Reversing with

[fincalinda]

To reverse or not to?    In nature the bees move down right? So why reverse?  The theory is so that the bees will move upwards in the spring after reversing and they'll work their way into the top hive box.  What's the advantage of that?  If left alone would they be slower to build up in spring?  Is this a matter of controversy or does everyone reverse? 

My hives have a surprising amount of honey left over from winter.  Is their any problem with them having honey in the bottom box and the broodnest in the top?

Fincalinda

Central Oklahoma

[Michael Bush]

>To reverse or not to?    In nature the bees move down right? So why reverse?

Exactly.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beeslazy.htm#stopswitching

>  The theory is so that the bees will move upwards in the spring after reversing and they'll work their way into the top hive box.  What's the advantage of that?

Nothing.

>  If left alone would they be slower to build up in spring?

No.

> Is this a matter of controversy or does everyone reverse?

Yes it's a matter of controversy.  George Imirie uses it as a method of swarm control.  He reverses CONSTANTLY all through the prime swarm season.  This breaks up the brood nest and causes the bees much consternation trying to rearrange things to their liking.  It DOES prevent swarming, but at a cost.  I would do this instead:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm

Or this:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesexperiment.htm

>My hives have a surprising amount of honey left over from winter.  Is their any problem with them having honey in the bottom box and the broodnest in the top?

No problem at all.

[CraigW]

I wrote and asked Walt Wright what I should do because i did not have any drawn comb foundation for checkerboarding. He advised me to reverse if the top hive body was honey bound, which would stop the bees from expanding their brood nest. I did have a honey cap so I reversed, next year I will be able to checkerboard.