# Backfilling The Broodnest



## NUBE (May 24, 2009)

I had a pollen backfill swarm this year. I purchased a pollen trap afterwards. If I run into the situation again, I’ll starve them of pollen for a few days and, hopefully, empty out the brood area a bit. When they’re raising that much brood, they have to have a lot of pollen. I’m assuming if it isn’t coming through the front door, they’ll start grabbing it from the pantry.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

I used to have a frame of green drone comb in each hive, but tried to simplify my work so stopped using them. Maybe instead of wasting space with a follower board, I should go back to using them. Just swap it out when needed with a swarm deterring frame. Of course, I would also have to remove on schedule too. J


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## drummerboy (Dec 11, 2015)

Sounds like its time to split those 2 Deeps imo. Here's what I'd do;

Without even looking for the queen, place a QE between the 2 Deeps, return after 4 days, the box without eggs (queenless) can stay put or moved (staying put will bring back the older bees) away, can add a queen, or a cell or let them make their own queen. Up to you.

Another option; Inspect, shake bees off at least 6 honey/food/brood frames into parent colony and place them above a QE in another box (preferably a honey super), replacing the taken frames with drawn comb or foundation for queen to continue laying in. 

The frames with brood/food above QE will hatch out, leaving more room for honey. This simple maneuver will entice bees to move 'honey' operation above the QE. Add additional (empty or drawn) frames to fill box and go ahead and add another at the same time...depending on flow in your region. We use all mediums so we tend to add 2 honey supers at a time.

Good luck!


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Thanks Drummerboy, but I have essentially done what you suggested in earlier attempts to clear the broodnest. I am usually fairly successful by swapping nectar frames for drawn comb, but they are plugging it up before the queen could lay. They have forced her to essentially shut down laying to start their swarm clock, so I think only chance is splitting if blank frames don't deter them. I am rolling the dice by not splitting, I know. J


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## drummerboy (Dec 11, 2015)

I don't think you should 'clear' the broodnest, just take a frame or 2 without bees, place above an excluder.

If you don't want to split (and want to avoid swarming) put a QE above the broodnest and supers above that with at least one frame of honey (a frame of brood would work better as an attractant) above the QE. 

Your results in either case will increase the population of bees by expanding the broodnest below the QE by 'restricting' the queen and allowing bees to move honey above the QE instead of backfilling the broodnest.

You kinda want to do something b4 they start swarming behavior.

Good Luck!


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

I guess I haven't been clear enough, but by "clear the broodnest" I mean removing nectar/ pollen frames and providing comb for the queen to lay. My point is, this is usually successful, but they are backfilling before the queen lays up the frame. So now I have added more partial foundation frames ( osbn) as well as blank frames to attempt to them deter swarming by drawing comb to complete their now messed up broodnest. 
There is a medium honey super above the top deep with drawn comb and room to lay, above that an excluder with three supers mostly full. So they are brining the nectar above the broodnest, but also doing what they are programmed to do, backfilling the broodnest to prompt a swarm. J


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Duplicate, my apologies. J


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Update: I went back in today and the queen is laying again. They drew a frame of foundation and she is laying that up and going back to fill frames where brood has hatched. They filled the partial OSBN frame with nectar and started drawing out the sides. I was a bit surprised that they didn't even start drawing the blank frame.
I did find 2 small patches of drone brood in the honey super right above the top deep. This tells me I made the right call leaving the excluder off. It kept her laying at least a little while space was being made below. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to make sure, 100%, absolutely sure that she was not in one of the four supers, so I left the excluder off until I have time to make sure. 
Not declaring victory yet, but think I learned some things with this colony. J


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