🔵When to Reverse Brood Boxes

Swarm Prevention on a Strong Hive
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#Beekeeping #Beekeeper #Honeybee

[@reedjasonf]

You are way more calm and thoughtful when you get stung. When I get stung I absolutely come unhinged and cursing up a storm. 😂

[@kamonreynolds]

Haha! well sometimes it still gets to me and we have to cut the video! Right under the fingernail is torture!

[@honeypineacreschannel7619]

A big ball of propolis in the pants pocket. I bet your wife loves doing your laundry. 🤣🤣🤣 Great video, as always.

[@kamonreynolds]

Lol she makes me do it!

[@romel1088]

I watch alot of KZbin videos on beekeeping. Most of them leave me with the idea that the person videoing just wanted a video for KZbin to get hits and really don't know what they are doing. This one left me with confidence that you know what you are doing. Hugely helpful. Very well explained and congruous with what I know so far.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks for the comment and the feedback Bob. Best of Luck with your bees this season!

[@route-249]

I for one like the fact that you include the temperature ranges you are experiencing when you are doing so that it is easier for me to use that information for my area and weather conditions. Most times you have a person from Georgia or Florida or Texas that is saying this or that to do, but I cannot use that information wisely. Thanks Kamon!

[@attesmatte]

Agree! 😀👍

[@julnifares]

Nice. Please show this hives after next 3 weeks. Maybe some kind of series?

[@donbell3940]

Learned something today. Did not know to reverse colonies. Thought you just added another box. Thanks so much.

[@beeruption913]

Hahaha. FLICK!! “That bee just stung me really good”. Keep it coming brother.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks! Will do!

[@Lbfarmsllc]

When your on video you can’t scream like a little girl and then run away cursing like a sailor, like the rest of us do in real life!

[@kamonreynolds]

@@Lbfarmsllc haha

[@bokluge3855]

Thank you so much Kamon , you are the most helpful and inspirational person and bee instructor on you tube. Your setting the pace!

[@dsummerscm]

That was a perfect example and explanation for switching the boxes! Awesome job!

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks so much!

[@BlanchardsBees]

🐝GREAT Queens, Dead Mite & Good Nutrition!😀 It's raining here in SW Iowa as well.

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Holy smokes you are getting rain and maybe more Wednesday. Looking like an inch of snow here. Right when our pussywillows are blooming. Darn.

[@BlanchardsBees]

@@MinnesotaBeekeeper right! Mother Nature is always throwing curve balls.

[@CasaMatilde2021]

Flawlessly explained ! Greetings from Ecuador.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thank you for the generous comment and for watching!

[@13CDallas]

I just did an inspection, my lower brood box it empty and the top is full, Glad you posted this. I dig a big WTF!

[@marcogallazzi9049]

Every single one of your videos drops a small but very helpfull tip, like the feromone of the uncapped brood on this one. It´s a very clever way to teach. Love your videos, you deserve more subscribers.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks for the comment and for following along!

[@64324037]

Man your problem is that you love bees too much. You cant resist to dig in those brood boxes, and to look all that beautiful brood😂

[@kamonreynolds]

My wife says I have some type of weird medical condition haha!

[@Shemjacob420]

🤣🤣🤣

[@familyhearingandbalancecen9777]

Your videos are always current and informative Kaymon. Thank you!!

[@CastleHives]

If the Queens would just cooperate and move down it’d save us work. All in fun though and Spring management of hives. Good info Kamon. I started reversing boxes and definitely helps out.

[@amylarson3958]

They need to keep their crowns on ! Hard to locate otherwise

[@PapaBee165]

Great video Kamon. You’re a great teachers.

[@longarmsupplies]

Great lesson, Thanks, Kamon!

[@charlesoneill466]

Loved your "live chat" Great info.

[@sarashappyhives1828]

Hi Kamon! I appreciate your videos especially since it’s been difficult for me to attend local meetings. They say ask 5 beekeepers a question and you get 7 different answers. Comparing the pros and cons of the answers and applying what I learn has helped to keep my hives happy 😊 Thank you from Indiana

[@mikeries8549]

Bee clubs are notorious for providing useful information a month late.

[@wwoutdoors7300]

We do appreciate y’all. Our favorite bee people.

[@CanadianTropica]

Oh man don't you love the spring laying patterns with all the fresh pollen coming in. One of my favorite times of the year, looking good Kamon.

[@Makermook]

Kamon, I always learn something when you post a video. You're becoming the next generation's Bob Binnie.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Mark. Well I definitely don't deserve to be compared to Bob but one day I hope to be as knowledgeable as he is.

[@VidKatMA1]

*goes to look up Bob Binnie*

[@rpeebles]

Wait, the flow is not on for everyone like it is here in Texas?!? :0) Sorry, I couldn't resist. Love the spring!

[@halfmoongardens3345]

Really enjoy your videos. I'm in frozen Alberta, but still find a lot of useful info. I appreciate how you explain things so I understand the why in what I'm doing. Thank-you for sharing!

[@nickcastleberryhoneybeevideos]

Looking good! They are off to an early start here in Arkansas. About three weeks compared to last year.👍 Thanks for your instruction and information.

[@isakdrangstveit3408]

You are such a great help! Whenever someone asks for resources I recommend you!

[@kamonreynolds]

Awesome, thank you!

[@caven930]

I was happy to see my colonies with empty top boxes this year for the first time. Easiest swarm prevention you can do really. Like you say, comb is king. We're more than likely sticking to double brood chambers for now.

[@Lbfarmsllc]

Thanks Kamon, learned something!

[@jeremyhuggins8796]

Thanks for the video! I added a box to a hive the other day without swapping out a frame. Going to swap it this afternoon.

[@jeremyrainey5917]

Always the best instructional videos.

[@denniswood231]

Wonderful brood pattern and the perfect time to reverse...up here in Saskatchewan we still don't have our bees out of winter quarters but hopefully soon...hope you have an amazing beekeeping srason Kamon!

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Dennis hope you do also!

[@trichard5106]

Thanks !!

[@joelwhite4963]

I live in NE Georgia. Last week I found 5 swarm cells (open) and 2 queen cells (larvae in cells) in one hive. Only a few in the other hives. I use single deeps which makes it easier to inspect. I add a medium on top in late winter for any pollen and honey from the 1:1 syrup I start in early February. It seems to keep the brood in one place and gives them a place to store early food.

[@so_cal_mom]

Very helpful thank you!

[@kamonreynolds]

You're welcome. thanks for commenting!

[@adrianjohnson8185]

Watching your video from Jamaica informative as always.

[@toddknecht2106]

Thank you!

[@paulawaldrep9882]

Love all the details you provide and explaining why you're repositioning the boxes and frames!! 💕👍😁

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey Paula, Laurel and I were talking about you today at church. Thanks again for the Bible!

[@paulawaldrep9882]

@@kamonreynolds you are very welcome again! There is nothing for sure in this world. Christ is our only hope and MUST be covered by His Precious Blood. He is the Way, Truth and Life. The Lord made me know Jeremiah 17:9 & 10 were true and also Ezequel 36:26-27. HE gave me a new heart and now I want others to KNOW CHRIST also.😍💕🙏🐝🐝🐝🐝🥳

[@alphaxanon]

I find the practice of reversing brood boxes a curious one. In an unmanaged hive, the brood is near the hive entrance, and the honey is stored in the farthest part of the hive from the entrance. But when you're reversing the boxes, you're encouraging the queen to lay further from the entrance. To me, that says the queen doesn't like crossing between frames vertically, although she obviously can as we saw in that first hive. Or maybe she just likes being in the warmest part of the hive which is going to be the top.

[@HaselorHoney]

Interesting and informative video thank you 🐝 I sometimes under super my hives over the winter.

[@dcrogers59]

Kamon, I hope that propolis did not end up in the washer or dryer. 😄

[@kamonreynolds]

You and me both!

[@seedsandarrowsfrontier9224]

Man!! You answered a lot of my questions on the reversals. Im in KY, so we still have freezing temps but the bottom box is clean and empty.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks some hives need a reversal and some don't, this one definitely did!

[@cameronparke9712]

10:35 - I could hear the pure rage of that bee

[@michael2B]

Nice bee handling Kamen.

[@photofun4u2E]

Just what the bee Dr. ordered! I need to do this but being a new beekeeper of 1 year I was not sure what to do. I don't have drawn comb (i think that is what it is called) so I need to get the bees up to the new box to make comb. I was told to bring a frame up to get them to go up and get going. Love your videos!

[@suffolkshepherd]

That is what our bees are doing too. The bottom box fills up, and eventually a swarm will split off. Yet the higher box is empty. I was going to set the bottom full box up and slide a empty box under. But after reading your comment, that may be a better way to go

[@SteveDratwa]

EXCELLENT CLOSE UPS,,YALL RULE,,,we have a 75% average humidity here in north Ohio

[@claudesully]

man you have such beautiful colonies....

[@shrevesoule3567]

I would have 20-30 coming out to sting me! LOL!

[@bunnyyoung3232]

Kamon I for one really appreciate that sting you took for the team, I'm a first time UK beek, you are my inspiration and your videos mentor me. my queen is a beauty they have great nutrition no mites and I have put a heap of 1.1 in for them to hopefully soften the blow, but I have just had to do this as my bottom box was just empty, we are about to have a week or so of bad weathe so I just bit the bullet, but in your opinion, will they recover from this manipulation before winter? I see your doing this in march but it's early September for me. Hope your able to offer some advice Many thanks for all yours and laurels hard work, take care Bunny 👋🏻😍

[@Leelz247]

I had a nice chat with my local purveyor of beekeeping goods today about this video. I haven't reversed my brood boxes or anything, I expect my queens to utilize the space down below, they've always done it before with no problems, but the bee expert I spoke to said that in warmer climates down South, this doesn't happen for some reason and it is critical to reverse boxes before March 15 otherwise you'll get a swarm! Interesting contrasts.

[@russellkoopman3004]

Mike Palmer in northern Vermont rotates his boxes also for swarm control.

[@Leelz247]

@@russellkoopman3004 Guess it just depends on the colony 🤷‍♀️. My point is, many people are taught in their bee clubs that this is the default when it isn't always necessary.

[@wwoutdoors7300]

I had bears get in one of my hives. 😞 But the box the queen was in he didn’t tear into. The electric fence stopped him from getting anymore. This was two months ago. They were very gentle bee. Now that hive will start attacking you before you even get to it. Will they ever get over it?

[@Bri_bees]

i only have one box in all my hives and i just put a queen excluder and honey supers if the get too full.

[@beebob1279]

Will you be demonstrating other techniques to prevent swarming. This hive so that it is a strong producer this year. Many beekeepers think a reversal and adding supers is all they need to do to prevent and early season strong hive from swarming. We had flurries today. The other day I got in the hives and they look OK. Just made sure they have food and they've got a lot. Crocus is in bloom and I'm finally seeing the maples pushing a little bit. The rest of the week will be in the 50's and I'll be leaving them alone for better weather

[@Mandbec]

Thank you for the information! Very helpful details. What does the bubble wrap cover do?

[@peterlue9274]

Hey Kamon, when you run your out yard with your best genetics are you going to do frequent mite checks and go treatment-free? Most people who do that eliminate any colonies that do not manage mites on their own and breed queens from the best colonies. If so, how are you going to keep genetic diversity? Also, are you going to select for honey production as well? Some people select for bees that make bees and some select for honey production.

[@timvermillion7107]

Taken my supers out of storage. Should I clean the old comb off the supers or just add them to the hive when needed? Thank you.

[@rsjohnson2u]

Do you leave the feeder in the bottom box after reversing, or swap them out with a frame of comb and move the feeder to the top box?

[@dariuslucaci3960]

Thanks for the great video! what is that is that silver plastic called that you put on top of the frames, under your hive lid? Where can I buy some? thanks

[@robertball4989]

Hello from WNC..thank you for all the great vids!! Our bees are about the same place yours are..I just finished a few hive flips..I wanted to ask..where did you get that hive tool??

[@henryrogers8173]

NICE CAMERA WORK !!!

[@wwoutdoors7300]

Man your the best. 👍👍 and the very best camera person. 👍👍

[@kamonreynolds]

Thank WW Outdoors!

[@cnevett6854]

Kamon, if you got good honey stores from over winter do you still feed sugar water. We are in 30 to 50 degrees with days of rain. This a great video on evaluating brood space to prevent swarming. It's only year 3 for me and I still am challenged with moving frames. How did you identify early called brood from one ready to emerge? Thanks for your good explanations.

[@mountainhobbit1971]

yay! 'food stuffs' ;-)

[@privacyleech409]

Do you use an apiguard or similar mite treatment in the early spring?

[@_J.F_]

You seem to be just about 2-4 weeks ahead of where I am in the UK. March weather is always a little bit of a challenge nowadays, with days on end with maybe 60-70 F and then all of the sudden days on end with storms, rain, and maybe just 40F and frost at night. Usually we are best of just hefting hives and making sure they have enough resources until mid to late April, as boosting up the colonies earlier can end up requiring a whole lot of pampering until temperatures and pollen and nectar flow picks up.

[@beemaniauk]

I am in the UK as well and I can assure you that he is NOT ahead. I'm afraid its just you being behind 😉

[@_J.F_]

@@beemaniauk Thanks Tom but I am not in charge of the weather. If you are please send some sunshine to Wales.

[@DialedN_07]

Kamon, thanks for the video. I'm interested to get your opinion on going to a double brood chamber rather than keeping them in a single deep. Possibly splitting that hive and just adding a super on top? Do you run all of your hives double? Have you tried single? I'm new in 2022 and was planning to maintain at single deeps on my hives. Thanks

[@bbarrs400]

Kamon, I have a double medium hive and want to transition it over to 2 deeps. Its the only one I have, my other 3 hives are double deeps. Can I add the deep between the 2 mediums to get them to expedite drawing out the foundation or should I just add it to the top and wait? I REALLY enjoy your videos. I lost interest last year and wasn't gonna mess with them dang bees this year after several disappointing years in a row. Stumbled across your videos and you have relit the bee keeping fire. I now know what has been kicking my butt year after year. Varroa and I now know how to manage them because of your videos. Brian - Southeast Georgia

[@andrewklahold2880]

I witched my brood boxes here in york pa. Question Will the march weather here dipping down at night hurt them ? As they needed to be switched cause top boxes are packed with brood eggs rice lava and capped

[@simonrouse3995]

Hi Kamon if you have a strong colony and you need to put a second brood box on but only have foundation frames, is it best to feed the bees with one-to-one sugar syrup so they have a chance of drawing the frames out as well as moving a couple of frames with capped brood.

[@kamonreynolds]

It is better to feed them a syrup that is 0.75 sugar to 1 part water bring up a larvae frame into the foundation to encourage quick drawing

[@ericshipplett3517]

Please explain to me your type of inner cover, why do you use that type instead of the traditional wooden ones?

[@cecildean3648]

What part of TN. are you at. We are in NW Missouri and still just starting to see any trees budding or flowers coning on.

[@clarkestallworth6370]

hey Kamon any thoughts about bee paralysis disease ... I have an otherwise flourishing hive where a bunch are on the landing board shaking.

[@catchemalive]

On all 4 of my hives, I’m running single brood chambers. I’ve already had to add supers on them all and just had one swarm today and another hive making swarm cells.....🤬🤬. If I was to start adding double brood chambers, will that make swarming less likely??

[@jeffsea6490]

*GoodBeesKamon* 👍

[@pbrown4660]

Kamon, Love the videos. Will you do a video on what you do with the propolis?

[@kamonreynolds]

If I get a chance I plan to

[@VidKatMA1]

Hi Kamon 😎 Thnx 4 the good explanation of why and when to reverse boxes. I was not sure why. You made it clear. Sorry for the sting. 😏 anywayz, my question is Why the silvery insulation covers as opposed to a normal inner cover? Simply insulation in colder TN? I am in So. Cal. and still use a normal wooden inner cover with the top hole uncovered. They don't come up into the roof and I Love seeing them peek out at the hole. 🥰✌💖 and I like them having the extra bit of ventilation. Anywayz I was just wondering. Love your videos and I often recommend you and Frederick Dunn in PA and David Burns in IL as having Good Bee Info. 💖 Blessing on you & yours.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks Kathleen! Most of our hives do not have these reflectix inner cover or any inner cover. I am trying them out and am figuring out if it is something I want to continue to use. I am thinking in areas like mine a little upper insulation can be helpful. Kathleen is my daughters name also!

[@VidKatMA1]

Ahh...I was Named after the Song 🍀 I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen 🍀 Sweet 🥰 Great Name 💖 so last night I layed out my Spring Feeding, dry pollen stations, Formic & 1st Anniversary Celebration Dedication Plans. 🥰🐝🥂 Am Excited to see what my Girls will Do this Season. 🎉 Thnx 4 your Great vids & Lauren's giggles. 🥰 Hugs to your Kathleen 💖

[@tederlanson7324]

Hello have a question about making pollen patties. Can you use granular pollen or not. Versus powder. Thanks ted

[@davidcassity6593]

I have a question. I added a second brood box on top of a single that overwintered. It was 6 solid frames of bees. I went back 2 weeks later, and bees are in the upper box but the queen hasn’t moved up. I’m worried that they will stay and swarm. Should I checkerboard.

[@reggiem1668]

When is it too late (if ever) to rotate brood boxes? After removing honey supers this Fall I noticed a hive was pretty empty (little brood or honey) in the bottom brood box. Obviously I should have swapped them earlier in the season but now I want them to fill it with stores. I’ve been feeding them but don’t know if I should move the box with brood to the bottom at this point (early October)

[@edjharris1]

Very Good info, a little late in the game watching this but very informative. Thank you

[@NewEnglandgardening]

Is that a queen cell in the middle of the frame at 3:23 ?

[@keithcaldwell5531]

I'm curious as to why y didn't move the frame feeder up into the top box. It seems like that would encourage the bees to come up into the box more and save from having to lift the top box every time you want to add sugar syrup. I'm hoping to get my first bees soon and any information is always helpful. Thanks for all your advice and keep up the great videos.

[@kamonreynolds]

When the honey flow start I won't be using it for quite a while. I also may need to rotate again in a few weeks.

[@attesmatte]

Over 1000 views and only 137 likes?? Come on people, hit that like button! 😁😁

[@davemusgrave1619]

Enjoy your videos; what are you using for your inner covers? The metallic material...

[@stanleypiorkowski2992]

I just started watching your videos. They are great. As I've watched several so far, I'm curious about the silvery inner cover you use under your top cover. What is it?

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks stanley. The product is reflectix

[@mariopalmer1249]

Kamon, couldn't you have taken some of the unused frames and mixed them with those in the upper box?

[@srae1503]

Do you put sticks or sponges in your frame feeder?

[@jamestiller6125]

What type of bottom are you using? Screen or solid

[@kingotto6352]

I need advice.. last winter my bees all died. So, I stacked (2) deeps, ((2) shallows, (2) mediums, a hive top feeder with a lid (in that order), in an open barn. In May, A Giant Swarm took over the empty boxes... The only thing I did was treat with Oxalic Acid vapor (3) times in August... I never opened the hive.. The bees made it thru winter. There is a lot of brood in the top medium and draw comb with brood on the hive top feeder... I am in Maryland in the mountains... What would you suggest I do to get the brood to the bottom.. Thank anyone who answers

[@jacksimmons7673]

I keep missing what you've done with the two boxes. Are you just taking the top box and moving it to the bottom, and moving the bottom box to the top? You moved the very full top box and made it the bottom, fed the bottom box, and then put the mostly empty bottom box on top of the very full bottom box, right?

[@chrismacgregor4699]

When you get your queens going are you going to shipped them or just local only? Chris in Southern Oregon

[@DaddymackLV]

Kamon - I noticed on the hives that you have that silver insulation, you get a ton of burr comb - guessing the bees are building that to create space above the frames by pushing the insulation away from the frames... have you noticed that?

[@kamonreynolds]

Yeah they build burr comb. but with my half inch feeder rims I am going to get burr comb either way

[@CatherineCrowe]

Thanks for this video. I'm up on the Olympic Peninsula in Western Washington where we're having the same weather as you. Question: How is it you're able to seal the top box with bubble mylar and not get condensation?

[@kamonreynolds]

Strong cluster push the condensation to the walls of the box and the excessive water drips harmlessly away from the bees. Bees use some of it for drinking in winter so a little bit is helpful. Weak clusters can't do what big clusters can in this regard as they can't produce enough heat. lid Insulation also helps move the moist air to the walls as well.

[@wayneshoneybees5439]

I have a question for your next live on Saturday. Last week I had capped drone cells in 3 hives So in a couple weeks drones. I'm in Cincinnati and we have freeze-frost to early to mid May. Do the drones ball up like the queen and workers on the cold nights?

[@kamonreynolds]

Yes they can help keep that brood warm with those big bodies of theirs!

[@modpilot17]

Hi Kamon. New subscriber from east central Alberta. I noticed your frame feeder has no top or the plastic mesh ladders. Do you have something floating in it to reduce bee drowning? I have not been happy with these feeders due to dead bees in them but leaving the lid off like you do may solve my issues. Thanks for any comment you have on this. Great down to earth vids, I love them.

[@kamonreynolds]

Hey darrel welcome aboard! I have 2 or three small sticks that float up and down with the syrup. When the syrup is warm and the syrup is thin I don't have drowning issues even without sticks. But I find cold or thick syrup can give me issues from time to time.

[@jameszdepski8132]

Love your videos! have followed you for a couple years. Just a note. The pronunciation is Lar-vee for plural in both US and UK. Or Lar-va for singular. Sorry husband of an English teacher. Lots of red marks on my papers too. 😊 Thanks for all you do and post!

[@nuruzzaman4893]

That's handy for me to know too.

[@kamonreynolds]

Thanks. I know the difference but it is hard to be technical all the time. Some of the greatest beekeepers I know still say bees hatch. Oh well.

[@davidsoloninka7742]

By using the bubble wrap insulation sheet instead of an inner cover, how is there ventilation? I thought the traditional inner cover promoted circulation? Thx, I'm a novice trying to learn.

[@catchemalive]

I only have one hive and it’s just a single brood box now. I’m wanting it for honey so do I need to add a super now or do I need to add another brood box? It’s a strong hive coming out of my first winter with them. Thanks so much! Our honey flow seems to be getting started early this yr. flowers blooming everywhere.

[@catchemalive]

Also, I tried to add a honey super last yr and I couldn’t get any bees to go up top on nothing but plastic frames. This yr I have wax I can put on the frames but was more curious if I need to focus on a second brood box before a super??

[@davidmartin6312]

Great video Kamon, I plan on rotating my hives this week here in east Ky. I like your hive tool, where can i get one like it ?

[@baldeagleApiaries]

Would it not be a good idea to move 2 brood frames into the top box now?