Adding Supers: Top, Bottom & MIDDLE?

[Dave W]

Greetings . . .

My single hive is in 3-deeps w/ top chamber about 80% CAPPED honey. About 2-wks ago (7/7/03) I added a shallow super of foundation. To date, none has been drawn. Our nectar flow is slow (?) and Im NOT feeding.

Question: Can I place the shallow super (foundation) between #2 and #3 CHAMBERS, just until is drawn. I would like to have an empty, drawn shallow to place over my first shallow w/foundation, NEXT SPRING. Im concerned about SPACE to prevent swarming.

thanx,
Dave W

[Paul B]

Hi Dave,

It sounds like you have hit the usual "Summer Dearth". This is when the nectar flow basically shuts off (or close to it). I would suggest that you simply remove the empty shallow and let them have another crack at it next spring. At this point, the bees won't be making much more honey which translates into not drawing out much comb either. You can also leave it on until you close them up for the winter and see what happens... As far as trying to prevent swarming, you can actually get a benefit from undrawn foundation because the bees will have more space (where the comb will eventually be built) AND they have to convert honey and work into drawing out comb. This will tend to keep them busy enough to forget about swarming.

Hope this helps,
Paul

[jimbee]

Check your 3 deep brood chambers. Not knowing if you have an excluder between the brood and supers,you may find plenty of room amongst the brood area. As a general rule of thumb, brood nest congestion is what leads to swarming. You may wish to reverse the brood chambers such that the brood is downstairs and emptier deep frames are above. That way they can work their way back up. That is as long as the brood area is not completely honey bound. The bees will not draw foundation unless there is a strong flow (natural or artificial) and they need it.

[Michael Bush]

The queen will lay in comb that is only 1/4" or so drawn. So you may end up with a super full of brood. Then again, if it's a dearth she may have backed off on laying and then they won't do anything but track the nice white wax up.