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Two deep hive body

3K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  WWW 
#1 ·
Why would you go with two deep hive bodies or one? Just curious any input would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
The two issues are, how much room does the queen need to lay, and what quantity of stores do they need to get through the winter. I don't use any, I use eight frame mediums, but still what I leave them for winter is important. If you use an excluder, then what is below the excluder becomes the only space available for the brood nest, and limiting that too much leads to swarming.
 
#3 ·
I've never been able to keep a hive alive through the winter on a single deep. I have one that is doing great on a deep and a shallow, but it's also been fed about six gallons since Thanksgiving. They were in dire straits entering the winter; never would've made it without help.
 
#7 ·
Here where I live bees can winter on a 10 frame deep with 1 medium for stores, also called " hive and a half", however I run 10 frame double deeps, having enough stores for winter is a necessity but one must remember that the bees will need their stores for brood rearing in early spring as well, I want to be sure that they have what is needed.
 
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