United hives

[xray7]

Last Autumn I united several colonies so I now have them on double (national) brood.

My thinking is to keep them on double brood but to reverse the boxes with the aim of placing the probably empty brood boxes on top to give them more space to expand upwards and reduce the risk of early swarming.

Now I'm wondering if there is a down side to this, such as if they pack honey into the top box instead of a super and my spring honey harvest will be less than hoped for.

Any thoughts please ?

 

[Swarm]

Most of mine do winter on double brood, I usually find the brood nest centrally placed between the boxes. Let them expand until temperatures get more favourable and then reverse the boxes, this gives the brood nest more of an hour glass shape and the old honey arcs are soon cleared from their new location. If there is no super on the hive at this point, I add one above a queen excluder.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Most of mine do winter on double brood, I usually find the brood nest centrally placed between the boxes. Let them expand until temperatures get more favourable and then reverse the boxes, this gives the brood nest more of an hour glass shape and the old honey arcs are soon cleared from their new location. If there is no super on the hive at this point, I add one above a queen excluder.

 

[user 819]

Much the same as swarm has said, centrally be in the top box where it is warmer but also will be expanded to the top of the lower box. Unless it is favourably warm then leave them to it.
As long as there is laying space top or bottom then swarming shoudln't be an issue.
it for sure lloks like we aren't going to see the flyer to spring we had last year so early flows may be curtailed a little.