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YEAR 2: 2-DEEP SYSTEM <br /> Spring O <br /> Check to see if there are frames of brood (combs containing eggs, larvae and pupae, or both open and sealed <br /> brood) in the top box. If so, conduct a reversal (see Figure 52) by switching the position of the two hive boxes <br /> to encourage the bees to expand. If the second box is >50% stored honey or if there are brood frames in <br /> both the top and bottom boxes, skip this reversal.Always avoid splitting the brood nest, which could lead to <br /> the death of some brood from cold exposure if the temperatures drop and bees cannot cluster over brood in <br /> separate areas. <br /> ' ' S . . , <br /> • # <br /> vo, <br /> ,r •• ,r 2 ® 1 <br /> 6,, <br /> , , <br /> � ,� , , 2 <br /> 0 1 .„ , <br /> Ps <br /> • <br /> Figure 52. Diagram of a 2-deep system reversal. Do not reverse if the second box is>50%stored <br /> honey or if there is brood in both boxes. <br /> Dividing a 2-Deep Colony <br /> • At least 4 days prior to the expected arrival of your queen, the brood should be divided into two <br /> approximately equal portions. Half of the frames containing brood should be in the top hive body and <br /> the other half should be in the bottom hive body (Figure 53). The outer frames should contain equalized <br /> amounts of food. <br /> • Place a queen excluder on the bottom box, then place the second brood box on top of the queen <br /> excluder. The queen excluder will isolate the queen in one of these two brood units. <br /> • Four days later, inspect the hive bodies to find eggs. The box that contains eggs will also contain <br /> the queen. If eggs are found in the box above the excluder, you know the queen is the top box and <br /> the bottom box is used to make a new divide. If eggs are found in the box below the excluder, then the <br /> queen is in the bottom box and the top hive box is used for the divide. <br /> • Place the hive body that contains about half of the brood but no eggs (and no queen) on a bottom <br /> board and hive stand at a new location within the apiary. This colony is called the "divide." <br /> • The box that contains the queen (as indicated by the presence of eggs) and the other half of the brood <br /> remains on the original bottom board and hive stand. This colony is called the "parent." • <br /> • Let the divide sit queenless for 12-24 hours before adding a new caged queen using the "slow release <br /> method." <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 72 <br />