Question about a very strong overwintered hive...

[The Bix]

I have a hive that overwintered very well.  Last weekend when I inspected I was both happy and concerned.  The numbers are in great shape, but they have run out of room and there were only a couple of frames of honey left.  I saw the first dandelions blooming last week and the bulbs have been blooming.  But, we are a ways away from the main nectar flow which happens mid-June or thereabouts.  However, they are bringing in plenty of pollen.

To address the situation, I gave them more room to alleviate the crowding by adding supers with drawn comb and I also added a few frames of honey into the top box to make sure they make it to the main nectar flow.  In retrospect, I am concerned that I may have caused some problems perhaps by clogging up the broodnest when I added the frames of honey.  Perhaps I should have put them in the bottom or not at all?

I use two deeps and medium supers.  I also have a slatted rack installed.  The supers of drawn comb were stored wet (and they weren't moldy when I got them out of storage).

I would really appreciate some sage advice here.  I don't want them to swarm and would like to have a great honey producing hive.

[FRAMEshift]

If your brood nest is full you should immediately give them some empty frames interspersed in the brood nest.  You could add one or two to start, more when the weather warms up.  Pull honey or drone frames at the side of the brood nest to the higher box to make room for the empty frames (foundationless or empty foundation).  As long as you have some nectar coming in, I wouldn't worry about them being low on honey.  They will adjust their brood rearing to match available resources.

[The Bix]

If your brood nest is full you should immediately give them some empty frames interspersed in the brood nest. 

It was full of bees, but not full of brood and bees.  Mostly empty comb, some brood and some honey.  Still need empty frames?

[Finski]

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The hive must be enlargened according number of bees. If weathers are bad, combs may be empty near starvation, and still hives have 5 boxes in June.

How many combs you have brood?

My dandelions start to bloom at the end of May. It is time. When new  bees emerge in masses and wintered bees will be all dead. It is time  of apple trees blooming too.

[The Bix]

Sorry for the delay Finski, I have about 6 frames of brood.

[Finski]

Sorry for the delay Finski, I have about 6 frames of brood.

6 brood frames sounds quite normal.
Yor days are warm and nights cold. http://www.rssweather.com/wx/us/co/arapahoe%20county/wx.php

[Finski]

there were only a couple of frames of honey left.  

-  adding supers with drawn comb and
- I also added a few frames of honey into the top box to make sure they make it to the main nectar flow.

Now you have there 6 brood frame, 2 food frames and 2 what? Have you free frames in brood box?

You added honey frames

what about excluder?

Where bees enlarge the laying? 

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It is spring there and your hive is normal size, not big. This time you should arrange brooding spce to the queen that they do not swarm.

I would put into brood box 2 food frames. But I suppose that brood frames have honey too .

I would put a second brood box under the brood box and food stores in lower box in the middle.  Couple on foundations too.


When the boath brood boxes are occupied and queen is laying in the lower box, I would put a super as third box. At same time reverse the brood boxes.

Bees need space for pollen in spring. Often it stucks a tiny brood area. Bees store pollen nearby brood.

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