Here on the East Coast of Central Fla I overwinter in a deep with a medium on top.
If there were 2 deeps it would be easy to swap positions in the spring to get the brood on bottom. Question is : Without a queen excluder, how do you get the brood nest back in the deep frames on bottom ? I assume that if I leave them alone they would start using the bottom deep for a honey super or swarm ? I understand that this would be a great way to switch to all mediums, but I do not want to have to always lift a extra box to inspect the full brood nest (2 mediums instead of 1 deep).
Thanks
Mike
http://mikesfarm1.blogspot.com/
here in Ga. I use 2 deeps a deep and medium concept, I never rotate, they move down when flows start themselves, all I do is watch and add more mediums. I do the same with 2 deeps.
I don't rotate. They will move down when the queen runs out of room.
thanks,
Do you just withold more supers until they move down ?
I thought that they would swarm if there was no room above them ?
Do they usually move down much earlier than spring flows start or do they
cut it close?
Mike
from what I seen they move the queen down when the flow starts, they start filling the upper sections first, the queen will move down by them doing this, never had any problems with a small setup like this, maybe them up north people do because they have to have so much stack for winter stores. secrete is when you start seeing flowers and hive build up check them regularly so you know when to add supers, it helps to know your area and the flows, when My big flow starts (tulip poplar) I know when to add more than one super because they can draw out and fill a super in a week and be out of room, I have drawn supers so I can add more than one with out looking every other few days but have to check them at lest a weekly basis.