I simply turn the brood box? Looking to make the change this weekend. Will it mess with the brood, flight orientation etc?

Thanks

Russ

 

[drex]

Never caused me any problems.just do it. I assume this is pre winter shut down?

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

I agree.

Just do it. I don't think the bees care much.

Dusty

 

[Davelin]

P

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Yes. No. Turn all boxes. I infer you have only the BB but just to be clear. Find the brood area with a debris board and put it at the back; that should put the waggle dancefloor near the front but that's no big deal; it's still early enough.

 

[itma]

…
Can I simply turn the brood box? ...

Yes.

Will it mess with the brood, flight orientation etc?

No.
However, with a reducing brood nest (pre-winter), they will tend towards having the brood towards the front and the stores towards the back of the hive.
What that means is that in 'warm' orientation, the brood nest will become more centred on the frame than it would be in 'cold' way. The bees will sort things out without any fuss.



Since this is the beginners' section, it might be worth mentioning that warm and cold are just names given to the two possible ways of arranging frames in a square hive.
One is not really warmer than the other - really!
Arrange the frames so you can work them directly in front of you, without twisting. Choice of orientation should be based on where you want to stand.
Conventionally, all boxes in one hive should be in the same orientation … but there are heretics!

 

[enrico]

I wouldn't bother if you use mesh floors. It used to be something we did with solid floors!
Oh! And I am one of the heretics.... I put my box's at right angles to each other!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Find the brood area with a debris board and put it at the back; that should put the waggle dancefloor near the front

?​

Bees will arrange the nest with the brood to the front of the hive and stores to the back, what on earth has the waggle dance got to do with the price of coal? that happens on the comb wherever there are bees.
Jus move the brood box around to whatever orientaton suits you for inspections - with mesh floors warm way is no warmer than the other way, same as cold way is no colder. But do it sooner rather than later.

 

[Madge]

... what on earth has the waggle dance got to do with the price of coal? ...

Not the waggle dance, but the waggle dance floor. That tends to be a specific area near the entrance. If moved by the beekeeper, the bees will seek it out for a while until they've established a new one. (That's what I can remember from Jürgen Tautz's book.)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but he probably had solid floors

 

[REDWOOD]

Perhaps it was all relevant a few years ago but really don't see the necessity of such operations using OMF's

 

[Madge]

I'm baffled now.

To partially quote Jenkins: what does the floor 'have to do with the price of coal'? Or was it a joke, Jenkins?

And Redwood - with what do you agree? What 'operations' do you mean?

 

[REDWOOD]

I'm baffled now.

To partially quote Jenkins: what does the floor 'have to do with the price of coal'? Or was it a joke, Jenkins?

And Redwood - with what do you agree? What 'operations' do you mean?

Switching from cold to warm or vice versa

 

[Finman]

.
The most popular hive type Langstroth has cold way frame position. But actually that " cold way" means nothing in practical beekeeping. Just humbug.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I've learnt a rule in life; if you can't decide, it might not matter that much. It's the same with us rabble; the more the noise, the less it matters! But I was wrong on the broodnest; forgot the time of year. Thanks JBM.

 

[Swarm]

Hi guys

I want to switch a hive from cold way to warm way. The question does not relate to the relative merit of the methods - I want to do this because of where I stand relative to the hive.

Can I simply turn the brood box? Looking to make the change this weekend. Will it mess with the brood, flight orientation etc?

Thanks

Russ

As the OP states, it has nothing to do with anything other than the operational benefit for the beekeeper.
The bees will adjust accordingly.

 

[Norfolkbees]

Thanks guys. As Swarm pointed out it was just for my convenience. I followed the advice and made the switch. Also pinched a super of honey. After extraction I returned the wet super. A huge number of bees coated the front of the hive and resisted all attempts to get them to stay in. Is this "bearding"? I left them to it but when I came back this evening I thought that I would check by torchlight. The outside front wall was covered 4 deep. 8:45 pitch black. Concerned about falling temp I tried smoking and brushing but ended tipping them in the top and closing front door. Shambles.
Thoughts?

 

[itma]

... Also pinched a super of honey. After extraction I returned the wet super. A huge number of bees coated the front of the hive and resisted all attempts to get them to stay in. …
Thoughts?

1/ Check the entrance. That the block isn't totally blocking it after your box-turning.
2/ If you have reduced the hive volume, and since many colonies are still pretty big, it is just about possible that they are simply overcrowded.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Is the floor open, with the debris tray out?

 

[user 6228]

i tried to detect a difference between the front and back. Couldnt really detect one in still air at a resolution of 1/16th deg C