2nd Full Season

[HJBee]

I am now in a good position of both my hives have a brood box having 95% drawn comb, my supers (1 on each hive) only have appx 20% drawn comb as I build them up. However, I have a dilemma as one hive looks like it's getting short on space. So I have another brood box ready to build and frames, but do I switch the new foundation laden brood box for the super, or leave them to draw the super comb out for space? H

[gavin]

Seems to me that you can do either, HJ. If you're keen to build a big butch colony then the second brood box is feasible. But if you'd rather have an early summer honey crop, go with the super for now. Are the bees making an empty space in the super above the brood nest in expectation that the queen can lay there (but can't because of the excluder? If so, they may appreciate the extra space from an additional brood box. From that position a split - if they make queen cells - is a little easier. What are you going to do with the half-drawn out super - leave it on top? Assuming there is no brood in the super that would probably work as long as it doesn't get too cold this week. Better to have gone straight to two brood boxes directly though. Hope it goes well, and that you get further opinions!