top or bottom?

[smarty]

I have been reading on the forum about other methods other than shook swarm on how to move bees from one sized hive/ frames to another. Is it better to put the new box with drawn comb on the top or bottom? Which direction will the queen tend to gravitate to? The existing hive does have capped honey in the frames which may create a barrier so my reasoning was new box on the bottom near the new entrance and close old entrance. I would love to hear others’ opinions.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

put it on top so the bees move up into it, you can then remove the unwanted/wrong size box, you say there's drawn comb in the new box so just find the queen, put her up there and the rest will soon follow

 

[Ian123]

As above…… top! Just add the new box as and when you would in normal circumstances. On next inspection you may possibly find they’ve moved up or have started to use the top box, as soon as they do simply pop the queen upstairs and an excluder below.

 

[Ely]

I thought I'd logged into the wrong forum for a minute with that title. I usually put on top also.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I thought I'd logged into the wrong forum for a minute with that title. I usually put on top also.

You must have an interesting list of forums

 

[smarty]

put it on top so the bees move up into it, you can then remove the unwanted/wrong size box, you say there's drawn comb in the new box so just find the queen, put her up there and the rest will soon follow

Thanks a lot. It won’t be possible to find the queen though as crossed comb and total mess of comb inside which is one of the reasons for this change over. Still top?

 

[Ian123]

Thanks a lot. It won’t be possible to find the queen though as crossed comb and total mess of comb inside which is one of the reasons for this change over. Still top?

Yes still top… then you’ll have to wait until they move up and you find her on an inspection!……..In a similar situation to yours in the past I’ve put a new box under and beequick on the the top box driving bees down then slipping an excluder in. I did make sure there was a frame with a little brood on in the bottom box. Worked fine and reversed next inspection

 

[Poly Hive]

Smarty? I have moved bees dozens of times from one frame size to another and always put the new box on top. Why? Queens like to go up. It's that simple so... KISS.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks a lot. It won’t be possible to find the queen though as crossed comb and total mess of comb inside which is one of the reasons for this change over. Still top?

still top - the queen will move up at the first opportunity

 

[smarty]

Thank you all for your help. Top it is.

 

[fian]

Because it is a little wider, it depends on the time of year. Therefore until June the new box on top, however from July the new box with drawn comb on the bottom.