Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: Blair Sampson on June 30, 2022, 07:07:02 am

Title: swarm prevention
Post by: Blair Sampson on June 30, 2022, 07:07:02 am
its always been good practice to reverse brood boxes in early spring to help prevent swarming later in the season. Since most bees activity happens in the upper brood box as the season progresses,  are there disavantages to reversing the brood boxes for a 2nd time to once again provide the queen with more laying space?
Title: Re: swarm prevention
Post by: Bakersdozen on June 30, 2022, 07:29:51 am
Are the bees backfilling the brood area with nectar?  That can be a problem here.  I am seeing it here.  Adding honey supers will help that situation.  Some beekeepers swap out brood frames with empty drawn comb, if they have the frames to do that.
Title: Re: swarm prevention
Post by: Blair Sampson on June 30, 2022, 09:10:47 am
They are doing some back filling and I have recently added honey supers to help prevent further back filling. Rather than adding new drawn frames or moving frame around the brood boxes, I'm wondering if there would be any disadvantage to simple reversing the brood boxes, hence,  having most of the empty drawn comb frames in the upper brood box? 
Title: Re: swarm prevention
Post by: RAST on July 01, 2022, 07:00:06 am
I don't see a problem this time of year if you are seeing empty comb in the bottom box as long as it is not caused by a poorly laying queen.
Title: Re: swarm prevention
Post by: Jen on July 01, 2022, 12:06:41 pm
That is a definate factor there RAST. If the queen isn't laying well then that leaves open comb to be back filled.

I'm not as worried about nectar back fill as pollen back fill. In my experience and some sage advice from Iddee, bee's will move nectar around the hive to make room for the laying queen, but not pollen. Pollen plugged is a pain in the booty.
Title: Re: swarm prevention
Post by: RAST on July 02, 2022, 12:18:15 pm
Yep, pollen can be a problem.