[Hugh McDiarmid]

Hello,

Had two deeps make it through a Michigan winter. Was planning to reverse the boxes this spring, but it appeared that there was a lot of activity going on in the lower box so I left it alone. Fast fwd a month and I added a super as it looked like the top deep was almost full. A week later they haven't done anything in the new super, not even drawing out comb. But the top deep is chock-full of honey and the brood on the bottom still looks moderately full.....I'm considering putting the honey-choked deep on top and the empty super in between them.....advice and thoughts welcome.

Hugh

 

[Richinbama]

Why dont you put every other frame honey, then starter frame, ect. Let them.draw them.out that way. Will promote a bit more wax drawing. Ie : Checkerboard frames

 

[Gray Goose]

Hello,

Had two deeps make it through a Michigan winter. Was planning to reverse the boxes this spring, but it appeared that there was a lot of activity going on in the lower box so I left it alone. Fast fwd a month and I added a super as it looked like the top deep was almost full. A week later they haven't done anything in the new super, not even drawing out comb. But the top deep is chock-full of honey and the brood on the bottom still looks moderately full.....I'm considering putting the honey-choked deep on top and the empty super in between them.....advice and thoughts welcome.

Hugh

Hugh, you are a little light on some pertinent details.
Do you have an extractor?? if yes the I would shake the top honey laden box, of bees 1 frame at a time, placing into a different box. Place Next box /super then an excluder then the honey laden box on top. In 25 days all the brood will be hatched, the box can then be extracted, then placed on the bottom board, with the other 2 on top in the same order. IE shake to remove queen, exclude till brood hatches then extract , and Nader it. seems that would be the best way to reuse the comb and open the brood nest, maybe check and someone at your club has an extractor you can use.
GG

 

[trottet1]

>Why dont you put every other frame honey, then starter frame, ect.

I'd be a little cautious of that. Seems whenever I put undrawn frames between honey frames(especially uncapped), they tend to draw the honey frames out even further and end up being drawn into the undrawn frame.

 

[Gray Goose]

>Why dont you put every other frame honey, then starter frame, ect.

I'd be a little cautious of that. Seems whenever I put undrawn frames between honey frames(especially uncapped), they tend to draw the honey frames out even further and end up being drawn into the undrawn frame.

concur, in my past I have the same issue, they rather deepen the existing cells/comb, that build a new one.

 

[RTBBEE]

The reason for reversing boxed is to take advantage of the bees natural tendency to work upward. It can be done at any time as long as you do not split brood. As a rule in early spring the queen and her court have moved to the upper box. and we find the bottom one empty. We reverse them to allow the bees to store overhead which is their natural tendency. If this is not done. we quite often find the top box full and the bottom box completely empty. If the bees are using both boxes then there is no need to reverse. They will make it to the super when the need for space arises. and Yes it the queen needs more laying room. and you have a queen excluder on the workers will move honey up to make room for her majesty providing there is not a major flow going on. In which case a hive can become honey bound.