> IME some queens move down, some don't.  Brood chamber reversal is not
> something to do just automatically.  It can cause problems for the bees,
> especially if cold weather moves in after the manipulation.  With the brood
> nest split the bees can have a difficult time maintaining temperature
> within the nest, and brood can be lost to the cold.
 
Reversing a colony overwintered as two brood chambers *if done
at the right time* can provide empty cells into the middle of
the brood area that can act to stimulate brood production.
 
Given the right weather conditions, colony conditions and a bit
of luck, it can be done to entire yards as a reasonable
management tool.  Effectively, what you are doing if done at the
right time is a *box* level manipulation that you would
otherwise be doing at a *frame* level, if you see what I mean.
 
All management is manipulation.  If you can do it well, within
the range of behaviour the bees can cope with, you *might* be
able to improve on the existing 'natural' conditions.  And to
me, that is what beekeeping is all about!
 
 
  (\      Nick Wallingford
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