# Nectar bound second deep question



## ImIdaho (Apr 22, 2016)

Hello all!

First, let me give you some context on my background and how I got here. 2nd year beekeeper, put a third deep on one of my two overwintered double deep hives with the intention of turning it into a honey machine while my other hive recovered numbers from a walkaway split. Last week, it looked like they were turning that third deep into honey storage, so I scrapped the third deep idea and made another walkaway split. Now, that hive has continued to make the top deep (I took the middle deep for the split) nectar bound. Now, I know I need to put some empty frames in there, but the questions are these: 

Do I remove five frames of nectar-bound frames, and put foundation alternating between two nectar-bound frame (like positions 1,3,5,7,9)? 
OR should I bring up a brood frame from the bottom deep and alternate some empty foundation between the other nectar-bound frames?
Or should I wait a few days and see if they cap out more of the frames, THEN harvest (my concern with swarms is there in this case)?

I've also put a honey super with partial comb and some foundation on top this morning.

Lastly, What should I do with the nectar? Feed it to one of my new splits?


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## danielt42301 (Apr 13, 2016)

I am in a similar boat with my hives. I have 2 deeps and currently 3 honey supers on top. They had drawn out the comb and had most of the 2nd honey super full so I under-supered an empty box with frames and they have yet to draw out the new frames. There are substantially less bees in the hive as there were before(at least I think there is). I got down into the deep boxes Sunday and there was honey EVERYWHERE in the 2nd box so I am thinking about checkerboarding that box because I'm afraid the queen doesn't have space to lay eggs. Wondering what people's thoughts are on this? THANKS!


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Part of the answer depends if you are using a queen excluder, if you are you can undersuper the honey super giving an empty box directly over the broodnest, the queen will be prevented from using it by the excluder so it can get used for honey without worrying if it stays partly empty for a while.

For Daniel, if your hive has less bees than it did a while ago there may be other issues happening that need dealing with. However aside from that if you feel the queen is crowded out by nectar but there are not enough bees to add a super about the only option to give her more room would be to switch out some full frames for some empty ones. Or, just pull some frames, extract them, and put them back in same day. If it's nectar with a high moisture content it will ferment if you store it but should still be good for a while if you keep in the fridge, or a very long time if stored in the deep freeze. Just use it for cooking, drink making, and anything you can think of to use it up.


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## ImIdaho (Apr 22, 2016)

Thanks Oldtimer. I wound up taking out 5 frames of nectar, bringing up a few frames of brood, and putting in fresh foundation in the new spaces created. I disbursed those 5 frames among my other three active hives. I checked the hive in question two days ago and 7-8 frames in that second deep are now capped brood. anticipating an explosion of population, I put a third super on the hive and will check them next week for queen cells.


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## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Sounds good. 

You will do well to monitor for swarming, a honey bound brood area is one of the signs they are thinking about swarming, depending of course on other things like how strong the hive is.


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