Medium hives

[Shawn]

Well I received my equipment in today. I finally realized that Betterbee has medium supers in their kits instead of shallows. Anyway, if people are just using mediums how many "hive bodies" do you allow the bees. I read a post in the natural section about giving the bees two deeps or three mediums. Is there a set amount of space you need to give them? I know if they run out of room they might want to swarm but is there point where you cut them off so you too can have some honey supers without brood? I was thinking if you have more than 3 mediums that would be a lot of space to try to keep warm in the winter.I read http://www.bushfarms.com/beeseightframemedium.htm and I see the advantages. Just courious.

[annette]

I have my hives made up of 3 mediums each and they overwinter just fine for me out here in Placerville California.
I just added another super to my strong hive because there was so much brood and pollen all over the place. I am just letting the queen lay wherever she wants. Eventually she will go down and stay below the honey line. Bees always like to place the honey on top, so when the brood pops out and they clean out the cells, they will probably use the top supers for honey when we start to get a good flow going.

Hopes this helps
Annette

[Michael Bush]

>if people are just using mediums how many "hive bodies" do you allow the bees. I read a post in the natural section about giving the bees two deeps or three mediums.

That depends on the part of the country you are in and how strong the hive is.

> Is there a set amount of space you need to give them?

No.

> I know if they run out of room they might want to swarm but is there point where you cut them off so you too can have some honey supers without brood?

No.  The brood will limit itself.  That's what makes the honey.  I've piled them up so high I was putting them on with a step ladder.  There is a limit to the brood nest. The rest will be honey if they can make that much.

> I was thinking if you have more than 3 mediums that would be a lot of space to try to keep warm in the winter.

Winter is one thing.  The flow is another.  The cluster size is what I'd use to decide the size of the hive.  Some of mine are in one eight frame medium and some are all the way up to six.

But the typical formulat is this:

2 deeps = 3 mediums = 4 8-frame mediums

So if you live in the part of the country where 2 deeps is typical for overwinter, you'll probably want 3 mediums or 4 8-frame mediums.

If you live where a deep and a shallow is the norm for overwintering, you might want to go with two mediums or three 8-frame mediums.

[Shawn]

Thanks for the info! :)