Single Brood Chamber

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thank you to everyone for watching and supporting our videos! If you have any questions about our videos, please check out our list of FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS on our website, which can be found at honeybee.uoguelph.ca/videos/frequently-asked-questions/

[@Niko-ri4rs]

UoG Honey Bee Research Centre do you think this will work fine on an 8 frame too?

[@mark-wn5ek]

I am curious to learn what degree/education Paul has. He is one sharp dude concerning bees. One does not need a formal education to be 'educated' in many fields but I am curious what degree might lend itself most helpful in the study and management of bees.

[@Mooseslife]

What is the cloth you use as the inner cover?

[@younginsong984]

Sorry not found

[@framcesmoore]

I do not know how anyone can give any video u do a thumb down, your videos are wonderful and they teach us a lot it is like going to bee school and I hope u will always do them Thanks Paul and have a wonderful day

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

:) :) :)

[@Dwamak]

It is a touch screen issue i guess, some people have large fingers and when they want to touch on "thumbs up" they may touch "thumbs down" and may not aware of that.

[@beebob1279]

I'd have to agree with you Frances. But, there are those beekeepers that only do it one way, and it's their way only. These are likely the thumbs down people. These are also the people to avoid asking advice.

[@weirjwerijrweurhuewhr588]

​@@beebob1279 "If you ask 10 beekeepers a question, you'll get 11 different answers".

[@beebob1279]

@@weirjwerijrweurhuewhr588 Yep. But I like beekeepers with open minds to different management methods.

[@MM-yl9gn]

I'm so in love with my bees! They're wild so swarmed only to return again with new queen, this time finding the Langstroth box instead of the siding of my house! Couldn't be more in love than watching them in all of the natural ways they deliver life to the world! Not planning on taking their honey as they are wild and will need to weather through lean times but such a privilege to be chosen in their lives. Awww!! Makes my heart soar!!

[@primitivedaisy]

I successfully wintered a single brood box in Northwestern Wisconsin this year. I don’t think our climate here is too far off from yours. I plan on splitting two of my doubles this year. Thx for all your excellent videos!

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Again Primitive Daisy Thanks for your progress report. Great to hear singles are working out for you in Northern Wisconsin!

[@nunya___]

Of all the channels I've followed you are one of the best teachers ever. I never get to the end confused...only wanting to know more. Thank you. 💜

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Nunya. You are very kind!

[@markthemenace99]

New Beekeeper. I got my Nuc last year. Pored over every video from you guys and stayed with a single brood chamber. Here in the very wet lower mainland of BC, what kills bees is moisture (and varroa too, of course). We had a very cold (by our standards) winter but it was also extremely wet. I prepped my bees with a quilt box, integrated with a feeder to help them over the winter. It’s now early March, nighttime temps are zero C and sometimes sub zero. I’ve opened the hive and without taking out frames (cos the warmest is still only 10 degrees) I can see that I’ve got a full 10-frames of bees looking up at me! The single survived!

[@bza069]

they were looking up at you and probably saying "close the damn door dude its freezing in here !"

[@AshleePhillipsisPhabulous]

This guy packs a lot of info in one video. Awesome! Thank you

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Happy to help!

[@henrik5761]

Yes, the video is very short and condensed, I get the feeling there is much more to say.

[@cookinqueen1]

This is the best way for new keepers to start. Thank you for sharing.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Agreed Valerie! You a very welcome.

[@CanadianTropica]

I tried a single brood chamber strategy last year with my 5 hives and couldn't have been happier, seeing 9 or so frames of brood in the bottom deep was exciting and easy to manage as you described. The winter of 2018 I had 5 single brood chamber hives all make it through this winter into 2019, treated with oxalic acid dribble in the fall which was very effective after I fed them up to weight and they went broodless.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Ok Everyone. There's your testimonial! Thanks Canadian Tropicana.

[@gamezmode1912]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre hello sir did you hear of ABU salman systeme if so what do you think about it if not please give it a try and tell us the results i m waiting for it thnx for this golden content and advices

[@mikeries8549]

I'm trying it too but my strategy is similar. It starts at the splits. I use queen castles and head off swarms. I end up with 3 frame nucs that I expand to 4 over 4 deep frames. Some years I super the 4 over 4's in duplexes. If they survive winter the 8 goes into a 10 frame deep. Add two frames, excluder, and supers. Let er rip. After the spring summer flow I sacrifice a super and winter as a deep with a medium on top. If it still survives winter again I put queen in the deep and the super goes above an excluder. It works great. It's basically a three year program. Every year I'm starting nucs that hopefully are next year's honey makers. This plan works for me in central Illinois. Never buy bees

[@CanadianTropica]

@@mikeries8549 sounds like a good strategy to me, everyone has something unique that works for them, I'm glad you found yours. And yes, it's nice not having to buy bees.

[@kinnibees]

We are just putting our program together in Western WI and will be going single brood chambers. Thanks for the great video!

[@primitivedaisy]

I’m in NW Wisconsin. May I ask what program you are referring to? I have converted all but one of my hives to single brood chamber.

[@kinnibees]

@@primitivedaisy Single brood chamber management. One box for the queen, the rest for splits or honey. Similar management as to how UoG is doing it.

[@davidrobins4025]

A great video with excellent explanation of the process. Years ago I "kept" bees as a hobby. It was a learning experience and a lot of fun.

[@kirkmiddaugh9935]

Another great video Paul. I knew this one was forthcoming and was looking forward to it. I converted to the single super brood chamber a couple years ago. As you indicated, it would be best to try a couple hives at first. Once again, thanks to you and everyone at the UoG for sharing your great work and knowledge.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Kirk!. It did take awhile but thanks to your nudging we got it done. Nice to hear you are a covert. Our team says you are most welcome!

[@arlisapatrick3648]

Thanks to all who answered my question! Really appreciate it!

[@basilisziogas2431]

Excellent Mr Paul!!!... I am a beekeeper from Greece and I work with Langstroth and Dadant hives... Both of them single not double... Of course I m inspecting them every 4 days for 2 months for queen cells and I destroy them to prevent swarming but when swarming period pass away I have powerful bee colonies and they fill the supers with honey in 3 days!!!! The benefits of the singles!!!!!

[@sunsetheritage]

Thank you for the awesome way of explaining the differences between the single and double. I’ve been struggling with deciding what way to go. I wanted to stick with single, but was concerned about preventing swarming. Although I’m sure a double will swarm just as easily if they want to. Thank you again!!!

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

In youtube, search for "Devan & Single Brood Chamber" He explains the numbers. In short, 1 box is WAY WAY more than enough for the queen. (he's also a Canadian, great videos!)

[@barbaram5787]

This is my 3rd year with bees. I quickly learned how hard double hives are to manage, heavy. I only have 2 hives but I've decided to do single chamber on the quiet because where I am they push double chamber. To my relief I found out a gentleman that helped me get started is also doing his hives single chamber this year on the quiet too. We only know because my husband saw his hives. He has much more experience than I do and it encourages me to know he and I came to the same conclusion. I have a lot to learn and your videos are much appreciated and needed. Thank you.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Come out of the singles closet Barbara! Be proud to be different:) I understand what you are saying though. I was a skeptic initially too. Here in Ontario singles are the favoured way to keep bees. Good luck!

[@bobwebber8521]

Finally someone that I can relate too. Used single brood boxes for all my hives and by only using half boxes for storing honey never had to feed any artificial food. Okay had too leave a good bit of honey on to carry them over the lean times but when things started to happen they were well prepared. Thanks and have subscribed.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Bob. Singles rule! :)

[@denpictor8992]

Great to have the single brood box explained so well with the tips to help get it to work for me will give it a go thanks.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

You are welcome Den. It's easier than you might think.

[@thebeebeesee424]

Great explanation! I live in a warm climate and everyone I know uses single brood boxes with two or more supers and it works great. It's really interesting to see how other countries set up their bee boxes. Thanks for this informative vid.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Nice to hear directly from the BBC. It is interesting to see how beekeepers around the world accomplish their goals in different ways. We seem to be slow to use singles here in North America! Thanks for your thoughts.

[@colinlyne8688]

Very simple analysis of brood management.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Colin Simple is usually a good thing...

[@gwenyngruffydd]

Great video!! I run my honey farm on single brood too!! Much easier to inspect and manage. No difference in honey crop compared to brood and a half or double brood. Found with double brood they store to much honey in the top brood! Great work 👍🏻👍🏻

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Gwenyn Good to hear you've had success this way too! Thanks for your support.

[@ivansince91]

In the balkans Dadant hives are still used so a lot of beekeepers are using this method. Thank you.

[@4dhoneybee107]

Still a very good tutorial video on single brood box management. Thanks Paul

[@kotygorman700]

I overwintered my hives single in eastern Ontario with great success. This is an amazing practice!

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Agreed :) Eastern Ontario is where this practice has been traditional for a very long time. You are in the heartland!

[@kotygorman700]

I didn’t know that! Very cool :)

[@Bobcagon]

Thanks Paul for sharing the single vs double perspective. I think the reasoning for so many starting with doubles is based on the literature available on the internet that is pro double boxes. I watched Devon Rawns video on singles and the reasoning is very clear. Many new Canadian beekeepers read that they need 80-90 lbs of reserves going into winter. The only way they see that happening is to have 2 brood boxes whereby the top box is where the reserves will come from for going into winter. Most hobbyists can afford to feed syrup in the fall to achieve the required reserves for winter. The simpleness of singles makes it worthwhile. This I have learned the hard way. Great series from U of G.

[@CanadianTropica]

Indeed! Actually getting a single to have 80+lbs isn't really difficult, you just need a strong packed hive come fall to take and cure the syrup.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Bob and CT It works. What more can we the converted say! Nice to hear you find our videos helpful.

[@buzzoffhoney9285]

Great video on a management method that is a hard to find on the internet...greatly appreciated. I already had plans to modify to single brood boxes. I'm in SE Michigan, so nearly the same weather as Ontario. I'm planning on moving all the brood frames, pollen, and queen to the bottom box with the excluder about 3 weeks into May. My thought on the timing is to permit the build-up for the spring without the excluder. The reverse thought as well...so in the fall not to have an excluder on so that the queen can move around and not get froze out (besides I can imaging metal inside a hive in the winter would get really cold like the outside of a car...or much like a heat sink). My main motivation for the single brood chamber is to reduce time spent inspecting, and just be move efficient. Lifting a box to inspect from the bottom just makes more sense instead of pulling out every frame. So what do you think of the the timing for consolidating to single brood chambers & placing excluders at approximately 3 weeks into May (SE Michigan)?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi BOH I like you handle name! If you are wintering in doubles maybe you'd consider letting them build up to filling most of the two boxes and them splitting them into two. See our 'Splitting Beehives' video. If so make sure both boxes have lots of brood. Queen excluders are a beekeepers best friend despite what you might here. They keep things simple and simple often leads to success. It's not however a good idea to leave them on in the winter. Your plan sounds good but I think I lost your thought in late summer. I like to think brood comb is brood comb and honey comb is honey comb.

[@patrickpurcell3]

Great video. Thank you. Years ago when I started keeping bees I went for the double brood chamber. Within a year I got fed up with needing help lifting that top chamber. Now I run all horizontal Langstroth hives and mix in some top-bars. Yes, I need help initially setting out the hives but after that, no more heavy lifting.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Patrick Sounds like you've figure out some good ways to avoid lifting that 2'nd brood chamber. I'm not familiar with horizontal Langstroth use but one of my U of G profs, Gord Townsend, developed the top bar hive for use in east Africa.

[@patrickpurcell3]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre affectionately called the Kenyan Top-bar Hive? Did his have straight or angled sides?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

angled sides

[@mikeries8549]

@Westernwilson yep. There's no law that says you have to lift a deep full of honey.

[@CastleHives]

I think this next season i'm going to move half of my colonies over to singles to try out. Great info Paul.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Go for it! We also did another video on managing singles. It is called Singles part 2 I think.

[@CastleHives]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre I'll watch it after work today. Thanks again for all of the information that you share.

[@stevestanleyadifferentchic8936]

I love your method of explanation and visual support.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Very kind of you to say so Steven. Thanks!

[@GoldenLegionHoney]

In Texas i use double brood boxes because they are active alot of the winter and need alot of stores because of it. I've lost two hives that were doubles due to lack of food already in March. They don't really cluster here so stores is important. At least in my view. In spring you have to rotate the boxes so they move up into the now empty frames but once you're used to having two brood boxes it gets easier to deal with inspections.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi GLH Hi in Texas.I know everything is bigger there. Maybe that's why you like doubles! :) Different conditions may make singles tougher to manage.

[@GoldenLegionHoney]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre im the experimenting type. May try a single and see how it does. Do you find that the queen excluders inhibit them building comb above them? Or do you let other hives draw the supers comb out?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Again We usually mix some drawn comb together with the new foundation. You could see our video on 'drawing comb'. As long as we have a good flow on the bees come up through an excluder quickly.

[@12345owenowen]

Do you leave a super of honey for them over the winter....? Uncertain about the single brood chamber...not enough space in there for winter honey, right? Or wrong? Appreciate your advice?

[@danrusin4757]

My apiary coach recommended to me to watch. So I am watching. DR

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Good to hear we come recommended! Thanks Dan. Good luck with your bees.

[@raceboy0002]

Good video. Very simplified explenations to what he is doing.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Austin

[@Jagz513]

Hello, beautifully rendered videos - keep it up, a Scottish beekeeper here: I've noticed the US and Canadian beekeeping videos on KZbin are always discussing this issue of rearing brood in a single brood box rather than double. I don't understand why this is such a big topic of interest. Can the community give me a bit of background to this? In Scotland a double brood is generally the innovative practice as Queen cells in this configuration are normally built at the bottom of frames in the top brood box. So in swarm season you can just tilt the top box up to check for swarm cells and generally if time is of essence you have quickly done an inspection. Also heat from the brood in the bottom box helps to build comb in top box / keep upper brood warm. There is an issue in a flow of bees piling honey in the top brood box and there is no room for her majesty to lay but otherwise seems a warmer set up.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi there in Scotland! Double brood chambers were the standard here but most of us switched to singles for a number of reasons. Many of them are mentioned in the video. It's still a topic of interest here as those that keep bees in singles realize the benefits but have a hard time convincing other beekeepers. I too was skeptical but I won't look back.

[@stephendawes7016]

Here in Aus nearly everyone use Langstroth frames. The commercial guys tend to use 10 frame boxes as have lifting devices where as us mear mortals use 8 frame. Due to our climate etc nearly everyone uses 1 brood box and 1 super over winter. Leave the equivalent of about 4 frames honey to feed if no winter flora. The 8 frame brood boxes seem to be big enough but have moved a couple frames brood or honey above the QX if think need more room. Swarming still happens if she wants to. Sometimes we find her Majesty at home above the QX. Not quite sure how this happens but just reverse the boxes and put her home on the bottom. It maybe a climate thing but inner covers not really popular: especially when use SHB traps on top of the frames. Burr comb ot the top of the frames and in the top cover is great if forget to extract in time . Ventilated bottom boards not as common as I think they could be but our top covers are ventilated to get a bit of air flow. Amazes me when see hives set up unprotected in scorching temps of the middle of summer - even though they keep the hive at similar temps and have massive veils on the outside of the box

[@MisterUnicornFL]

I love this dude, where has he been?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Busy with the bees! :) Cheers.

[@tomkelly8827]

Yes I am single brood box all the way. I am not sure if you mentioned it but I like that I need less formic acid to treat a single box then I do a double box. The queen excluder is an extra expense and very necessary but I think it is well worth it. I have had great luck getting them to work above the excluder by lifting honey frames up from the brood chamber all covered in bees but with no cells or queens to be sure

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hey Tom A long lost relative?? That is another advantage for sure.

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

I use single hive management. I am from Saskatchewan north of Saskatoon. Only have 2 -10 frame hives I got last June and 2 late season 6 frame nucs from that. I indoor wintered in a tiny shed kept at + 4 from october 31, 2018 Took the hives out of the shed last Tuesday, March 19, 2019. I gave them a couple days for cleansing flights. Friday March 22, 2019 . I did a quick partial inspection to check for stores and for any sign of brood also scraped the bottom boards. A bit early and a bit cool at only +10 C high but there is discussion as to whether bees brood in the winter shed. I wanted to either confirm or dispel the idea. I tipped them, counted frames of bees from below. Scraped the bottom boards. Re placed the brood chamber on to the bottom board then started from the top side and quickly went through from 1 side counting stores until i reached brood. In each hive I found larva ready to be capped and capped brood on the first frame of brood I came across confirming brooding happens in the shed. I didn't go in any farther. I quickly reassembled the hive. Threw a pound pollen patty on top of the 10 frames and 1/2lb on the Nucs and closed them up. Conclusion: 100% survival and 4 laying queens. Honey bees do brood in the winter shed since late stage larva and capped brood can't take place in 3 1/2 days. The largest 10 frame had 7 full frames of bees and still had 3 1/2 frames of honey on the one side, as stated I didn't go right through the hive. I still had pollen stores in the frames but the 2 lbs of patties I had put in that hive immediately before I put them in the shed was entirely gone. As it's still early and weather is volatile, Besides the pollen patties I also put about 2 gallons of 2-1 open feed sugar water and about a pound of dry pollen to give them something to do but they have lots of stores in the hive if weather prevents that.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

If it works in Saskatchewan it can work anywhere! Thanks RAW.

[@RoughAndWretchedRAW]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre My wife wants to do honey now but the only reason I got the bees was to help the species. I'm not disciplined enough to be a scientist but I'm adventurous enough to try different things and observant enough to tell if it made a difference. I've watched 100s of videos many times. So while I understand how to do it I have less than a year of actual experience. The only thing I can say is what i'm doing and observations. As far as teaching goes I leave that to the pros like you folks. Of all the videos I watched there are 5 pages I recommend to newbies or folks having problems yours is one of them.

[@molsen35]

Ah, the video we talked about last year. Thanks Paul.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Right! Thanks for nudging us along. You are very welcome.

[@marvinmarvilousetv1312]

Great topic, I watch and subscribe to your channel. Your approach to bee keeping is awesome because Jamaica and Canada have similar approach to beekeeping. I am trained beekeeper with over twenty years of experience, I am living in the u s originally from Jamaica where I had my small apiary. I used single brood that worked well for me, My first from four colony of bee 3 medium 1 shallow super harvested half drum of honey. So I have experience working with single brood. When I get a place to setup an apiary I will. Good job guys.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Marvin Good luck with getting started again with bees in the US.

[@thediscountranchtdr2668]

I am in Southeast Texas and was shocked recently to find 8 out of 10 frames in my super already full of capped honey. The bees worked faster than me. I found myself running here and there to get extra supplies for more suppers and another hive I captured from a swarm. I also like the concept of single brood, mainly because it takes less time inspecting...

[@joshuahazzard]

I have an 8 frame hive that I’ve single brood chambered every year (including overwinter), and I’ve never had a problem. I live in the North West of Toronto.

[@iantroop9903]

We are thinking of going to a single brood box. What do you do to ensure they have enough food to survive the winter?

[@natserog]

great video. Im in Texas ...overwintering singles in winter what would the configuration be brood/pollen/nectar/honey and empty frames. --thanks

[@joecnc3341]

Liked-Subscribed-Notified.. You are braver than I am- I never tend bees without a veil and jacket on.

[@marcogallazzi9049]

In Chile, where i come from, almost everybody uses single brood chambers, and usually with no excluder. Only once have i found a queen laying on the super, and i realized it was because i put a frame with polen in the super ( i was just starting out with beekeing). I have been thinking of making my own 12 or 14 frame brood chamber, (with normal honey super on top) because i have found queens laying on the external frames on the chamber, where there usually is honey. Maybe a design with removable inner walls to extend the chamber when needed.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Marco That's interesting that so many beekeepers use singles in Chile. Without excluders your timing has to be perfect on supering and you need a strong, predictable, early nectar flow to keep the queen from moving up. My preference is to experiment with hive management techniques using standard equipment. There are many advantages to standardization.

[@marcogallazzi9049]

I understand, of course, in a big apiary it would not be practical to use non standard equipment. I only have 6 hives, mainly for learning and experimenting purposes. About 15 years ago i started with 500 hives and it was a big mistake, beeing an unexperienced beekeper (wich i still am). I am starting again, no rush this time. I have had these collonies for four years now, in a secluded location, aiming for minimal or hopefully no treatment. For the past two years i have had no losses and have been able to grow a little, but this process takes a long time and knowledge, i think i will have to add another 10+ years of studying and practicing :) Your videos are of greatest value, thank you!

[@dadu63]

That’s exactly what I do here in NC. One deep and then supers. But I do not operate with an excluder. Never! Good video Mr. UofG.

[@paridoth]

Then your supers aren't supers there just medium brood Chambers.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Dadu63 and Josh In our conditions queens move up without excluders.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks for your thoughts and support!

[@veragiles981]

Thanks! Excellent, clear explanations!

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

You are very welcome Vera!

[@p.h.3987]

I fully agree. I have swapped to Zadant size instead of Zander or Dadant.

[@gileshoney5796]

I will be moving to single brood chambers this year. That as well as wintering them inside a somewhat climate controlled shed during the winter months.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Good Luck Giles. That sounds like a good plan. We have a video coming up soon about wintering bees indoors.

[@dougbardsley1960]

Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I am wanting to try. I am new to bee keeping. Still trying to catch my first swarm.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

You are welcome Doug. A 12 year old ( SidthebeeKid) wrote today to say he had caught three swarms this week!!! He was super pumped about getting into bees. I don't see enough swarms around here for that to be a good option of getting a start. All the best in your beekeeping career Doug.

[@caferacer873]

Try swarm commander. I've 100 percent success with all of my swarm traps using it.

[@scotth5261]

Are you planning to make more videos? I would like to know more about your whole operation.

[@catchemalive]

2 questions, #1- what’s the diff between a super and a honey super? you mentioned both. #2- with a single brood hive, you take even the first honey super off during winter even though they don’t store much food in the brood chamber? Does that mean you have to feed all winter?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

1. no difference - we often use super and honey super interchangeably. 2. We feed as soon as the last super is taken off. We feed enough that the bees store all the food they'll need for the winter in the brood chamber. You could see our video 'Feeding bees and Overwintering'.

[@chirenshoots]

What is the purpose of having the queen excluder when the honey super isn't on top? Also I am just installing my package into a single brood chamber for their first year. What do I do with the honey in the top once september/october rolls around? I thought I was supposed to leave that for the bees but if I am supposed to take the honey super off for the winter what do I do with it. Should I just take it and feed sugar syrup the whole winter? Thanks for being so informative. You earned a new subscriber!

[@NickPenlee]

DON'T use an excluder if you are only using a SINGLE brood box. When NEARLY all the frames (8 or 10) are getting full then you can use a queen excluder and then place a honey super on top of it. Obviously the excluder stops the queen from entering the honey super and ensures that she stays in the brood box. During the winter you could actually leave the honey super in place (especially if it's the first year) as a good food supply for the young hive. There's no point in leaving a solitary brood box, then harvesting the honey for yourself and only feeding sugarwater to the bees. Maybe in the second season when the colony is strong you can add a second honey super and then when that is full of capped honey you could harvest all of it for yourself. The bees will still have the first honey super as a food source. Then during winter you may want to consider using, ADDITIONALLY, a top feeder with sugar water or use an inside cover/crown board and put some pollen cakes on it to ensure additional protein through the winter. Then place the top hive cover on all of them and keep them snug until springtime. Hope that helps.

[@kekulpac]

I am adding some packages of Carnolian bees. I would like to give them a oxalic vaporization treatment before the queen starts laying to treat for any varroa that traveled with them. Would you think 7-10 days after the package is placed in the box an adequate wait period? Assuming the queen is released in 3 days....

[@fultonbrown9251]

Haveing the excluder is not mandatory right away. You can run the bees out with a acid pad once brood is established in the super then place the excluder under the super and add additional supers. It will increase production of honey, I use to do that for years it would increase my yield about 20 lbs per hive on about 3500 hives.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

HI There Perhaps I should have qualified my comments about excluders being mandatory for singles by saying ' in our conditions'. I can see that and acid pad could make a difference as could early predictable flows and perfect timing for supering. The first beekeeper I worked for in the Peace River Valley of Alberta river didn't use excluders. He used packages and ran doubles. By the time the bees filled two brood boxes the nectar flow came on strong. We did however spend a bunch of time taking brood out of honey supers on the occasional colony that didn't stick with his plan. Interesting to hear that you have found you get more honey this way. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@johnvisco3931]

Excellent video! Informative and very professional. Thank you.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

You are welcome John. Thanks for taking the time to add a nice comment.

[@drewt3210]

Every time I watch your videos I get jealous that small hive beetles are not a concern for you with your fabric inner covers. Man, I wish we could do that here in North Carolina. But every top bar would be covered in SHB. One of those "grass is always greener points." Thank you for all you do for all of us! Best, @HoneyOnWales

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Drew We are lucky... so far. They ay in the province but not in our hives yet. I'll wait to see how it works out with our inner covers. Cheers!

[@drewt3210]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre You'll likely never bet overrun by SHB with your winters effectively hitting the "reset button." Here in the South we have them actively reproducing year 'round, which makes it important for us to manage them vigilantly and never provide space that is accessible to SHB, but not bees. Thanks again for all you do for all of us!

[@gypsyshoalsfarm3022]

I really enjoy your very educational videos. Quick question: what was that piece of felt that you used as your hive lid just below the telescopic lid? I've never seen that before and was wondering if that is what your using to minimize small hive beetles?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi There It's a heavy weight canvas. Please see our FAQ #1. You can click on the FAQ link shown under any of our videos. We describe it a bit in our video 'Our Equipment". Thanks for your interest and generous feedback!

[@PemberleyHoney]

The part that I'm having trouble finding answers to is how exactly you get a single brood chamber hive through the winter. Is there sufficient honey in a single deep to last a long winter? Do you need to feed them during the winter? If so, what do you feed them, when, and how much and how often?

[@shannjill]

This is my question as well.

[@rstlr01]

@@shannjill grow Zone 4a I bust them down to a single in September and feed until they stop taking it. I On a balmy 32f + day after Christmas I throw a couple winter patties on top the cluster. I used to do candy boards but breaking them down in the Spring was a pain.

[@shannjill]

Rstlr So too late to go to single at this point? I’m in central Indiana. My bottom box is basically empty. What exactly is a winter party?

[@rstlr01]

@@shannjill look up ap23 winter patties from dadant. Why do you still have a bottom box if it is "empty"?

[@rstlr01]

@@shannjill If I would be going through and making sure that every frame that had resources was in the same Box. If the Box is truly empty there's no reason for it to be Part of the hive.

[@spencerherrick9392]

How many supers should the hive go into winter with and should they be shallows or mediums?

[@GLuft3]

Excellent videos! Thank you so much. Can you tell us more about those bottom boards? Nothing on FAQ page.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi George Thanks for your kind remark! Our pleasure. You could watch the video 'Our Equipment' where we show more about our bottom boards. We also have an article about bottom boards on our website under Resources for Beekeepers.

[@GLuft3]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre thank you!

[@blainecolbry3192]

Good video. So do you leave one full honey super on per deep brood chamber in the winter?

[@markwelsch940]

With the bees moving honey up and down in that first honey super and brood chamber, how do you know when it is time to add a second, and later a third honey super? If they are moving it a lot, do they still cap the honey when it is ripe?

[@connorsegren6066]

Why is the excluder required with the single? I’ve seen several other channels that don’t use excluders and they seem to do alright.

[@woodlandharvesthoneycompanyllc]

Excellent video. I want to start single brood management. This is my first year and I don't have drawn comb only what bees have drawn so far. I am feeding to help with comb building. I know if I super a hive for honey production I need to take the feed off. How do I get started without drawn comb and not feeding?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Kenneth Glad you found this video helpful. I'd suggest you watch our video titled 'Comb Building' for some tips.

[@buzzoffhoney9285]

One more comment...I noticed your hive boxes all have holes in the center near the top...this spring I'm drilling 3/4" holes in all of my boxes, and then using #8 tapered cork to close up (fit perfect, and not hard to remove), or just leave out to keep open...depends on the temperature...I really think this is a great way for the hive to fly in/out to arrive where they want to go inside faster, as well as for ventilation.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi there We drill the holes in our brood chambers but not our honey supers. This works in our climate. Cheers!

[@dougbardsley1960]

Awesome info. I’m a newbee and am considering staying with one deep. Wasn’t sure if you have to leave the honey super on over winter to make sure they have enough food stores.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Doug We winter the colonies as singles and feed in the early fall to make sure they have enough food to get them through to the next summer honey flow.

[@buildakicker]

Leaving the deep super on top, they seem to make it through no problem in southern Oregon here. However this winter has been mild. I'm actually intrigued to hear that they make it through the winter with one brood box only. Do you just feed them some type of sugar mixture or pollen cakes or both?

[@buckwheat6010]

Do you leave the first super on for the winter so the bees have something, if they are not storing much in the brood chamber? And do you leave the excluder on all winter? If not what's to keep the queen from moving up so that she starts laying in the super? If it's really cold can they break cluster and go up and get it? I've had long cold spells where I'm at and it looks like they starved because they didn't move. Lots of stores left but empty around the dead cluster.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Buckwheat We remove all supers and the excluder in the fall after the last nectar flow. We then feed the hives sugar syrup.

[@comfychairstudios746]

So. How do you stop swarming behavior in a single brood box? If you have the queen and brood in the bottom box, what stops them from swarming? Constantly pulling the cups with royal jelly? (Forgot what its called) don't they still run out of room from normal brood laying? I'm (obviously) inexperienced in beekeeping so just trying to figure out a bit before I try it out.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Chris Viewing our videos on 'Swarm Control' and 'Splitting Hives' will help you understand how we deal with swarming. Good luck!

[@kurtchristensen1161]

Love all your videos. If you have 2 brood boxes can you take the brood frames from the top box and put them in the bottom box and move h the honey frames to the top and puy in a queen excluder?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Thanks Kurt. You could do that if you want to switch to singles. Making sure of course to put the queen below the excluder.

[@ajaykumartiwary8404]

But as far as harvesting is concerned which one is better. Single one. Or one with super on it.

[@NielsenValleyFarms]

As your colony grows in number with a single brood chamber and you add supers on. How do you reduce the large number of bees back down to the brood chamber when the supers are removed for winter and get them to fit without swarming?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Swarimng isn't a problem at the end of the honey production season in this location. It's a bit crowded at first but the bees cluster more tightly as the weather cools and the summer bees die off in the fall. This takes care of itself.

[@bkershaccount]

Can you leave a super of honey on for winter instead of feeding?

[@tommysutton4283]

Great video series Paul. I'm a beginning bee keeper and want start with your single brew chamber system. My question is, at the end of the summer flow and you have added multiple supers to the colony. The bee population has grown to fill the supers, what happens with all the bees when you reduce down to the single box. Is the single brew box enough space and the bees adjust.

[@NateWBell]

I'm new to bee keeping too, but here's my understanding: The queen excluder between the brood box and the supers will keep the brood below the honey supers, so they'll only grow enough to fill the single brood box. The honey supers will only contain honey, and they bees will end up storing more honey than they need. That's why it's important you immediately feed when you reduce back to the single brood box so the hive can replenish their stores in the brood box.

[@richardd8352]

My question is this, a super is to store just honey, the queen determines whether a colony swarms yes? Well if the queen is cramped excluded in the single brood chamber then surely the amount of supers makes no odds? As the main cluster in the brood box will still feel cramped? Can you possibly use a super below? Kinda allow a little extra expansion below without using a full brood box double? Any advice would be welcome, I've mainly used topbar hives so expansion is alot more straight forward. Or is a single brood box mostly always enough given supers are added?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Richard With singles you take the same preventative measures for swarming as with doubles. The queen can't use more cells than that provided in one brood chamber.

[@duanehankins7077]

Hi, what material do you use as you inner cover? And is it better than the wood? Thanks for a great video

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Duane Thanks. Please see FAQ 4.2 on the following link. honeybee.uoguelph.ca/videos/frequently-asked-questions/

[@SisyphusTwo]

Isn't one major advantage of having two brood chambers is giving the queen more room to lay eggs and therefore a stronger colony ?

[@joshuahazzard]

There’s another video I saw that explained that the queen can’t possibly lay more eggs than a single. By the time they get to frame 9, frame 1 is hatching. The queen uses the space much more efficiently, and the honey for the brood is shifted into the first super, rather than the frames 1,2, & 9,10

[@Nobody-11B]

@@joshuahazzard yeah I've seen something like that the math works out one is enough

[@haileyr2264]

@@joshuahazzard can you post the link to that video?

[@dianestewart5552]

Thank you for your videos. I am starting with bees this spring and wondering if one brood box will work in Collingwood. We're a bit colder than Guelph.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Diane You are very welcome. Sure it will. It's common on the prairies and its even colder there. Good luck getting started. You also asked in an email about meeting local beekeepers. The best place is at a local beekeepers association. see www.ontariobee.com/community/local-beekeepers-associations

[@Jay-jp2iv]

Double brood really struggled to get going this year in UK. Single brood were ready to swarm by mid March. Hit the ground running. Double brood struggle to heat all those frames over winter.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Nice to hear that singles work across the pond too. Say Hi to my long lost relatives!

[@anthonymason2186]

What do the bees eat in the winter time to survive? I live in northern mn,

[@dougmoore8232]

When using single brood management with new equipment and no drawn comb only plastic foundation would it be helpful when adding a supper to not use a queen excluder at first? After some comb has been made add a excluder while making sure the queen is below or is it not necessary to worry about?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Doug Please watch our video "Comb Building"

[@hasanozguvenli8395]

You are one great man Paul. May I ask you something? Does the formula of the sugar change when the bees store it like nectar?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Hasan. Just happy to be able to share some knowledge. Bees convert nectar to honey by evaporating off excess moisture and secreting enzymes that break the sugars down to their simplest forms. Off course it's a bit more complicated.

[@barrybrum]

Hi, Paul, useful video. Thanks for posting it. When you picked up the bottom chamber the bottom board remained attached to it. Was it just stuck on from propolis or did you attach it with nails or screws? Thanks.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi There We screw the bottom board to the box with 2 screws. We show this in the video 'Our Equipment'.

[@barrybrum]

@@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre Going to watch that video now. Thanks.

[@MarkWirthlinFamily]

Your videos are awesome, thank you! I'm trying the single brood chamber management technique and loved it this summer ... so easy to do inspections ... lots of honey harvested. My problem came when I removed the supers this fall and left the hives with the single brood chamber only. A couple of my largest hives (4-5 honey supers) were so full, the bees couldn't all fit into the box and heavily bearded. Both of these hives then swarmed in mid-September, which I have never experienced before. I guess I could have pulled nucs, but I'd be concerned about rearing a queen that late and getting the nuc built up enough to make it through the winter (I'm in Utah). What would you recommend I try in the future?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Mark Thanks... I think. :) Glad you saw some advantages of using singles. We don't have a problem with fall swarming after harvesting even though there often isn't enough space if the weather is warm. In our climate the weather gets colder after fall harvest and the summer bees die off so the crowding problem takes care of itself. Maybe you could harvest a bit later? Cheers!

[@kentmeredith2945]

I wonder if a solution to this could be to put on a box with empty foundation after removing the honey supers. This would give the crowded colony some extra room, while putting the bees to work drawing valuable comb while they are waiting for winter. Then you could take off this box a couple weeks later when the population starts to contract. Just a thought; I haven’t yet tried single chamber management, but I’m going to try it!

[@MarkWirthlinFamily]

@@kentmeredith2945 great idea!

[@mikethebeeguy8657]

Hello Again Paul, I’ve only done double brood chambers, and you are absolutely correct about the extra work & cost of them. I want to run singles this year, but how/when do you know when you can remove supers & basically start crowding them into a smaller volume? Don’t they tend to try & swarm? Are you able to remove all but 1 honey super for winter? I know this was 2019, but I’m trying to catch up on all your videos. Can I support you thru patreon? Thanks, 👋 Mike

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi again Mike! Thanks for you encouragement. Yes we remove all the honey supers in the fall and winter in a single. The easiest time to switch over is in the late spring by splitting double brood chamber hive into two single brood chamber hives. If you don't want more hives remove the bottom brood chamber early in the spring when the bees are all in the top super. This can work in our climate - not sure about yours. Thanks for the offer of support. Our website has a donate tab and we are raising funds to build an new bee education centre. Any amount is appreciated! honeybee.uoguelph.ca/donate/

[@mikethebeeguy8657]

Thank You Paul, I followed your link, & read up on your proposed “Bee Search Centre”. It sounds very exciting, I wish I could give more to help, but I am retired now. I gave as much as I could right now. Good Luck on a very worthy project! 👋 Mike Campbell, Calif., USA

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

@@mikethebeeguy8657 Hi Mike I like your naming... the "Bee Search Centre". Thanks for your enthusiasm about our project and for your help. We are hoping for a few large donations and many small ones. They all count!

[@lorrainemurji9768]

I had 2 hives which I joined together due to 2 queen loses. I joined them for winter. They made it through with no queen . They moved up to the top box. Both boxes have lots of honey. I gave them a queen and she is laying. Since there is lots of stored honey for them I'm questioning how many empty frames should I have for the queen to use for brood. I removed the bottom hive so now they are in one box.

[@MegaKomir]

This might have been asked already but would this work with medium hive boxes through the winter? I’m located in Muskoka.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

It's barely possible in our location. I doubt it would work for you unless you really insulate them well.

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Hello on the single vs double brood how about running 8 frames can that work will also . The only thing I can think of would be having to check it more often . Your thought on that ??. I am running a deep an a medium now . Thanks

[@framcesmoore]

This was good, how often do u do inspections of the single brood boxes I do inspections every 7-10 days checking for swarming cells I think I am going to try this on some of my hives this year

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

We check the brood chamber about three times in the spring and then once again in the fall. Of course we check on the supers as needed too. Warm regards Frances!

[@taililly2483]

Hello. I am new to beekeeping & am a new subscriber to your channel. So what do you do when the bees run out of space for the brood in the bottom box? Do you add a 2nd deep for brood, or do you split the hive? If you split the hive, how many frames of brood & honey do you put in the new hive box that you split? And should you let the new hive makes its own queen? Or add a queen? Thanks.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Tai I'd suggest you watch our videos ' Supering Colonies' and 'Splitting Hives' for some options. Good luck with your beekeeping adventures!

[@michaelvalentine7525]

First year beekeeper and I'm using the single brood method. Would you use a queen excluder between the brood box and a super that has only foundation, zero drawn comb? Or could I move a couple of outside frames from the brood box into the super so the workers will cross the excluder or hold off on the excluder so the queen can lay some eggs in the super?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Michael Please watch our video 'Comb Building' for a good answer. Good choice with singles!

[@igorsaranchuk5029]

Hello, Paul. Very good videos, I really appreciate that and I want to apply your management techniques here in Ukraine. I’m just wondering how do you get rid of old comb? Is it only by making splits or maybe you remove old frames in the early spring?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Igor Thanks for letting me know you find our videos helpful. Good question. You could watch our video 'comb management' for a partial answer. I'll also add that we sell nucleus colonies so need to replace the comb that is sold with new comb. I forgot to mention in the comb video that if a frame is broken we move it to the outermost position in the hive. We remove it later when there is no brood in the comb.

[@johnlehr1036]

Cash this be done with 8 frame equipment? If so, is there anything different that needs to be done?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

I think so. This question has been asked and I've heard back that it worked well. Keep an eye on food reserves.

[@commodorezelda]

The University of Minnesota bee lab recommends using triple brood chambers to get through the winter. Do you think that's because we're slightly farther north than you are? Do you still recommend singles for more northern climates?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Yes we do. It is very common here and we have better success with singles vs doubles. Three brood chambers is not at all practical.

[@larrywedding2512]

You use the cloth inner cover. What is the advantage of that over a wooden inner cover with a hole in it for feeding and ventilation?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Larry That is our #1 question. Please see our FAQ here for a complete answer. hbrc.ca/equipment-and-materials/

[@eagle7493]

Question, single brood chamber i noticed is usually ran with 10 frame equipment. But what about 8 frame? Can you run 8 frame single brood chamber?? Or are you forced into double brood being 8 frame equipment.

[@buildingwithtrees2258]

Ian Steppler, another popular KZbin beekeeper from Canada, keeps single brood in 6 frame nucs overwintered (indoors).

[@WilliamMcNett]

Just overwintered some 4 frame boxs in SE Michigan with that polar vortex 😲

[@georgegarcia5052]

Excellent question... I too face the same issue... I haven’t found the answer, but I suppose it may have to do with what is the maximum size the brood area can get using deep frames. Hopefully it’s under 8 .. I wonder if the type of honey bee also matters, eg., Italian vs Russian.

[@JohnVance]

I’ve got a similar question, I’ve got 8-frame and they’re both the size of the honey super in this video. I think my first year since I’m an amateur I’m going to do the dual brood chamber, maybe experiment next year if things go well this year.

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Eagle One of our volunteers has wintered 8 frame singles here with success. They are little more fragile than 10 framers.

[@RyanFerreri]

How do you prevent swarming in single brood chambers? Just by adding supers or do you also need to pull frames now and then to give the queen room?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi Ryan That's a video we haven't posted yet... We super on time, keep relatively young queens in our hives and check on the very strong hives for swarm cells. See our video "swarm control' for more on the last point.

[@UncleDutchFarms]

This is perfect, thank you! My question is (and I didn't see this in the FAQs) - how do I convert a double deep to single deep brood chamber? I'm new this year so it might be a dumb question but I know I can use a queen excluder to isolate her to one chamber but then what? Once the brood hatches out I assume the bees will still keep using the comb to store honey and I do not want that! I could leave it on and then just remove it in the spring, I suppose, but I'd rather deal with it right away.

[@Jagz513]

Hi, essentially you need to find the Queen and put her in the new bottom brood box, Queen excluder, and then top brood box if you have lots of frames and cannot fit them all in one box. This is a good time to remove dirty old comb (bailey frame method) . Put the dirty comb in the top brood box above the Queen excluder. Eventually all that brood will hatch out and Queen will not be able to lay in it again. Then remove. If there is a flow they may put honey in the old comb so what you do is get a second Queen excluder and put the old comb at the bottom where they will not put honey. Eventually it depleats and you can remove the frames to render the wax

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

Hi There Our pleasure. Thanks for checking the FAQ! Assuming you are in North America, I'd wait until next year and split the hive around the time bees would naturally swarm where you live. That's around mid May here. Have a look at our video 'splitting hives' and you'll see a method that fits your situation.

[@campdavidsonfunctionaltrai8583]

what line of bees are you raising. you never have any protection so they must be super gentle.

[@timjones6637]

Good question, I’m still waiting on answers.

[@nielheyns7968]

Hi Mr. Kelly, I live in Southern Alberta and wonder if you think single brood chamber hives will work in our part of Canada?

[@UoGHoneyBeeResearchCentre]

I do Neil. You would have to wrap them well and make sure they are very heavy going into winter.