# How to rearrange supers



## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

We got our first bees last spring and started off with a 10 frame medium super because they came in a nuc. As they grew we added a 10 frame deep on top. We have had a mild winter here in SW Tennessee and they are growing, pollen is starting to come out, and I want to add another super so they don't swarm (since they seem to think it's spring).

Would it be best I put the current (full) deep on bottom, an empty deep on top of the full, and the original (full) medium on top? Or is there another strategy to do this?


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

To early to worry about swarm. Are they using all the available frames? How much brood and what box is it in? I'll guess there is a frame or two of brood. Put that box on bottom. If it is the deep even better. Do they have any honey left? If not better feed. Only give them frames they can protect from hive beetles and wax moths. If your bees are doing better than I described you have a strong queen. Good breeding stock to make new queens from this spring. I am hundreds of miles south of you and not adding boxes yet. When you have 2 full brood boxes you will be ready for split to help prevent swarm. If medium is empty comb you could save and use as honey super once flow starts.


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## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

I'll have to inspect this weekend to see how much brood. We're judging this based on the amount of activity we see hen we go to add fondant cakes. Been feeding all winter. 

It's been warm lately so maybe they'll be ok with an inspection and us intruding


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Learned many years ago that when spring arrived one of the first jobs is to rearrange the deeps. Place the very top deep on the bottom board and then set the second deep above that. No in my neck of the woods this warm spell is not spring don't even think about *NOT HAVING A SNOW STORM* till mid April and even they your not safe.

Since you are running a single deep and a medium I would rotate them and work at having two deeps instead. I don't like having odd sized brood boxes my self.
I wouldn't think the bees would swarm before they start bringing in nectar from fruit trees of danolions.
They need to know there is a food source before they swarm.

 Al


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## cityfeet (Feb 1, 2015)

My end result I want to have 2 deeps for brood and 2 medium honey supers. At least right now that's what I picture in my mind. I may learn more as I go and find a different setup is best


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## IAHawkeye (Dec 19, 2016)

alleyyooper said:


> Learned many years ago that when spring arrived one of the first jobs is to rearrange the deeps. Place the very top deep on the bottom board and then set the second deep above that. No in my neck of the woods this warm spell is not spring don't even think about *NOT HAVING A SNOW STORM* till mid April and even they your not safe.
> 
> Since you are running a single deep and a medium I would rotate them and work at having two deeps instead. I don't like having odd sized brood boxes my self.
> I wouldn't think the bees would swarm before they start bringing in nectar from fruit trees of danolions.
> ...


I am fairly new to bees, why do you switch the boxes around? I currently have two deep supers and a medium honey super. Would you just switch the top and bottom deeps?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

IAHawkeye said:


> I am fairly new to bees, why do you switch the boxes around? I currently have two deep supers and a medium honey super. Would you just switch the top and bottom deeps?


Over time the bees tend to migrate upwards. I once saw a hive that was 5 or 6 deeps high, but all of the bees fit into a single box at the very top of the stack. 

This was not a large problem to the man working it, as he was a fairly strong 6 footer who could lift a box above his head, but as a short older female I have no intention of letting my hive get that tall! 

Also, since some hives will simply not move downwards, when the top box is full some hives will simply react by raising a queen and swarming. So, if the beekeeper sees that the lower box is empty, the empty lower box Is removed. Then, to give the bees the room they need to expand during the summer, a box is set on top For the sake of convenience, the box that was just removed is usually the box that is set on the top. The result is, the hive boxes have been rotated.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*It is a early means of swarm prevention to rotate the hive bodies* .Also deeps are just deeps and mediums are just mediums and shallows are just shallows.
Once you make any of the 3 for collection honey , then they are refured to as supers and only then. Deep honey super, can be done but are heavy to handle, medium honey super, a little easier to handle but still on the heavy side and shallow honey supers what I like best.

*****
the colony is found in the upper deep hive body during the start of spring, leaving the bottom deep hive body empty of bees and honey. The colony will expand in the upper hive body but will quickly become congested and will not likely move down.

Therefore, by reversing the hive bodies the main nesting area is placed on the bottom, giving the colony room to expand into the upper hive body thus elevating congestion and helping to prevent swarming.


DO NOT ROTATE TOO EARLY. Many beekeepers rotate the boxes too early in the season when the nights are still below freezing. 

When they were in the top of the hive, they enjoyed living in the pocket of heat that became trapped in the upper part of the hive. This provided assistance in heating the newly reared brood.

I do not rotate till the average night time temps are above freezing, really like at least a 40F average.


 Al


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

As Alleyyooper said you don't want to rotate the boxes too early.

As has been said, bees won't swarm until there is a constant flow of nectar and pollen - which is usually when the dandelions are blooming.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

Before you reverse boxes, check where the brood is. If there is brood ONLY in the upper box, then rotate the boxes. If there is ANY brood in both boxes, DO NOT rotate them. The brood will be in the top of the box you put on top and in the bottom of the one you put on bottom. You will kill the brood in one of the boxes, as the bees will follow the queen to the brood she goes to and they will abandon the other.

If you do not rotate, the queen and the brood nest will move down as the honey flow begins.

Also, it is not too early to have swarms in Tn. We have found swarm cells and drones flying here in the center of NC. Yes, it is early, but it is happening.


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