Hi all!
 
After many years of wanting to keep bees, I finally got my opportunity this
year.  I started (here in New Jersey) two colonies in mid-April.  So far, they
seem to be doing well though off to a slow(?) start unseasonably cool Spring we
have had.
 
Right now the colonies are in a single hive bodies (deep supers) with 10 frames
of foundation.  They have all but the outside frames, which they are starting
to work on.  I have brood on at least 4 frames in each colony.
 
My newbie question is:  how do I know when it is time add the second hive body?
 
In my reading during the winter, I'm a bit confused.  The books say to add the
second body when the bees need it.  Not too early or they will chew up the
foundation.  Not too late or they will get crowded and swarm.  What's a newbie
to do? :-)
 
I estimate within the next 7-10, I'm going have a population explosion as the
capped brood are born.  Should I add the second body in anticipation of this
or wait a bit more?
 
Thanks for the help!
 
        Bob
--
Bob Billson, KC2WZ                               email: [log in to unmask]
         MS-DOS, you can't live with it.  You can live without it.
                  Linux: the choice of a GNU generation!