Author Topic: Reversing Hive Bodies (Read 16260 times)

Jen · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2015, 12:48:58 pm »

Jack- "you know how women are , they don't like to stay where people know them and watch them grow OLD, they would rather go where nobody knows them.

Mr. Jack! That is not true! It is my observation over the years that women will stay where they feel comfortable and have a purpose. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Jack- "In my area the queen moves up in the top box lays it full and refuses to move down

I found that same situation with one of my hives this last summer, didn't matter the configuration of the hive, the bees stayed put. This was the hive I was sure had a dink in it. She simply layed just so many eggs and that was it! When the temperature is right, it will be interesting to see what's going on in that hive.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2015, 01:45:18 pm »

HeHe, i think i hit a nerve jen, when my mom or wife started with the Mr. phrase, i knew trouble was coming my way, but you know i wouldn't say anything to aggravate anyone.

Jack

Perry · « **Reply #22 on:** January 29, 2015, 02:30:30 pm »

Quote from: brooksbeefarm on January 29, 2015, 01:45:18 pm

HeHe, i think i hit a nerve jen, when my mom or wife started with the Mr. phrase, i knew trouble was coming my way, but you know i wouldn't say anything to aggravate anyone. Jack

Don't believe it, not for a second!

Jen · « **Reply #23 on:** January 29, 2015, 02:45:49 pm »

Jack- "when my mom or wife started with the Mr. phrase

Okay Mr. Snarky Pants, please clarify the line above

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #24 on:** February 01, 2015, 01:51:57 pm »

I would imagine he means the same as when my wife starts glaring at me and calling me MISTAH... as in LISTEN HERE MISTAH... I need to run, hide or faint.. Trying to pretend I am already hurt, or to look cute doesnt work.. Not sure how the cat on the Shrek movie gets away with it? I perfected that look and it only makes her hysterical. Fainting doesnt ALWAYS work either, because she thinks PAIN will wake someone from a fainting spell.. actually it does, especially when your faking it....

Jen · « **Reply #25 on:** February 01, 2015, 02:05:26 pm »

I figured it was something like that... and we don't get easier on you guys as we gain more wisdom thru the later years. I need to keep hubby around because he can 'Fix Stuff'. So I do yoga, take walks, have a beer, whatever it takes to 'Stay Calm' for hubby's sake.

tecumseh · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2015, 04:19:38 pm »

the depth of the box really should have no real bearing on whether you reverse or not. in about 50% of the hives here the queen moves down all by herself and there is really nothing to be gained by reversing. in this process of reversing if the cluster is way above the bottom board then cleaning the bottom board of debris way ahead of wax moth and shb is as (if not more) important than reversing the boxes. A GUESS... if your hives are only two boxes deep then if you leave them as they are then quite likely the cluster will move down all by itself. AGAIN you still need to be alert concerning trash on the bottom board.

Jen · « **Reply #27 on:** February 08, 2015, 05:23:49 pm »

Tec! Three is a charm, Iddee and Riverbee have said the same thing. I'll take it. Thanks a bunch

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #28 on:** February 08, 2015, 06:47:18 pm »

Well.. I cant argue with the experts, but I will say, if you dont want to reverse. I wish you good luck. If I dont reverse my bees will be in the trees.
Perhaps it is the three boxes as opposed to two? Depth of the box? The extra gap to cross to go back down?

Reversing puts a lot of space above the queen, and its like putting sugar on in the fall. Insurance. Perhaps you dont need to reverse, but what have you hurt if you do? Nothing at all.
I was taught to reverse more than 30 years ago. More recently I decided it was not necessary, kind of like trying no upper ventilation this winter.. You'd think I would learn NOT to change what I know works.

tefer2 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 08, 2015, 07:09:21 pm »

I think it's different for us on the medium setups. At the end of winter our bottom box is always empty. Moving that to the top does two things, gives us a chance to clean the bottom board and instantly gives the queen space above to lay in. When you run deeps, there is more of a chance to divide the cluster when you reverse. That's a bad thing to do early on. The queen will eventually move down, but at their own pace.
If I don't move boxes, I'm in there twice as much pulling frames of brood to keep them out the trees.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #30 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:00:54 pm »

I would have to concede that if you split the cluster and brood that would not be a good thing.

iddee · « **Reply #31 on:** February 08, 2015, 08:01:52 pm »

Tefer said it all. Split your brood nest and order new packages. Reverse or remove a totally empty box doesn't hurt.

riverbee · « **Reply #32 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:31:41 pm »

we all have different setups, or hive configurations. i keep bees in double deeps. i have kept bees in 3 deeps. what a nightmare and a great deal of management. i can't speak or say what works for other beeks with different hive configurations because i have no experience with this.
great replies by tec and tefer.
like tefer said, brood can be extended into the bottom deep, so this is one reason why i do not reverse, but i have also found them crammed into the top deep with a totally empty deep on the bottom and found that the queen moves down. another good point tec made was about the bottom board, and making sure that it is clean or switched out. for us northern keeps, we can have piles of dead bees and other debris on the bottom board. i tend to clean these out late winter going into spring, with a slim jim, that i can reach into the back of the hive with and pull out. later, when the weather warms up, swarm season arrives, divides to be made, i will clean that bottom board off or switch it out.
another thing i have learned or think there is merit to; many of us scrape all the burr comb/ladder comb the bees build between the frames. i don't scrape all of this off or discard it. i 'break the seal' of the ladder comb, but leave it in place. just me maybe and my thinking, but i think this enables the bees and queens to move much more easily between the deeps.

Jen · « **Reply #33 on:** February 08, 2015, 10:46:06 pm »

Hi Riv

So, you are talking ladder comb that is between the top of the frames and extends to the bottom of the upper frames? does that make sense?

riverbee · « **Reply #34 on:** February 09, 2015, 12:04:21 am »

yes jen, and it made sense

Jen · « **Reply #35 on:** February 09, 2015, 01:32:36 am »

Yes, I do see where the ladder comb would be convenient for the bees, more than likely that why they built it there

I have been knocking it off, but I think now I will leave it on. Thanks!

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #36 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:06:40 am »

If you leave it on, and I do quite often, be careful not to smash bees (or a queen) when the box goes back on.

riverbee · « **Reply #37 on:** February 09, 2015, 11:33:37 am »

i leave the burr comb in place, or scrape just enough off the tops of the top of the frames of the first deep going into winter months. i don't leave it there season long. i will clean it off in the spring months when i am dividing hives. if you don't clean it off, it's a stinker pulling frames from the 2nd deep or lifting the 2nd deep from the first deep and having frames glued to each other from the burr comb.

Jen · « **Reply #38 on:** February 09, 2015, 12:29:04 pm »

Yes, I have run into that situation in the spring. And like Scott said it's a bit of a worry lowering that burr comb back down with out hushing the bees or the queen

tbonekel · « **Reply #39 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:17:31 pm »

Good topic! And like most things, differing views. That's why I love this forum! Anyway, I did complete inspections on two hives today. Live Riv, I really want to let the bees do what they do. I will try to keep them from swarming, but sometimes, they swarm anyway. But these two hives were very similar. The main cluster was in the top box. Queen laying and capped brood with plenty of stores surrounding and within reach. The bottom box had no brood as best as I could tell, honey in the corners of the frames and A LOT of pollen. I would say the bottom frames were about 75% full of pollen. So I decided to reverse. Now, it will be interesting to see where they decide to put the new pollen. If I had a pollen trap, I might put it on, especially on one hive. I don't know if I did the right thing or not. Only time will tell. My queens aren't marked and was glad that I found one of them. I watched her for a while and enjoyed watching her busily searching for a cell to lay in.