Some hives are built so that more than one unit fits inside, separated by a solid partition. This makes possible several management approaches that are harder with separate hives.

The principle

A brood chamber is divided into two or more parts by a solid partition, each with its own entrance on a different side.

The parts share the warmth of the partition but remain separate colonies.

What it delivers

• Warmth: Two small colonies side by side keep each other warm; this is the main advantage
• Space: More units on the same site
• Reserve: A nuc with a spare queen stays next to the main colony
• Simple uniting: The partition is replaced with newspaper

Where it is most useful

• Overwintering small units in a cold climate
• Keeping spare queens without separate hives
• Mating queens alongside a strong colony
• Recovering a weakened colony

Practical points

• The partition must be genuinely solid; a gap causes fighting
• Entrances on different sides reduce drifting
• Mark clearly which part has which queen; confusion is easily made here
• Work on one part at a time and keep the other closed

The downside

• Each part is small and can fill too quickly in a long flow
• The risk of the beekeeper making a mistake is higher
• With disease in one part, the other is very close
• Less convenient for transport

Uniting

The strongest application: at the end of the season the partition is replaced with newspaper and two weak units grow into one colony ready for winter.

That is better than sending two weak colonies into winter separately.