reversing deeps - top to bottom etc

[Beeboy01]

I've been reversing the bottom boxes for years in the spring once a flow starts. It is an easy way to cull out older frames and at least for me it seems to work. Disrupting the brood nest is a drawback if you are in an area with later frost or cold nights. Two of the hives I reversed this year lost some brood because of a sudden cold snap, go figure frost at the end of March in Florida. Of course if the bottom box is empty it can be pulled and the hive shrunk down till the extra room is needed again. If you are in an area with small hive beetles then pulling the bottom box and keeping the hive packed full of bees is the way to go. It all really depends on how much time you have towork the hives and your managment style.
   Even with the brood chilling I'm glad I swapped the boxes two weeks ago, they are already full of honey and I ended up supering up the beeyard today. It has started again !!!!

[dfizer]

As soon as I get some temps in the 60's I'll check what's going on in the bottom deep.  I like the idea of completely removing it should there be no bees in it, then placing a second on when they get the first one filled again. 

Finski - what is meant by "mobilize last winter food a crytsallized honey at the beginning of summer"? 

Thanks in advance for the advice and education!

David

[Finski]

Finski - what is meant by "mobilize last winter food a crytsallized honey at the beginning of summer"? 

A hive has allways, and must have sugar or previous year honey as food before new surplus comes in.

Usually brood frames have an arch of old food in upper parts. Bees move it and partly consume it when the upper parts will be in the middle of brood area.

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[dfizer]

Ok - today I got into the hives to clean up and explore a bit.  What I noticed is that there was very little capped brood.  There was some evidence of egg laying in uncapped brood.  I didn't get too alarmed since as you know it's pretty early here in the northeast as far as the bloom and pollen flow goes.  The encouraging thing about what I am seeing from the foraging bees is that they are bringing in boat loads of pollen.  The thing that I am most curious about is the amount of left over capped honey in one of the hives.  In the top deep there was 7 full frames of capped honey... these are absolutely beauties however I don't know what I should do with them.  Should I remove them so that the bees have ample space to raise brood?  If the answer is yes then how many of them should I remove?  It still is getting down close to freezing or slightly below at night so I don't want them to have nothing to eat. 

Also, I decided to reverse the deeps on one of the hives and not reverse on the other.  I did this primarily to determine if there is a noticeable difference. 

The bottom deeps on both hives I got into today were very very light with little if any honey or stores whatsoever.  I was tempted to reverse the deeps on both hives to encourage the bees to use the space above their lower deep.  Will the bees eventually use the lower deep for brood etc on the hive that I didn't reverse deeps?  If not it's just going to be wasted space. 

The third hive I left completely alone since I ran out of time - I'll clean it out tomorrow weather permitting.

Best regards -

David 

[annette]

I don't reverse. I overwinter with 3 mediums and take the bottom super that is always empty by beginning of Spring and place it on the top (after removing any older funky comb). That way I do not upset anything, just give them room on top. It doesn't break up anything.

[Finski]

I don't reverse. I overwinter with 3 mediums and take the bottom super that is always empty by beginning of Spring and place it on the top (after removing any older funky comb). That way I do not upset anything, just give them room on top. It doesn't break up anything.

Seems reversing to me

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[dfizer]

I don't reverse. I overwinter with 3 mediums and take the bottom super that is always empty by beginning of Spring and place it on the top (after removing any older funky comb). That way I do not upset anything, just give them room on top. It doesn't break up anything.

Seems reversing to me

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Indeed!  One question Finski - with that much honey in the top deep does it make sense to remove some of it to give them room for brood?  I really didn't expect to find the top deep so full of honey.  If I leave these frames in there will that just force the bees to use the bottom deep for brood?

Please advise.

[Finski]

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If hive has capped old honey in the hive, they just take space and bees keep them warm. It is waste of hives energy.

In spring hive uses upper box for brooding because it is warmest place.
Colony takes the lower box too to brood when it is time. It is better not to disturb this process.
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[Kathyp]

If hive has capped old honey in the hive,

here, most of that will get used early in the spring, but if that's not happening, and you want to have some fresh stuff that you know isn't' part syrup, take those frames and store them for later.  you can freeze them and feed them back later in the year when they need it and when your own honey is off. 

WRAP the frames in something when you put them in the freezer.  they will drip.  a sticky freezer makes the SO unhappy.   :-D

[dfizer]

Can these full frames of honey be used for making splits?  I assume so... how many would I be able to use for each split?  I could always use them that way as i plan to make 4 splits this year.  The way I plan to make the splits is via nucs. 

David 

[annette]

I thought reversing is when you switch the top and bottom supers?? I am only removing the bottom super which is empty and placing on top. This has worked out well for me each and every year.

[Finski]

I thought reversing is when you switch the top and bottom supers?? I am only removing the bottom super which is empty and placing on top. This has worked out well for me each and every year.

Reversing has nothing to do with supers.

[Finski]

If hive has capped old honey in the hive,

WRAP the frames in something when you put them in the freezer. 

What heck they do in a freezer?

[dfizer]

I thought reversing is when you switch the top and bottom supers?? I am only removing the bottom super which is empty and placing on top. This has worked out well for me each and every year.

I think this is a question of semantics - given that the question was about a two deep set up, reversing would indeed be top to bottom and bottom to top.  Given you have three supers I'm not sure what reversing would be or look like.  What you describe sounds more like rearranging than reversing.  Nonetheless, it works for you then so be it.  When I have heard beekeepers refer to supers what comes to mind is the honey supers that are on top of the deeps. 

Cheers!

David

[Finski]

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When I joined to this forum, I heard from US guys that reversin deeps is important procedure in swarming preventing.

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Many in forum says for example that they do not extract their honey from hive. Does it mean that is not needed at all in beekeeping.

Like it has been said to me :Only desparately poor people extract honey.

[sterling]

Can these full frames of honey be used for making splits?  I assume so... how many would I be able to use for each split?  I could always use them that way as i plan to make 4 splits this year.  The way I plan to make the splits is via nucs. 

David 

Yes you can use the honey frames for splits. One is better then none two will not hurt. Scratch the cappings some and they will eat the honey and use the comb it for brood. Put them on the outside edge.

[Kathyp]

What heck they do in a freezer?

not much :-D

they don't have to go in the freezer, but it keeps the bugs out.  they tend to weep some when you freeze them, or if they have a break, the drip. 

[annette]

I thought reversing is when you switch the top and bottom supers?? I am only removing the bottom super which is empty and placing on top. This has worked out well for me each and every year.

I think this is a question of semantics - given that the question was about a two deep set up, reversing would indeed be top to bottom and bottom to top.  Given you have three supers I'm not sure what reversing would be or look like.  What you describe sounds more like rearranging than reversing.  Nonetheless, it works for you then so be it.  When I have heard beekeepers refer to supers what comes to mind is the honey supers that are on top of the deeps. 

Cheers!

David

Thanks David

[annette]

What heck they do in a freezer?

not much :-D

Very funny Kathy, you have a great sense of humor :-D :-D

[Finski]

What heck they do in a freezer?

not much :-D

Very funny Kathy, you have a great sense of humor :-D :-D

´
The more freezeners, the more humour.

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