Flashback 4 Single Brood Chamber Management to maximize the honey crop

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

I thought man where'd the snow go, then I saw Flashback. LoL 👍

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

If only! Haha!

[@davidroche2008]

New to beekeeping I’ve learned a lot from your videos thanks

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Glad to help

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Hello Peter, I have watched many of your videos. I am in the Lakes region of New Hampshire and I am glad to have a beekeeper to watch that has regional relevance. Thanks for the videos, peace, B

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Thanks so much, I am glad to help and appreciate the comment!

[@framcesmoore]

Ha Peter this video is so old you might not see this. I enjoyed the video. Do you have on a bee suite here or coveralls. Thanks have a blessed week. I cant waite till spring is here tired of not working bees I miss them and I am tired of the cold.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Haha my muddy old bee suit! I now use the tripple layer vented suits....much more comfortable in the heat and fewer stings.

[@ericshipplett3517]

I want to try single hive management. I have watched you videos on this. Would really like you to do an extended course on this during the upcoming bee season.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I might do that...will be doing it in Beekeeping 24/7 for sure.

[@ericshipplett3517]

@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer what is Beekeeping 24/7

[@southeasthomestead6093]

Great Information. I have some Nucs that will soon be coming out of winter. Think I will Try the double Nuc trick. I have some Carnolian Queens that will have their first spring flow this year.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Timing to the honeyflow may be important for the double nuc set up. I did this with young queens, just before the summer solstice and just as the honeyflow was about to peak. Too early, or older queens may swarm.

[@framcesmoore]

I do have 1 question well 2 questions you did not check the bottom for queen cells when u were doing this was your swarm season over? The next question after u do this how often u inspect the bottom box for swarm cells. Thanks and have a blessed week

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Depends upon the timing. If I did the reduction to single brood chamber early in the season it is important to check for swarm cells, if done later it becomes progressively less and less likely that they will swarm but instead concentrate on honey production....then its into the dearth.

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Very very good video Peter . Was going to ask do you ever run any top entrances an if so do you think that lets the bees fill the honey supers any faster or not . Thanks again for your info and video’s. Keep your video’s coming. Thanks

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

I have not found that upper entrances help a honeyflow but have not looked at it for some time. It would certainly help reduce heat issues and should speed up honey curing.

[@zoranvidakovic7875]

Nice video Peter.. it's very helpful..! When you shake the queen's down to single..aprox 10 days before the flow..!? Thanx and all the best from Serbia

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

That is the aim but our flows in Spring are staggered over a couple of months so we need to just do our best based on hive sizes and current cunditions.

[@zoranvidakovic7875]

@@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer Same as ours too.. The fruit bloom is always screwed up from the cold weather.. So..10 days before the flow..shook down the queen to bottom box..??

[@headbangingzuluuk5058]

when you go on to a single brood system how many times do you inspect the main brood box i noticed you just checked the supers. Many thanks for the vids am learning a lot.

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Very little if at all, unless I suspect an issue.

[@bligon11]

How do you keep your smoker going?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

The key is to start the smoker with small amounts of fuel, get them burning fiercely ad tiny bits of fuel at a time then I add a couple of handfuls of wood pellets to keep it going for hours.

[@m31indap]

So interesting! I love your no-nonsense approach. I have a quick question, if I may: I live in central NC, so my climate is at least a month ahead of yours (I would assume). Therefore, instead of months, WHAT are you looking for in order to initiate the move from doubles to singles? I tried to use singles from the start of the beekeeping season last year, but it was a never-ending fight against the dreaded swarm. So maybe my timing was off. I.e., do you wait to go down to a single once the main swarming season is over?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Very important point. I wait for the queen to have fully utilised the lower and much of the upper brood chamber and reduce as the main honeyflow begins

[@micheltanguay8569]

thank you

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

You're welcome

[@bligon11]

I have a hard time seeing eggs! What’s the secret?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Black foundation, or a magnifying glass, or an assistant under the age of 50!

[@kareneaton3395]

So how many open frames does the queen have to lay in now in the bottom box? Did you add foundation frames the week before that you aren't checking that this week of adding the Qex?

[@BeekeepingwithTheBeeWhisperer]

Once the colony goes down to a single brood chamber the queen is restricted to 10 frames usually laying on at least 8. And in the double nuc brood chambers only 5 frames.