>
>Michael wrote:
>  So, I winter with two deeps and a medium. That gives me just that little
>bit of extra time to get around to all my yards before they swarm.
>
>Bob wrote:
>   The main reason is and concerns not being
able to work the hives before swarm problems occur and not that the bees
need the brood rearing space. If worked early enough I see no need for the
extra super

Early to you is impossible for me. There isn't much time here between first
dependable pollen, and dandelion bloom. That 4 week window...less that in
Missouri?... is probably the worst bee weather we have each year. And they
do need the brood rearing space. The super is probably half full of winter
stores at this time. The brood nest expands downward onto the empty combs
in the bottom box. By the time dandelion blooms, many colonies have a
cluster that extends from the top super to the bottom board. There is
usually a little brood in the super, 6 or 7 combs of brood in the top hive
body, and 4 or 5 combs of brood in the bottom hive body.  No, I would say
that in my area, two deeps and a super is the proper configuration. The
bees store enough honey in this space to last until dandelion. The space is
filled with bees when I pack them away in fall, and again by dandelion.
Swarming is kept in check until late dandelion. By then I've been able to
get into the brood nests with only a little cell building.

mike

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