# Adding second hive body



## Kyle Meadows (Jul 14, 2006)

Hi all,
Sixteen days ago, I installed a 4 pound package of Russians into a 10 frame medium (actually 11 reduced frames) with 5.1 mm drawn comb, and I'm wondering if it would be about the right time to add another hive body. 
I have no more drawn comb (and I'm trying to regress them to small cell), so I would be adding empty frames with wooden starter strips. 
Would it be better to add all the 11 new empty frames to the new box on top, or could I transfer every other frame of drawn comb from the bottom box to the same position in the top box, and fill in the empty spaces in both boxes with new empty frames?

Like this: (n = new frame with starter strip, o = old frame with drawn comb)

top box - n o n o n o n o n o n
bottom box - o n o n o n o n o n o

I hope I've explained this clearly. It's much easier to see than to say. 
My reason for wanting to alternate frames is to encourage the bees to draw out the new comb straight and parallel.
Any opinions?
Thanks,
Kyle


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

after they draw out eight or nine frames i would bring one straight one up from the bottom body and into the center position in the top super. you might break up the brood nest too much by pulling every other comb up.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>My reason for wanting to alternate frames is to encourage the bees to draw out the new comb straight and parallel.
>Any opinions?

It works when they are drawing brood comb. It doesn't work when they start drawing honey storage comb. The brood comb is consistent in depth. For the honey comb they will just fatten the drawn comb and ignore the starter strips. Even if it was frames of foundation, they would probably fatten the drawn comb and ignore the foundation.


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