Brood in Top Hive Body

[csetash]

Upon examining my hive today, I noticed that the majority of the brood is in the top hive body. I've heard that to prepare for Fall, it should be as low in the hive as possible, and I'm not sure how to go about doing that. Should I use a queen excluder? It's my first year keeping bees, and I probably won't have any surplus honey, but I want to ensure their safety and warmth for the upcoming winter before I go back to school. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[dehavik]

What is in the lower brood box? Empty comb? Capped honey?

[Danman]

I'm a newb myself but I would just swap the boxes so the one with brood is on bottom.

[Capricorn]

You want to evaluate the stores that will be left for winter, most easily accomplished by lifting the back of the hive to determine how heavy it is. If it isn't heavy enough, feed them. They will store the feed at the top of their comb, and the more they fill it up, the lower the cluster will move.

[beedeetee]

Well the queen isn't going to stay below empty comb. She will lay at the top of empty drawn comb. So if you want her lower you need a flow or feed them to let them store honey. As they do she will have to lay lower in the chamber.

[csetash]

Thanks guys! The lower hive body is mostly honey, with some capped brood interspersed. It just seems like they're putting most of the new brood up top. I think I'll feed them next month and hopefully by the time it gets cold they'll be alright. Thanks again!

[beedeetee]

If the bottom box is mostly honey and the top box is mostly brood, you could switch those boxes since it is probably warm enough for them to keep a split brood next going. Or maybe better yet, move some of those honey frames to the top to replace any empties. That way if you feed they won't get honey bound with both the top and bottom mostly honey.

[Acebird]

What do you have for equipment? Add an empty box on the bottom and let them keep foraging.

[victory1504]

That way if you feed they won't get honey bound with both the top and bottom mostly honey.

If they have that much honey WHY would you feed them at all ? It is normal for the queen to lay higher in the brood nest. If the lower super is mostly empty comb, reverse the supers. The bees know how to arrange their brood nest. It is way too early to be worrying about winter stores. Lets see what they bring in in August and September. You probably won't make any surplus but they might well fill some space in the brood nest.

[Michael Bush]

>I've heard that to prepare for Fall, it should be as low in the hive as possible, and I'm not sure how to go about doing that.

Contrary to popular belief the bees know what they are doing. Let them.