Three boxes of brood?

[ledifni]

I got my first chance this spring to do a complete hive inspection today. Everything looks good (they're putting up plenty of honey, enough that I added another super), but the one thing that struck me as odd is that the bottom three boxes (one large, two mediums) are all full of brood. It's a nice pattern except on a couple of the outer frames which are spotty, but still that just strikes me as an awful lot of brood. I'm pretty inexperienced (this is only my second year) but is that normal? Shouldn't they be reserving more space for food?

[apisbees]

Not in the spring time. The bees and brood being fed will consume the nectar as fast as the bees can collect it. In nature bees want to become populous and swarm.

[Dunkel]

Ledifni, not unusual at all.  They love to make bees and are dying to swarm at the drop of a hat.  On the other hand if you can keep her with plenty laying room and keep them from swarming, it is crazy what a booming hive can do during a good flow.  My problem is that in my area we have two most years.  The first is in early May and the bees have to come out of winter strong to make good use of it.  Downfall is if they come out of winter strong it is a sea rugged battle to stay up on top of them.

 This year a cold spell when I needed to open things up happened.  I'm fighting a loosing battle.  I'm just reducing the amounts in the hive in the way of splits.  Not gonna keep it from happening, but cutting down on the size of the swarms.

But boy a strong workforce during a flow is a sight to behold.  I full medium of foundation can become full in less than 5 days. Good luck and keep a watch on them and I bet you will be surprised.

[Jen]

Hi Led    Like Apis and Dunkel said, bees love to make more bees. Personally, my timing is never right on when it comes to getting splits done to prevent swarms. But I love swarms and enjoy watching them happen. This year I'm learning how to make use of the queen cells left behind in the hive.

Are you interested in increasing your hives?

[ledifni]

Yes, actually I want another hive this year. I looked for swarm cells today and didn't see any, so I'm thinking they haven't got the swarm bug yet. I'll keep an eye out, and when I do see swarm cells, I'm going to attempt a Taranov split Maybe that's a little ambitious but I think I can pull it off.

[Jen]

I think you can to Led! Some say to make weekly checks from here on out. I think it's good advice 

[apisbees]

The easiest split is to buy a queen and so the split it will give the hive 25 more days of brood production. for the cost of a queen around $30.00 It will pay for itself in honey wax being drawn and it will add to the genetic pool.

[LazyBkpr]

What Apis said.
  Splitting them before they decide its time to swarm is the best thing you can do.. Second, would be the artificial swarm, taking the queen and several frames of bees/brood and starting the new hive or hives, so that they THINK/FEEL like they have swarmed.   At which point you can let them raise a new queen on their own (unless they have already started that process and have swarm cells) Or you can introduce a purchased queen to save yourself nearly a month of time and growth.
    Either way, its an exciting time filled with experience and knowledge gathered.   Hope you plans all work out perfectly!
   Scott

[Jen]

I get my queens from Dadant here in Cali. By the time you pay shipping, it's $50

[riverbee]

what apis and dunkel said ledfini!!!  awesome!

dunkel> "a strong workforce during a flow is a sight to behold" ....... !!!

good luck on the split and good to hear from ya!

[Lburou]

Yes, actually I want another hive this year...

While a Taranov split is fascinating, there is another, easier way ledifni.  Take the queen out with five or six frames of brood for a second hive. Nurture that group of bees into your next hive. 

The time is right for this strategy here in North Texas.  Your main honey flow is around the corner and the remaining bees will raise a queen while storing huge amounts of honey because they are queenless and broodless during your main flow.  They will raise well fed queen cells and you should get a good queen, if you don't, you can recombine with the original queen after swarm season.

Just another strategy for your consideration.  I have used this old fashioned strategy and done well with it.  HTH