Add more supers?

[hooisyurbee]

It is getting late in the year and I need advise on adding new supers. I just checked my last shallow super and it had 8 of the 10 foundations drawn and honey or nectar are in them.

[Michael Bush]

Weather in even a small area varies, and because it does, the honey flow varies. If there is a flow, I'd keep the supers on. If there is not, I'd still leave a bit of room. Sometimes a flow starts quite suddenly. Until you get a good freeze you might still get a flow. I wouldn't count on it, of course, but you don't want them running out of room if the hive is really packed.

[Hayseed]

MB, would it be acceptable to simply remove a few capped frames and replace them with undrawn foundation? I had no intention of taking their stores this year or extracting, but I have a couple of hives with 2 deeps and 3 & 4 supers full. Problem is, the only ones that would be pure honey are likely the ones I put on after the fall flow began & I stopped feeding. I could replace and entire super, But I only need/want a little for my own use - sort of a reward for my efforts.

Hayseed

[bjerm2]

If I might add my $0.02 I would extract the frames and then put them back. I would not give them foundation since it is late and the bees need time and warm weather to make wax. You don't want them to have this void in thier hive. If you extract the honey then all they have to do is fill the cells up again and that takes less time and energy to do.
Dan

[Michael Bush]

Bees will survive probably in spite of us. http://www.beesource.com/ubb/smile.gif I wouldn't worry too much if you want some honey, as long as you leave them plenty. I try not to leave a void out in the center though. I try to put it on the edges.

[Hayseed]

"If I might add my $0.02 I would extract the frames and then put them back. I would not give them foundation since it is late and the bees need time and warm weather to make wax. "

Thanx - but I can't extract without an extractor right?? Next year. For now I'm just scraping off the the wax and honey and straining.

I pulled two frames tonight and the honey is straining as I write. Pretty slow process, huh. Passed it through a food strainer first. Now trying some triple cheese cloth. May be too fine - two hours and less than a pint has passed through.

I keep tasting it - there may be little left to bottle at this rate.

Hayseed

[franc]

Im planning on adding more supers tomorrow to catch whats left of the aster and goldenrod here.There could be a couple more weeks of flowers left.Good luck

[hooisyurbee]

Thanks everyone for the advise. I did add another shallow super.

I wonder though if I should also put a mouse guard on since it has been geeting in the 40's and 50's at night here. The days are still in the high 70's or mid 80's.

Thanks again...

[Michael Bush]

>I wonder though if I should also put a mouse guard on since it has been geeting in the 40's and 50's at night here. The days are still in the high 70's or mid 80's.

As long as it doesn't cause a traffic jam. 1/4" hardware cloth without reducing the entrance should work pretty well.