double brood?

[Oxymel of Squill]

I have two hives, one with a thriving colony one empty as the colony was too
weak and died out last year. It was just weakness, not disease that did for
it.

Rather than ship in another queen for the empty box, are there any major
disadvantages to stacking the empty brood box on top of the full one and
letting the thriving colony thrive even more?

cheers

Jon

[flintster]

Hi
I have seen hives with two brood boxes and as much as 4 supers on top
of that, but be careful, too much empty space allows for intruders
such as wax moth and such. I don't think your supposed to add a new
super until the one below is 75% full but I'm not sure.
good luck
James

[Len]

I've seen colonies with eleven boxes high. But the big ones are
ususally double queen with an extruder for the laying lady.
If the pollen is plentiful, and the nectar flow is good, go slowly as
you will get invaders, like wax moths in your chambers.
Or you could crowd the first colony a little and then divide by
putting a frame of wet brood, capped brood, pollen, nectar and
honey,and a few attendants into the new (old) box, and see if they
raise a queen.
Good luck. And let us know what you do.

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:51:50 +0100, "Oxymel of Squill"
<sas...@lineone.net> wrote:

*>I have two hives, one with a thriving colony one empty as the colony
was too
*>weak and died out last year. It was just weakness, not disease that
did for
*>it.
*>
*>Rather than ship in another queen for the empty box, are there any
major
*>disadvantages to stacking the empty brood box on top of the full one
and
*>letting the thriving colony thrive even more?
*>
*>cheers
*>
*>Jon
*>
************
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art...
It has no survival value; rather it is one of those
things that give value to survival.

C. S. Lewis