Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: jaseemtp on April 18, 2011, 12:37:15 pm

Title: When to add another hive body?
Post by: jaseemtp on April 18, 2011, 12:37:15 pm

Hey I just started keeping bees, I started with three pound packages.  Right now I have my bees in 8 fame mediums and was wondering when should I give them another 8 frames of foundation.  There are enough bees to cover 5 of the 8 frames now.  Not all of the foundation is drawn out yet either. 
Thanks for the help
Jason

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: VolunteerK9 on April 18, 2011, 01:28:32 pm

I add when I have 7 out of 10 frames drawn. I would say that it would be safe for you to go ahead and add another.

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: njoylife10 on April 18, 2011, 07:31:03 pm

I'm with volunteerK9.  I usually wait until 7-8 frames are fully waxed then add on the next hive body or super.

njoylife10

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: AllenF on April 18, 2011, 07:32:03 pm

Ditto.

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: hardwood on April 18, 2011, 09:34:19 pm

Same here.

Scott

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: Michael Bush on April 19, 2011, 12:52:21 am

Drawing wax and raising brood require heat.  A smaller box is easier to keep warm.  Add the second when the first is 80% full, as everyone is saying.

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: TwoHoneys on April 19, 2011, 07:57:33 am

Quote from: Michael Bush on April 19, 2011, 12:52:21 am

Drawing wax and raising brood require heat.  A smaller box is easier to keep warm.  Add the second when the first is 80% full, as everyone is saying.

For three years I've heard to wait until the previous box is 80% drawn before adding another, but this is the first time I've heard an explanation for doing it. Or...perhaps it's been explained and I wasn't yet ready to understand it. Now I get it. Light bulb!

-Liz

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: Michael Bush on April 19, 2011, 09:26:32 pm

Glad I could help.

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: jaseemtp on April 19, 2011, 10:21:44 pm

Thanks for the feedback y'all.
Jason

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: Finski on April 20, 2011, 01:02:45 am

.
You may add second box under the brood box. That does not disturb much the heat economy of brood box. When the lower box is partly occupied, the turn over boxes.

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: hardwood on April 20, 2011, 01:28:58 am

Finski, he's in Texas...very warm climate.

Scott

Title: Re: When to add another hive body?
Post by: jaseemtp on April 21, 2011, 06:03:08 pm

Yep its very warm, it was up to 100 two days ago then a "cold" front hit and now its 75